“Long tables were scattered with fresh flowers in empty booze bottles, friends and guests perched on beer benches, chatter and laughter filling the air.”

By Sadie Rycraft

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After begrudgingly closing the doors for 18 months - and two separate attempts of a Smokehouse Reopening Party cancelled due to Covid-19 - it came as no surprise that on the very day of The Party, the anticipated headliner came down with covid. With under six hours from the unfavourable news breaking until the guests would be arriving into the decorated courtyard, it was a ludicrous reminder of just how vastly life has been affected by the pandemic and apparently continues to be. However, the ending to this story is a gloriously happy one, as with any situation where people are pooled together during burdensome times.

Soccer96, the much-lauded synth and drum duo whose music is both psychedelic and soothing, were amicably replaced by the six-times World Champion snooker player Steve Davis alongside Kavus Torabi, who - despite their complete opposites - have formed an extraordinary bond through their shared passion of music. The new headliner announcement was greeted with both ‘is this real?’ and ‘what a legend!’ from awaiting guests. Davis’ 1983 Desert Island Discs included mainstream artists such as Stevie Wonder, but since then he’s strayed further and further into the truly alternative. Steve and Kavus’s music worlds collide with experimental, non-linear and out-there sounds. They are also bandmates, alongside Mike York, in experimental band The Utopia Strong; who are self-professed ‘delivering medical grade music to the visionary music head’. When talking to The Guardian, they describe musical jamming as a conversation: one in which Davis and Torabi compliment each other extremely well.

When walking onto The Smokehouse’s stage on this particularly warm Friday night, they didn’t have a plan of what they’d be playing, the same as with any of their gigs. To say that the outcome makes this obvious wouldn’t be distasteful, but rather efficient in highlighting an (expected) sense of spontaneity, that comes naturally with such a last minute and fortuitous headliner. In spite of the sometimes obscure tunes that came out, such as Atlas by experimental rock band Battles, the audience couldn’t have had a better time. ‘Once In A Lifetime’ is always fruitful in forming a sense of togetherness, encouraged by Steve and Kavus’s unmistakable enjoyment (in the shape of expressive dancing) to be there, together.

Maria Uzor, oozing with prowess and charisma, loosens the (already considerably loose) audience up with her groove-laden mash-up that beckons to both 90s rave culture and Afro-futurism, with hints of avant-pop, techno and dub. She is an emerging electro artist whose presence on stage had the crowd jumping and dancing in a euphoric trance. She revelled in the adoration shown by the audience, even getting into the crowd to dance with the front rows.

The outdoor space - that is usually home to cars and vans - was radiant with the evening June sun setting quietly behind neighbouring rooftops, leaving behind its glowing warmth and complementing smiles on friendly faces. Long tables were scattered with fresh flowers in empty booze bottles, friends and guests perched on beer benches, chatter and laughter filling the air with a soundtrack from DJ Ben Horner situated in the courtyard with his vinyls. Three cocktails had been specially concocted for the evening, with ‘The Smokehouse’, ‘The Punch’ and ‘Just a Marg’ dispensed over ice from large glass jars. The Smokehouse had leading flavours of sweet grapefruit and ginger, mimicking the idea of a smokey flavour. The Punch was a charmingly fruity number, with a rum base and guava nectar as the spectacle. Thirdly, Just a Marg was a classic margarita with a strong grapefruit twist, and full of zesty limes. Neighbouring the outdoor cocktail bar was Ben MacKinnon, of esteemed E5 Bakehouse in Hackney, busy freshly preparing plenty of wood-fired pizzas with a rich, heavenly tomato sauce, melting mozzarella and fresh basil. ‘It was nothing short of perfection.’ - Joe Bailey, Director of The Smokehouse.

Director of The Smokehouse, Joe Bailey, is quoted to have said about the night: “Our belated reopening party at The Smokehouse was a fantastic success. Somehow our programmer Marcus pulled out a master stroke in booking 6 times snooker world champion Steve Davis after Soccer96 pulled out in the afternoon due to COVID. We were already aware of Steve's great eclectic taste in music, his DJing and his band The Utopia Strong. Nothing however could prepare us for the sheer euphoria and joy that everyone felt throughout the night for the event. From the southern Spanish weather in the courtyard, the wood fired pizzas, cocktails through to the artists on the night.

It truly feels like we're back!”

Photos by Rue Hackett