Inside London’s legendary LGBTQ+ rave Inferno

Ever since they staged their first party seven years ago, the organisers of Inferno have been crafting a space for queer people to find their community in London. Founded by performance artist and DJ Lewis Burton, a queer icon in the city’s underground who’s been described as “the closest thing in London to Divine”, the techno rave and performance art platform combines gives trans+, non-binary and queer artists the chance to meet likeminded people and spotlight fresh talent. “Seven years ago, London’s LGBTQ+ scene consisted of white muscle mary’s dancing to house and disco music wherever you went,” Burton says. “We wanted to do something different, something that felt fresh and exciting.”

Since then, Inferno has grown from a 100-person party into a community rave that houses over 1,000 queers. Anyone who’s attended the night can attest to the contagious energy. Think: heavy techno edits of saccharine pop hits, alienoid beauty looks, and avant-garde fashion. “Strangers have got engaged after fucking in toilets at our nights, I just got a text from a friend this morning saying how she met a fab couple at work last night and they met at Inferno three years earlier,” they share.

The platform has launched its own zine, staged an anti-Brexit party at the ICA on the cusp of the referendum, and now hosts an annual Inferno summit. They also support emerging queer artists through mentorship and financial aid. Burton adds, “We get to address the inequalities that the queer community face within electronic music – especially transgender people.”

Beyond the outrageous and outlandish looks and genre-pushing music, however, is Inferno’s emphasis on chosen family. Their next party, for example, is raising money for community member Sweatmother so that they can raise funds for their visa. “Inferno gave me the space institutions wouldn’t. They allowed me a space and resources to develop ideas my tutors wouldnt deem ‘art worthy’. It's in club culture where my art, which is deeply connected to my identity, was finally accepted and embraced,” says Sweatmother.

To celebrate seven years of Inferno, Burton has shared their photo archive to give us a peek behind the curtain of the cult London night. Take a look at the gallery above.