Review: KiD COLA

THOMAS MORE: ‘Clare Cellars has to be the undisputed ‘coolest’ student venue in Cambridge.’

Cindies Clare Cellars George Johnston Kid Cola Life

Friday 30th, £4

Clare Cellars has to be the undisputed 'coolest' student venue in Cambridge. The quality of the acts that they get in (with the exception of the 68 year old DJ Derek – a questionable booking if ever there was one) is rarely rivaled, even by the up-and-coming (or possibly now-finished) Emma Ents.

The old cellars, with their intersecting pillars, make the dance floor a pleasant change from the sweat filled clubs that abound in Cambridge. Even the drinks are really quite reasonable – clever, enterprising Clare students buy large bottles of spirits wholesale and then sell shots for £1.50.  Much less than a VK in Life or Cindies.

However, despite these attractive features Clare is having trouble filling up this term.

KiD COLA delivered a set worthy of Clare's high standards, starting with some 'dark-and-stormy' electro before moving onto more underground bangers like Mowgli's 'London to Paris', or exclusive tracks that he'd just finished producing that week. Though the cellars were admittedly not at their maximum capacity there was still a great mood on the dance floor especially towards the end of KiD COLA's set when he started dropping more mainstream remixes by the likes of Soulwax and Fake Blood.

The support DJ, George Johnston, played to an empty venue for most of his set but did well to get the few people there early dancing with future summer anthems like Riva Starr's remix of 'OMG'. Clare Cellars are still the best place to go in Cambridge to enjoy good dance music. If you are the type of person that wants to be pressed up to another five sweaty bodies on a packed dance floor though, perhaps it is best to find somewhere else in exam term.