‘Only one room you want to be in’: Meet OneRoom, Durham’s newest electronic club night

From a Grey College kitchen to the Klute basement, OneRoom is Durham’s newest electronic club night.

Founders Zachary Berney, also known as “BERNZ”, Will Caygill, and Ruben Grout, all students at Durham University, told The Durham Tab that when it comes to their music, “there’s only one room you want to be in”.

The trio unveiled details about the launch of the new event, scheduled for this Friday (14th November).

‘Building from the floor’ of a college kitchen

Zachary, a first year international relations student from Grey College, said the idea for OneRoom was developed on the third night of Freshers’ Week. As a fresher, he explained the importance of a new and refreshing perspective on Durham nightlife, in the hope of de-commercialising clubs.

His vision began within the confines of his kitchen walls. They started with a few decks and around 35 students, showcasing talent from the bottom, rather than succumbing to the potential repetitiveness of other nights.

OneRoom aims to hone a more collective, personalised and intimate environment, attracting those who enjoy the music, rather than those who are only there to get drunk and may underappreciate its artistry.

Born from ‘Overheard at Durham’

Zachary said he he took to a Facebook forum known as “Overheard at Durham” to reach out to fellow student DJs.  From that very post, OneRoom was born.

Will, a second year Chemistry student from Van Mildert, and Ruben, an Ustinov postgraduate, joined forces with Zachary, expanding their scope by attracting both undergraduates and mature students.

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This idea was shaped by their collective DJ experiences both at home and overseas, with notable locations like the Hard Rock Hotel, Ibiza, the San Antonio strip, and BamBuKu. Others include Distrikt Bar Leeds, and Headrow House. They hope to reflect these experiences in their visions for Durham’s nightlife scene.

OneRoom x Klute: Details of their launch this Friday

OneRoom’s first event is scheduled for this Friday (14th November), at the Klute basement. Entry is £2, and the team told us they aim to keep events as affordable as possible. Profit is not their goal; any money raised will be put back into arranging future events.

Capacity is limited to 80-90 tickets. OneRoom described this as a “test” to gauge their initial popularity, hoping to grow their reach beyond Grey’s kitchen circle. The event’s small and selective nature reflects the intimacy of music, building upon their founding ‘”friend-network”.

Founder Zachary described the rising panic, chaos and potential claustrophobia that can arise from larger settings, explaining the benefits of a smaller space where everyone is there for a shared appreciation of the sound.

The ultimate space for ‘people who care for the sound’

OneRoom offers a “distinct sound”, with genres ranging from speed garage to UKG. They stress the quality of the music, achieved through experience, passion and dedication.

Already a popular genre, OneRoom want the emphasis on house music to expand its reach into Durham, which they believe the city is missing.

The founders aim to fill this gap by “bringing in something which already has an appetite for it”.

Shaping a new generation of memorable music talents

OneRoom urges students to come along and invest in something which they say “is fresh”, redefining club culture for a new generation. The group sees this as a shift from the over-familiarity which they ascribe to other club nights across the city.

The students explain they are also committed to providing a platform for other hopeful talents to break onto the scene, who might otherwise not be given a chance. Other events may place more emphasis on recurring headliners, rather than broadening their line-ups to include new faces and styles of music – something OneRoom are pushing back against.