Yoof Working

Stepping down into the subterranean surroundings of The Cellar, your senses can be fed a variety of offerings, from the glossy sheen of beer and cider underfoot to the musky scent of sweat after a heavy drum and base stint.

Yet when I ventured into YOOF earlier this month (it’s a four-weekly gig), I was simply struck by the sheer verve of a club night which truly has its finger firmly on the pulse.

YOOF is a forward-thinking all-night party that burst on to Oxford’s clubbing scene last July – opening with hot new kids on the block Egyptian Hip Hop.

London promoters Blue Flowers and Oxford’s own Mark of Zorro have teamed up to create a night that has built a reputation for showcasing fresh new musical talent that is most definitely on the up.

In fact, watch this space, because the night seems to have a sixth sense for spotting clubbing’s ‘next big thing’.

I mean, consider – the night has played host to impressive acts such as Yuck, Fiction, Wild Palms, Porcelain Raft and Chad Valley.

No great surprise then that the first Saturday of every month has been gaining momentum and garnering a loyal fan base of true music devotees and hardcore party people.

During my stay, Camden-based newcomers Tribes headlined a night that was “Pick of The Week” in NME and won’t be forgotten quickly.

Equally, when the live music finally stopped, the party really kicked-in with some of the freshest young DJ talent around.

Radio ClubFoot’s award-winning maestro Will Gilgrass spun only the hottest tunes, before handing over the reigns to those nice boys from Baby Love’s Progressively Less Elephant who played a genial mash-up of indie pop, electronica and even a dash of Motown for good measure.

Holding true to their sharply perceptive formula, YOOF has fast become a top destination for dance floor addicts and you can catch it Saturday week (March 5) with ExLovers plus Glass Animals and DJs Mike Harounoff, Will Gilgrass and Blue Flowers.

How can you resist?