Review – KOKO Electronic: the return of Camden’s acid house palace

Stepping into KOKO for the first time, it is hard not to be struck by the venue itself. The restored Victorian theatre gives the space a real sense of depth, and its original acoustics have been reinforced by a sound system that fills the room without overwhelming it. The result is a setting that works on both an architectural and a musical level.

Harry Franklyn is one of the promoters behind KOKO Electronic, the venue’s late-night club series that runs every Friday and Saturday. The programming leans on consistently strong line-ups, introducing established DJs and live acts to new audiences while keeping faith with the underground culture that has always defined the building.

KOKO Electronic was conceived as a way of reconnecting the venue’s current club identity with its musical heritage. In its previous life as Camden Palace, the building was one of London’s defining rave destinations through the 1980s. It was here that a generation had their first nights out, discovered Chicago house and acid house, and became part of a movement that reshaped the city’s nightlife.

With that history in mind, Franklyn sees KOKO Electronic as a chance to acknowledge both the venue’s legacy and the artists and audiences who have shaped it. A long-standing devotee of acid house and techno, and someone rooted in that community, he treats the project less as a revival and more as the next chapter in the building’s story.

That approach was clear on Saturday 25th July. Rosie Ama and babyschön opened with quiet confidence, building the room through measured selections and understated control. Their chemistry behind the decks felt instinctive, letting the energy develop at its own pace before they handed over to Tryouts founder Logan Fisher. Fisher answered with a tightly constructed, uncompromising set that steadily raised the pressure, laying the groundwork for Paranoid London, whose acid lines and heavy kick drums took the room to full intensity. Closing duties fell to Chida, who handled the final hours with control. Rather than simply holding the energy, he shifted the mood, bringing the night to a close with a sense of warmth and restraint that felt earned.

The production deserves a mention. KOKO’s sound system delivers clarity and weight without tipping into excess, while the lighting complements the architecture rather than competing with it, giving the theatre a feel that is both intimate and large.

Room 2 was no afterthought. It offered a genuine alternative across the night. Moon Roq, Ida Vie and Ransom Note steered the room through sleazy acid grooves and leftfield selections, keeping the floor busy from start to finish. By the time Ed Mahon and Tronik Youth stepped up, demand had grown enough that their set was extended by an extra hour, a fitting close to a room that never lost momentum.

KOKO Electronic is not trading on nostalgia. It recognises the building’s past while giving a new generation of artists and clubbers the chance to add to it. In a city where genuine spaces for underground electronic music keep disappearing, nights like these matter.

The programming stays varied and often unexpected. This Friday, Bradley Zero marks 15 years of Rhythm Section with an all-night-long set. Later in the summer the series welcomes figures from across dance music, including Jazzy Jeff and Louie Vega, before the AW26 programme is revealed, with further names to come. Among the early highlights is a Shanti Celeste takeover in October.

The night made a straightforward case. Good club nights are about more than line-ups, and by pairing considered programming with one of London’s better listening environments, KOKO Electronic bridges the venue’s past and its future. Whether you go for the history, the music or the setting, it holds up as one of the capital’s more reliable nights out.

Find out more here https://www.koko.co.uk/kokoelectronic

by Damo Red Telephone

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