From chronically online to IRL: inside Club Cringe’s London takeover

What happens when a group of hyper-online artists and niche internet personalities from either side of the Atlantic go head-to-head in a night of chaos and high-voltage DJ sets? Well, you need look no further than Club Cringe’s London takeover last week. The New York party collective (the same team behind infamous queer venues Heaven and Rash) took over Vauxhall’s Union nightclub, assembling a stacked line-up of their fiercest tune purveyors to embark in a heroic battle of the bass against some of the UK’s finest, with sets from the likes of Frost Children, GFOTY, Mother Cell, Spinee and DJ Wallh4x.

Headed by Jake Sillen, AKA DJ Trick, Club Cringe has grown from an online community of meme page admins and group chats to a New York staple known for its avant-garde and maximalist nights that aim to present a playful alternative to the overly serious attitudes prevalent across the club circuit. Combining internet culture with a zero-speed limit take on electronic music, party-goers can expect to hear everything from happy hardcore and bassline to gabber, donk, and – of course – pop music.

Sticking to New York tradition, the night also featured an impressive line-up of hosts from both sides of the pond, including Blaketheman1000, Babymorocco, Safe, Ushko, günseli and London collective Planet Fun. Not to mention appearances by the likes of Dorian Electra, Count Baldor, twst and more. Click through the gallery above to get a taste of the mayhem. 

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