Clubbers on West Street are in for a shock this weekend. The building that used to house Hed Kandi has been transformed into a multimedia arts space, cafe and community centre. With an emphasis on ‘conscious events’, The Synergy Centre is a new 380-capacity venue providing a space for exhibitions, gigs and community groups as well as acting as a hub for social enterprise and work-based training schemes.

Dub reggae rockers Dreadzone and radical folk band Seize The Day headline a double whammy launch party this weekend, alongside African drum troupe Kakatsitsi and local singer songwriters Jacko Hooper and Dirty Scavenger. They’ve also got King Porter Stomp booked for July 18th.

While the kebab-and-aggro vibe of West Street might make it seem like an unlikely place for such a venture, the Synergy crew have had previous success turning an abandoned warehouse in South London into a youth centre and dance studio. If they managed that in an area rife with gang crime, West Street should be a walk in the park.

Find out more at www.thesynergycentre.org
Dreadzone photo by Antonio Pagano