Students fight January blues at Cellar Door’s ‘Thick as Thieves’ Relaunch

Cellar Door hosts ‘Thick as Thieves’ club night, bringing drum and bass to the Quays along with maximum turn out.


All photos by Lucy Liu.

 

With rumours circulating of Arena’s potential closure, the need for a new club night without that unique smell and abundance of 90s pop was imminent this January.
 
Although Luminar Leisure declined to comment on the current financial state of Arena nightclub, the company as a whole went into administration in October last year. With the rise in popularity of nights such as Monday Mosaic and Friday Timepiece it would seem that the days of ‘Exeter’s biggest club’ are numbered. But the question is: where to head instead?
 
The answer for many is just a short stroll away at the Quayside, beneath the cobbles at Cellar Door. The recently refurbished club, with its clean modern interior, two spacious rooms and dotted with artists work, is fast becoming the hub of Exeter’s underground music scene. With nights specialising in electro swing, hip-hop, drum and bass and house it looks set to steal Cavern’s ‘alternative’ crown.
 
The club’s biggest success, Thick As Thieves night, is held fortnightly on Tuesdays. A night bringing you the best in Drum and Bass, Dubstep, Jungle and House from its resident DJs and special guests such as Alphabet Pony and last Tuesday’s Fred V.
 
The night was launched by Exeter University students Laurence Mulchrone, Will Milner, Will Wadham and Harry Horsfall who were keen to create a place for people to have fun regardless of whether they’ve listened to the music before. Harry explained that their aim is bring a “fresh and alternative music night without the stigma that’s generally associated with the genres”.
 
Building on this simple mantra, word has spread like wild fire and the night was a huge success. Early birds enjoyed 8-10 happy hour entry whilst an enormous queue began to form from 9.15pm to fill the 200 capacity venue. Everyone there seemed to thoroughly enjoy the night.
 
One reveller enjoyed herself perhaps a little too much and was forced to take a mid-party nap to recharge before storming her way to the dance floor again! Many people commented particularly on the ‘new vibe’, with one student noting that the evening didn’t have “that pretentious feel associated with some of Exeter’s nights out”. However people did have complaints about the bar. A lack of staff and only two working tills, it resulted in huge queues and in some punters leaving early.