BOB 2015: SUB CLUB (BEST SMALL CLUB)

UNDERGROUND SOUNDS
It’s been another huge year for Glasgow’s underground clubbing jewell...
Now into its 26th year, Sub Club has been one of the best small clubs in the world for many years. Ever since it opened in 1987, the cosy basement space, with its low ceiling and first-rate soundsystem, has been making dancers dance and DJs play out of their skin.

What’s more, the club never lets up on its underground ideals and so whilst many clubs in London battle closure or strict council rules and regulations, Sub Club continues to go its own merry way.

“We kicked off a new cultural pop up experience, SUB HUB running throughout April in a city centre loft space, and also hosted our own mini- festival, Sub Club SoundSystem, in May,” says Managing Director, Mike Grieve, who also oversaw the club launching its first ever label, Nautilus Rising, and cites Âme and Dixon playing b2b in November as one of the year’s musical highlights.

“I can’t really say there has been any specific trends in 2015, but people just get crazier on the dancefloor year-by- year: the damage to the ceiling above our dancefloor from people punching above their heads has to be seen to be believed!” 

The Subculture night and its renowned residents Harri and Dom are of course at the heart of the operation, but with the likes of Kerri Chandler, Andrew Weatherall, Todd Terry and Erol Alkan all calling by on a regular basis, this pressure cooker of a club never fails to go off.

“Next year we will be getting involved with some festivals for the first time, like Farr in the UK and Love International in Croatia,” says Mike, who admits that bookings at the club always come down to how much a DJ can move a dancefloor rather than anything else. Once again, this simple but effective MO has worked a treat in 2015.