EUTOPIA WAREHOUSE: EAST LONDON’S NEW 4000-CAPACITY MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURAL DESTINATION

Eutopia fully awakens this Halloween - transforming its interconnected warehouses and canal-side courtyard into a living, breathing cultural playground.

East London’s famous nocturnal landscape is set for transformation with the arrival of Eutopia - a bold new 4,000-capacity indoor–outdoor music, arts and cultural space set across three interlinked warehouses and a sprawling open-air courtyard on the River Roding in Barking.

 

Following a £1.5 million reimagining of a former industrial site, Eutopia blends raw architectural heritage with contemporary design and world-class d&b Audiotechnik sound systems. A series of soft launch test events have already taken place at the site which is now fully operational. The result is a multi-dimensional venue built for exploration - where music, art and community collide under one roof and out into the open air.

 

Designed as a flexible, future-facing hub for the next generation of London’s cultural landscape, Eutopia will host everything from large-scale live shows, club events and festivals to exhibitions and local community events - each experience shaped by high-spec production, immersive design, and a community-first ethos.

 

Eutopia has already enlisted some of the most respected names in UK and international music culture. Promoters confirmed for the first wave of programming include; 51st State Festival, AEG, Appetite, Back to 95 (25th Anniversary), Breakin Science, Centerforce, Dance On Arrival, HOWL, Moon Dance, Recess, Sankeys, Space Ibiza, World Dance and Zulu Nation, spanning everything from minimal and house to bass, Afro, amapiano and beyond.

Eutopia is multi-dimensional venue consisting of four large-scale arenas; 

 

  • The Yard (1700 capacity) sits by the river - an open-air playground of sound, light and energy. With full staging, a bespoke pergola installation, raised dance platforms and elevated viewing areas, it’s designed for both intimacy and impact. Lined with seasonal foliage, art installations and street food traders, The Yard brings festival-scale atmosphere to a permanent East London setting. From sunlit afternoons to high-energy nights, The Yard is a place to explore, eat, dance and get lost. Inside, three unique warehouses each offer a distinct experience and capacity.

  • WHS 1 (800 capacity) - An immersive, tunnel-like room inspired by the golden age of New York club culture and London’s underground heritage. Precision-tuned d&b Audiotechnik sound, raised dance platforms and bespoke lighting make it the heartbeat of Eutopia.

  • WHS 2 (1,200 capacity) - A vast, reconfigurable space built for scale and versatility. With both 360° and end-stage formats, it’s designed for club nights, live concerts, brand launches and large-scale cultural events.

  • WHS 3 (800 capacity) - The most intimate and design-led of the trio, this warehouse will host curated performances, exhibitions and social gatherings. The next phase of development will see WHS 3 evolve into a cocktail bar and listening space, hosting listening sessions, label launches and community-focused culture and lifestyle events.

 

Eutopia is led by a powerhouse team with more than a century of combined experience across music, events and culture:

  • Michael Hughes - A pioneering figure in UK club culture and radio, founder of landmark events Garage City, Back to 95 and Groove Odyssey, and a long-standing advocate for authentic house music.

  • Nikki Gordon - Co-founder of We Are FSTVL and former Head of Ministry of Sound, bringing almost three decades of creative and operational leadership.

  • Will Paterson - Veteran promoter behind over 20 festivals and 11 London venues, known for his work in artist development, large-scale events and mentoring future talent.

  • Tom Ranger - Acclaimed curator and programmer behind Dreamland Margate, Oval Space, Annabel’s, Percolate Live and Live Nation’s Soundcrash division, now consulting and programming events globally through Something Goes Right.

 

Combining world-class production with a community-first vision, Eutopia is set to redefine large-scale venues in London - a creative sanctuary built from the bones of East London’s industrial past, looking firmly to the future. Eutopia opens fully from Halloween 2025.


For upcoming event listings and information, visit www.eutopiawhs.com/ or follow at https://www.instagram.com/eutopiawhs

Eutopia Warehouse

42 River Road, Barking, London, IG11 0DW

https://www.eutopiawhs.com/

https://www.instagram.com/eutopiawhs

EXPERIENCE MEETS THE NEW GENERATION: MANO MEIJER AND MITCHELL KERKHOF JOIN FORCES IN LYRA, THE NEW MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HARD DANCE TALENT

Two heavyweights from the electronic music scene are joining forces to launch LYRA, a new artist management agency fully dedicated to nurturing emerging talent in the fastest-growing segment of the dance industry: Hard Techno and Hard Dance.
 
Hard Dance has long been a popular and influential genre within the global dance music industry. In recent years, it has evolved from a niche movement into an international phenomenon with strong commercial success. The explosive growth of festivals and the worldwide popularity of artists highlight how Hard Techno in particular has firmly rooted itself both domestically and internationally.
 
Mano Meijer, founder of This Is My House, brings over twenty years of experience in the scene. He currently manages Maddix, Winson, Mr. Polska, Nifra, Marie Vaunt, Stan Christ, Sacha Harland, IOSIO, and The Rocketman, and has played a pivotal role in the careers of many other major names. Known for his keen eye for talent and a proven track record in strategic artist development, Meijer has made a lasting impact across multiple generations of electronic music.
 
Mitchell Kerkhof, founder of Odysseys, has in recent years built impressive careers for Fantasm, Klofama, and Karah. He has been instrumental in shaping strategic decisions that elevated artist profiles in terms of both branding and positioning. In addition, he has delivered large-scale shows and events that not only left a mark but also resonated with a generation of artists and fans who engage with the industry in their own unique way.
 
With LYRA, Meijer and Kerkhof combine their experience, networks, and vision to create a specialized platform. LYRA aims to build the next generation of Hard Dance stars through a long-term strategic approach, personalized guidance, and international positioning. By merging their combined expertise with a fresh perspective on the new generation, they form a powerful combination of knowledge and innovation.
 
“With LYRA, we want to create a space where talent is not only represented and supported in day-to-day operations,” says Meijer, “but also where artists are trained and guided on how to strategically leverage their own DNA to steer their careers in the right direction.”
 

Kerkhof adds: “The industry has changed incredibly fast over the past five years. Today’s artists think differently, work differently, and communicate differently. If you don’t adapt to that, you’ll be left behind.”
 

The current LYRA roster includes FANTASM, KLOFAMA, WINSON, STAN CHRIST AND KARAH, a selection of artists with strong momentum and a clear vision for the future. The roster will continue to expand in the coming months.

MIDNIGHT LOVERS REIMAGINES BAR FRANCA AS DTLA’S NEW CULTURAL HUB FOR SOUND AND COCKTAILS

Downtown’s newest destination blends LA’s avant-garde music talent, international selectors, and an elevated cocktail program

Downtown LA gains a new cultural cornerstone with the opening of the reimagined Bar Franca by Midnight Lovers, a sound bar blending avant-garde music culture, curated cocktail menu, and intimate design. Bar Franca arrives with the DNA of Midnight Lovers, the crew behind some of LA’s most forward-thinking parties with a vision to continue to elevate the cultural hotbed of downtown.

Bar Franca is sound-first, built around a Danley system finely tuned for warmth and precision. The music programming is intentional and expansive: a sultry blend of jazz, funk, disco, house, and balearic beats curated by Midnight Lovers.

The first month of music curation reflects Midnight Lovers’ signature balance of discovery and community, kicked off with an opening night featuring Heidi Lawden and Eli Escobar on October 19. Weekly programming will rotate between Marmalade Jams with Mungo Sound Machine, the Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate, and takeovers by respected selectors including Eddie C, Thee Mike B, DJ Garth, Tiffany Roth of Midnight Magic, Xica Soul, Club Tularosa and Masha Mar. The lineup also features local crews like Sunday Sessions, Sisters of Sound, and Chapter One, along with unannounced guests from the international DJ circuit. 

The atmosphere draws inspiration from Franca Sozzani, an Italian editor and cultural icon, blending fashion, photography, and quiet rebellion. Golden lighting, fresh florals, minimally yet sexily designed that creates a canvas that feels timeless, sophisticated, and distinctly LA. 

Behind the bar, Gabriel Orta of Broken Shaker and Bar Lab Collective collaborates with Jonny Child, hailing from Bathtub Gin LA, to craft a cocktail program that feels distinctly Los Angeles: expressive, playful, and rooted in care. The menu reimagines the city through bold, seasonal California ingredients and flavor storytelling that nods to its neighborhoods and culture. Highlights include The Lover, a mezcal-based mix of watermelon, hibiscus, and citrus cordial, and the Al Pastor Margarita, a tequila cocktail kissed with pineapple and chorizo spice in tribute to DTLA’s late-night taquerias. Zero-proof creations like the Bonfire Water, blending Optimist Smokey Botanical and Lyre’s orange, mirror the same craft and depth. Together, Orta and Child approach cocktails as a way to connect, creating drinks that are flavorful, inclusive, and made with intention.

For years, Midnight Lovers has shaped LA’s dance music culture by bringing together artists, tastemakers, and loyal creatives on the dancefloor. Bar Franca carries that legacy forward into hospitality, a space in which thoughtful cocktails, immersive design, and world-class music converge, offering the city a new gathering place built on inclusivity and community.

“Midnight Lovers has always been about bringing people together through music and energy. With Bar Franca, we’re extending that spirit into a space where sound and connection meet over cocktails,” says Rolando Alvarez, Founder of Midnight Lovers.

Bar Franca by Midnight Lovers celebrated its grand opening on October 19, featuring Heidi Lawden, the LA-based DJ and producer known for her fluid, genre-spanning sets, and New York veteran DJ and producer Eli Escobar, whose soulful house and disco-driven grooves will set the tone for opening night.

Fans can look forward to another stacked week of programming at Bar Franca, running from Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, October 26, featuring performances from Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate, Krane + Pirumov, Thee Mike B, and a very special guest to close out the weekend.

Bar Franca by Midnight Lovers - Fall Programming

Week 1
Thursday, Oct 16: Soft Opening:  Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Sunday, Oct 19: Eli Escobar + Heidi Lawden

Week 2
Thursday, Oct 23: Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate 
Friday, Oct 24: Sunday Sessions Pop-Up: Krane + Pirumov 
Saturday, Oct 25: Thee Mike B
Sunday, Oct 26: Secret Guest

Week 3
Thursday, Oct 30: Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Friday, Oct 31: DJ Garth (Halloween Special)
Saturday, Nov 1: Sisters Of Sound: Maddy Maia + Tottie
Sunday, Nov 2: Ray Kash + Dead-Tones (Dia De Los Muertos)

Week 4
Thursday, Nov 6: Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate 
Friday, Nov 7: Club Tularosa
Saturday, Nov 8: Tiffany Roth of Midnight Magic
Sunday, Nov 9: TBA

Week 5 
Thursday, Nov 13: Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Friday, Nov 14: Dakota Dean (Birthday Celebration)
Saturday, Nov 15: Tavish 
Sunday, Nov 16: Kamma + Masalo 

Week 6
Thursday, Nov 20: Slow Jams Jazz Syndicate 
Friday, Nov 21: Secret Guest 
Saturday, Nov 22: Xica Soul
Sunday, Nov 23: Chapter One Records: Max Coletto, Hazy, H.U.D.L

Week 7 
Thursday, Nov 27: Marmalade Jams: Mungo Sound Machine
Friday, Nov 28: Eddie C (Birthday Celebration)
Saturday, Nov 29: Masha Mar
Sunday, Nov 30: TBA