Fabrik Night Club Details...

Fabrik Club, Avenida Industria 82,
Humanes de Madrid, Spain

Fabrik is just on the outskirts of Madrid. It's a club you're unlikely to have heard of as its international profile is only now on the rise following recent changes in direction. But with perpetual debate raging around the demise of Ibiza, there's never been a better time to start exploring further afield than the White Isle for your clubbing holidays, so do read on...

It takes some effort to get out to this imposing club, but that only works in its favour. It means that those who do make the effort do so for the music and the party, rather than the kudos or the image. And when there are 10, 000 guests across the two huge arenas with such ethics; it makes for really quite a special atmosphere. The sheer scale of the club, the sound system and the crowd give proceedings a near religious sheen: lost amongst the multi-cultural ravers on the dance floor it seems like an electronic sermon, as if we are all worshiping higher electronic gods. Well, we sort of are, actually...

They don’t come much more revered in electronic circles than Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, Loco Dice, and Tiefschwarz. All said artists have distinctive sounds both in their productions, and in their sets, which set them apart, and which make them the sort of act Fabrik intends to now attract on a regular basis.

Throughout the weekend we visit, all of them (plus Guy Gerber, Tania Vulcano and Cassy) make their mark on this club – and that’s no mean feat. As dancers in bright and colourful costumes litter the crowd, shapes are shifted in unison to the pounding beats which rattle around the hangar like rooms. Ice cannons like you’ve never seen before blast down waterfall after waterfall of smoke which cocoons revellers in a disorientating mist. Even up on the VIP balcony which hovers above the edges of the dancefloor the beats are crisp and the dancing is no less excitable.

The elevated booth at the far end of the main room is understandably the focal point, and is one which looms large over the dance floor. What’s unique about this huge space is that, even right at the back of the main room, you feel as involved as you do at the front – the beats kick just as hard, the melodies swirl through your brain just as clearly, and the people are as focused on dancing as they are right by the booth. That's something which DJs have clearly picked up on - the likes of Carl Cox, Magda, Jamie Jones, Josh Wink, Steve Bug, Sven Vath and countless others wouldn't have played here otherwise.

Fabrik combines the rawness of warehouse raving with the tight atmosphere of underground basements, and importantly adds its own unique take on things by adding over the top production of the sort which blows your mind when in amongst it all. Like all great clubbing hotspots, Fabrik has that special something about it which you just can’t stop re-living to your mates, and which means you’ll never forget your trips to the club. We’re already planning our next one....

DJ Mag Club Review...

It's a summery Sunday afternoon in one of the world's most visually stunning cities, so why not spend it queuing in the car park of an industrial estate? Hardly seems a wise idea, especially when you've got all of Madrid's bustling markets and coffee shops on offer as well, yet that's exactly what you'll find a large proportion of the Spanish capital's clubbers and clued-up international visitors doing - and for one very good reason.

That reason is Fabrik, the enormous venue that has been pulling people to the outskirts of the city to Avenida Industria for the past few years, and has become an absolute must on any self-respecting and thrill-seeking tourist's itinerary.

Saturday nights provide house and techno from DJs of the calibre of Umek, Marko Nastic, Valentino Kanzyani and Erick Morillo, but it's the monthly Goa sessions on a Sunday that are really unique. The name might suggest terrible tie-dye trance but Goa - which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year - somehow manages to fill all three rooms in Fabrik with DJs boasting the coolest and most cutting-edge credentials in contemporary electronic music; Radio Slave, Damian Lazarus, Josh Wink and representatives of Jazzanova's Sonar Kollektiv label are just a few of the names to have played here.
Running from early afternoon until midnight on the Sabbath, anticipation is as thick as barbeque smoke in the air if you arrive early enough, with many punters passing the time before Goa opens with a picnic.

The level of excitement seems rather incongruous for a site that resembles nothing more glamorous than a Pontin's holiday park from the outside, but once you're inside you can immediately see what all the fuss is about. Packed with such superclub accoutrements as lasers, video projectors and nitrogen cannons, as well as a soundsystem that's second-to-none, the theatrical main room really is a spectacle to behold, especially when the crowd are garbed in fancy dress at one of the theme parties, and the cabaret-style dance performances are much better than anything you'll ever see the Bluecoats do either.

Meanwhile, the more intimate upper floor and Crystal club space supposedly cater for a more chilled vibe, although 'chilled' is a relative term when faced with the enthusiasm of the clubbers Shur-I-Kan encountered there when Freerange Records staged a label showcase at Goa recently.

"Big venues can feel really industrial and cold but Fabrik has a really warm atmosphere despite the size," he says. "At its peak up to 8000 people are streaming through all three rooms and people are just going for it everywhere. It's got this weird pseudo-holiday camp vibe but the energy of the place is just terrific. The people they have playing there are really underground and amazing as well, meaning it's the sort of place where you can really express yourself as a DJ."

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