Camden club nights: Electric Ballroom, KOKO and the rest
Five Camden rooms run proper club nights, and they could not be more different. Here is which one suits you, with times and prices.
By Only Camden Editorial
Short version: Electric Ballroom for a big, cheap, loud Saturday, KOKO for serious dance music until 05:00, the Underworld for rock and metal, the Jazz Cafe for DJs in a room with a stage, and Dingwalls for themed party nights at Camden Lock. Most of this sits on or near Camden High Street, so you can walk between them if you change your mind.
Electric Ballroom: the big Saturday party
184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP. It is directly opposite Camden Town station, so the Northern line is your exit strategy. The room holds about 1,500, which tells you the mood: this is a party room, not a chin-stroking one.
The Saturday night is LOOP, 23:00 to 03:00. Expect party anthems, house, R&B and throwbacks, plus a big sound system, inflatables, confetti cannons and weekly giveaways. Tickets start from £3, though other listings put the run from £10, so book early and expect the cheapest tier to go first. A LOOP launch party is listed for Saturday 3 October. Student prices are available on Friday and Saturday nights.
Halloween is the one to plan for: the UCL Students’ Union party is on Friday 30 October, 23:00 to 04:00, and Time Out lists a Halloween night there, 23:00 to 03:00, from £3. Later in the autumn the venue lists The Hardkiss (£40) on Friday 6 November, and a Hoa Hoa Hoa Rave on Saturday 21 November (from £10).
KOKO: the electronic room
Camden High Street, NW1. This is a Grade II-listed theatre that first opened in 1901, and it was reborn as KOKO in 2004 after earlier lives that included the Camden Palace. The Victorian main room is the draw: gilt, balconies and a proper sound and lighting rig.
KOKO Electronic runs Fridays and Saturdays, 22:00 to 05:00, and has done since 2022. The autumn programme has Green Velvet on Friday 2 October, Oscar Mbo on Saturday 3 October, and Hernán Cattaneo on Friday 16 October. Michael Bibi makes his KOKO debut on Saturday 17 October. Both Halloween nights, Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, are sold out. Camden Disco Festival is on Friday 6 November, and Francis Mercier has a three-day takeover from 20 to 22 November.
Eating first? Cafe KOKO does New York style pizza and drinks late. There is also a jazz club backstage called Ellen’s, and daytime UKG and DNB brunch raves. Check the site for ticket prices, as they vary by night.
The Underworld: rock and metal in the basement
Camden High Street, in the basement of the World’s End pub. It holds about 500, so it is sweaty and close, which is the point. Camden Rocks Club runs on Saturdays: indie and rock favourites spun over electronics. Fridays are Blackout Club. Both are for rock, indie, alternative and metal people.
It is 18+, runs until 03:00, and some tickets start from £8. Camden Rocks Club dates are listed through to 19 December. If your last gig ended too early and you want to carry on in a leather jacket, this is the answer.
The Jazz Cafe: DJs with a stage and a restaurant
5 Parkway, NW1 7PG. A short walk from Camden Town station, open since 1990, with live music most nights and a mezzanine restaurant. Weekend club nights with DJs run from about 22:30 to 03:00, and Friday and Saturday hours are listed as 19:00 to 03:00. It is the room for soul, hip-hop and groove, and the sort of place where Gil Scott-Heron, Amy Winehouse and Bobby Womack have all played, so the sound is better than your average club. Look at the listings for the specific night and its price before you set out.
Dingwalls: party nights at Camden Lock
Middle Yard, Camden Lock, NW1 8AL. It has hosted gigs and club nights since 1973. The listings show a Club de Fromage Halloween Party (18+) on Saturday 31 October. Club de Fromage is a pop night, billed as danceable and high energy. Vibe Village, an R&B party, brought a £20 night here in June. There is no fixed weekly club night, so check before you go.
Which one tonight
- Cheap and loud: Electric Ballroom on a Saturday, from £3.
- Dance music until dawn: KOKO, Friday or Saturday, until 05:00.
- Guitars: the Underworld, Friday or Saturday, until 03:00.
- Something with a bit of soul: the Jazz Cafe, Parkway.
- Fancy dress and pop: Dingwalls, Camden Lock, when a themed night is on.
Line-ups change and Halloween sells out fast, so check each venue’s own page before you leave the house. And keep an eye on the clock: Camden Town station is at the heart of all of this, which makes the last train the easy part.
