Durham is set to play: Meet Recess, Durham’s latest ‘boiler-room’ style club night

Recess is Durham’s latest “boiler-room” style club night, housed in the Klute basement. With events every Saturday, the founding members seek to offer a complementary option to the city’s classics.

Started by Gethin (DJ) Charles (DJ), Xav (DJ), Reu (DJ) and Kit (graduated), the team ranges from second years to fourth years, and they hope this diversity helps them to reach as many students as possible.

With an appeal to everyone, specifically those “looking for a bit of an escape”, Recess offers something uniquely alternative, focused on a diversifying range of music.

Why did you start Recess?

Recess was created in the summer of 2025, having hosted its first event in June, during Easter term. Gethin, one of the founders, has been playing in the main room in Klute since February, which he says has shaped his musical influences.

Recess was built on a shared enjoyment of the Durham scene, but also on a desire to reflect the team’s individual backgrounds. Integrating more alternative styles, they say they’re “here for the music”, contrasting what they feel is a more blasé attitude to nightlife in the mainstream sphere.

What kinds of events have you hosted previously?

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After their launch back in June of the previous academic year, Recess aimed to increase the frequency of their events. Freshers’ Week saw two Recess events in the Klute basement, on Wednesday and Friday, hosted exclusively for first years. They hosted a second event two weeks later, on 25th October, before deciding to host club nights every Saturday.

Recess then got the all-important go-ahead from Klute and has hosted events on Saturdays ever since. They say this is one of the most popular clubbing nights, because people are usually “going out for a reason”.

Very recently, Walk On, one of Durham University’s charity fashion shows, hosted a club night in collaboration with Recess on 8th November, with all proceeds going to their chosen charities.

Artists showcased at events: What to expect

Recess told The Durham Tab about their adoration for house music, citing a sense of freedom that comes with the genre. From there, they sought to create a non-judgemental space focused on individual expression and an appreciation for the music itself.

Recess likes to play music from a mix of mainstream artists in house and garage genres (John Summit, James Hype, FISHER, Fred Again, Sammy Virji). They say they love introducing people to smaller, more niche artists, whose tracks audiences love, pushing them to share the music with wider audiences who may not have come across them before. Music from the likes of Overmono, Oppidan, Bushbaby, Bakey, Interplanetary Criminal, Goldie, Dom Dolla and many more is played.

What makes Recess unique?

A unique feature of Recess, the team says, is its accessibility. Events are not only free, due to the support of Klute, but they’re hosted weekly on Saturdays. The regularity of the club nights aims to build a community of like-minded music enthusiasts: “Whether you are desperate for something more underground, like house or garage”, or “invited by a friend”, Recess is for everyone.

Location is important too, with the team crediting the insularity the Klute basement offers, with a more intimate, personal and “boiler-room” feel.

In different university cities across the UK, Recess feels the nightlife scene can be restrictive and overly familiar. In contrast, their club nights aim to bring variety back to Durham, “stepping into something students have never seen before, and are longing for too”.

What are the origins behind the name?

Charles came up with the name, describing how a quote from the School of Rock (“we’re gonna have recess all the time”) shaped the beginnings of Recess’ journey.

From there, the team produced a promotional video themed around the School of Rock to launch the vision, expanding on their philosophy of “work hard, play hard”. They hope to tap into all aspects of university life, emphasising how rewarding nightlife feels when balancing academics with fun.

What is the future for Recess?

Recess is committed to growing its club nights every single Saturday, as well as looking beyond the initial project and branching out into other realms. This could involve collaborating with other names or businesses across the city to host events.

The team also discussed plans to work with other student-led initiatives, such as fashion shows and fundraising opportunities. They want an ethos centred around inclusivity, with a focus on music rather than profit.

They spoke excitedly of wanting “to be as welcoming as possible while also emphasising the curation of people”. Recess is very hopeful about the future, and is always open to new people joining, with fresh faces, names and talent adding value to their project.

Themed nights are an area Recess plans to explore, such as centring nights around a specific genre, from garage to bassline, jungle, and drum and bass.

There’s a potential for live music events to be intertwined with Saturday club nights, such as a live drum night combined with dance music and a drummer, or jungle drums. Incorporating other musical instruments, such as trumpets and saxophones, is another possibility for Recess too.