Nae pressure!

Last Friday of the month? Time for a Pressure night at the Arches.

It was 1991, when Andy Arnold, the Arches former Artistic Director, first discovered the potential in the space underneath Glasgow Central Station. Arnold had intended for the Arches as a theatre venue, however in order to raise the initial funding he needed, he agreed to host various clubnights. These have since over the last 2 decades continued and lead the Arches to being the all round artistic venue it is today. Not only does the venue stage clubnights and theatre space, it also boasts itself as a bar, cafe, live music and arts venue. In 2007 The Arches was voted number 12 in the prestigious DJ Mags annual list of the worlds best clubs, beating the likes of Ibiza giant, Pacha.

Me and a mate, Pressure, Arches, 24.02.12

Since its opening in 1992, the Glasgow techno duo Slam have resided at the Arches, playing a weekly Friday night residency until 1998, when they began a more ambitious monthly event, Pressure. DJ Mag referred to the event as "arguably the best regular techno ticket in the UK." Pressure usually fills at least 2 rooms with mainly house and techno, and has seen some of the biggest names in dance music grace it's arches, with the likes of Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Green Velvet and Felix da Housecat all having played at a Pressure night.

The Arches is like no other venue I know. Its cavernous arches are dark and sinister, like dungeons of debauchery. One step in the door and your body is rippling with the pulsations from the base, creating a stronger feeling of ecstasy than any tablet could! Yet it is clean, spacious and well staffed. As Slams Stuart Macmillan says,

"With its bricked walls, it's got that illicit feel of the best underground acid house party but with all the comfort and bar space of a modern venue."

Up and coming house DJ, Maya Jane Coles joined the Slam boys on Friday along with Paul Ritch and Ben Sims. Maya, definitely a name to look out for, won Mixmag's best breakthrough artist 2012. She has played at the likes of legendary Ibiza club, Space, London's Fabrik and Glastonbury and had her Radio 1 essential mix debut in July last year.

The next Pressure night is on 27th April, get your ticket from the Arches website!www.thearches.co.uk If you can't make this night, I thoroughly recommend you experience the Arches at least once in your lifetime! Chuckie, Benny Benassi, 2manydjs and Carl Cox are all playing there over the next couple of months, so don't miss out!


                                 Laurent Garnier live @ Pressure The Arches Glasgow 28.01.2011