If you’re at all familiar with the London underground scene then chances are you’ve stumbled across an Eastern Margins night. In the past six years, the label has been at the forefront of alt-Asian culture in London’s creative scene, fostering a much-needed community for East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) ravers and beyond. Since then, the collective has launched its own label, hosts a regular NTS show, and has embarked on a world tour. “Last year we toured East Asia (14 cities) and Southeast Asia. Shows in Rotterdam with the local Indonesian queer Hard Dance scene to the industrial breezes of Dalian in Northeast China have shown us the breadth and diversity of our community,” shares founder David Zhou.
Last weekend, the collective joined forces with queer ESEA rave GGI to celebrate its sixth anniversary with a euphoric night at London’s Corsica Studios, featuring a line-up of some of the city’s most rapturous electronic acts, from Wanton Witch’s haunting dancescapes to the heady rave music of artists Mobilegirl and Liu Lee. “Representation is just a starting point – now that we’ve established visibility, we want to use that visibility to go deeper, to focus on cultural storytelling,” explains founder David Zhou. “We want to get into all the history, the details, the nuances of the myriad stories from the underground music cultures of East and South-East Asia we geek out over.”
“I really want to emphasise the power of bringing together these two communities which already have an organic audience crossover,” says GGI’s June Lam. “It’s all about uplifting our communities and artists, creating a bridge, and establishing a relationship that isn't just business, but a genuine kinship that can deepen over time. It’s about celebrating something special that exists in both of those communities and highlighting each other’s work as sibling platforms.”
Take a look at the night’s action in the gallery above.
