Acid House Promoter Hopes to Retox London Clubland

Ian St John, one of London's key club promoters from the late 80s, launches a brand new Thursday night club next week (November 22nd) which will be his first regular London night for almost a decade. Teaming up with former Juno Reactor DJ Mike Maguire and his Qube label partner Shirin Kooyar, St John says he's aiming for serious DJs and an up-for-it glamourous experienced crowd.

"On Thursday nights you only tend to find people in clubs who really want to go out, we're not going to be attracting too many weekenders. Thursday has always been an underground night and we want to keep it in that tradition."

Opening night DJs include progressive legends Fluke and funky house DJ Henry Jamieson and future nights will feature DJs from a wide range of styles.

"The word Retox conjures up the idea of "getting back on it", he said. "The night's going to be about computer generated music, which is basically what we've been doing with the Goa scene over the last ten years. But it's not just trance; it covers all aspects of dance music, from house beats to garage beats, whatever. The DJs for the opening night are Fluke."


St John began his career promoting Spectrum (one of Paul Oakenfold's key stomping grounds) then visited Goa to help launch what became known as psychedelic trance. Setting up Youth's Dragonfly Recordings, then later TIP Records, he ended up in Japan in 1995, where he set up a promotion company called Equinox. His most recent party was a poolside bash at an Ibiza mansion this September.

"The party we had over there was amazing, full of girls dressed up as sexy as you like, not in fluoro or spandex trousers just really looking classy. It was great, it was fresh, it was sexy and grownup. A lot of the people who were there are now back in London and I thought if I can do that there, maybe I can do it here."

Retox is at Propaganda, 201 Wardour Street, London W1: Thursday 22nd November from 10pm-3am
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