In a move that is set to redefine what can happen inside one of music’s most historic rooms, Abbey Road Studios will host its first-ever rave.
Studio One will team up with Belgian electronic innovators Soulwax for a one-off event titled Abbey Road After Hours, taking place on Feb. 21 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The north west London studio will welcome 300 attendees for what Abbey Road describes as “a world-first experience.”
Admission will be free via a public ballot, which is now open. Fans can enter by calling the ‘Soulwax rave hotline’ at +447886 072699.
Soulwax – brothers David and Stephen Dewaele – were invited by Abbey Road to curate the night. Programming will include DJ sets from their long-running alter ego 2manydjs, along with special guests yet to be announced. The event will also mark the first major showcase of the DEEWEE Soundsystem, a custom-built speaker array inspired by the legendary Paradise Garage system in New York, which the Dewaele brothers acquired for their regular DEEWEE club nights.
Abbey Road After Hours will also feature brand-new Soulwax material created specifically for the event. The duo will spend the day prior recording in Abbey Road’s iconic Studio Two alongside a full live band. The sessions will be cut direct to record, with the resulting tracks played in Studio One during the rave.
“It’s hard to say whether we have a perverse or healthy attraction to crazy ideas – that’s for others to decide,” Soulwax said in a statement. “But being approached with a crazy idea by the most iconic recording studio in music history makes it impossible to refuse. We embrace the challenge and sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road.”
Abbey Road’s Director of Marketing & Creative, Mark Robertson, added: “I’ve talked about hosting a rave here for years, so it’s a genuine thrill to have Soulwax curate the first night. Studio One has been home to countless era-defining firsts – from Elgar to John Williams – and opening it to bold new forms of creativity feels both true to our heritage and excitingly audacious.”
Abbey Road reopened Studio One in spring last year following an extensive restoration to the iconic recording studio space. The room closed in late 2024 for the first time in its history to allow for the work to take place. The room has also been used by a variety of contemporary musicians in recent years, including Harry Styles, U2, Noel Gallagher, Little Simz and Sam Smith.
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