Moxa - The London Experiment

Italy's Moxa club is more than just a place to go and party.  A bastion of decent dance music, it prides itself on being a beacon of light in the region, attracting the biggest and best names in electronic music from up and comers to legends in the game.  This summer, Moxa launches the Moxa Experiment, bringing their party to London.  We chat to the team about why Solomun gets their top billing, what's planned for the summer and why roast dinners are on a par with pizza. 

Pulse: Hello Moxa Crew! Please introduce yourselves.  Moxa: Ciao! Here there’s Simone, the owner, Cristiano, responsible for external relations and Paolo from the press office.

For those who have never been to the club in Italy, tell us a bit about its history and its label.  Moxa was conceived in Mantova (Italy) in 2006/2007.   It has always welcomed the international djing elite: from the fathers of house to the idols of the underground scene; the deep and raw Detroit sound to the mythical characters of the electronic world and young fresh talents to modern classics. In particular, the last season (2010-2011) has witnessed some extremely important events: the reunion of Masters At Work, the release of its first compilation series released both digitally and on vinyl with tracks by Mr.Fingers, Osunlade, Moodymann, and finally being the new host of one of dance music's most famous weekly parties, Body & Soul.

How does it differ from other clubs in the region in terms of the vibe, music, decor and crowd?  Firstly, Moxa is an international club in the real sense of the term, a venue with a capacity of 7/800 people where everything revolves around music, which does not happen elsewhere. The atmosphere is unique, intimate and exciting. DJs perform in close contact with the public and this helps to create an empathy not to be found in other premises. The interior design is deliberately minimal but accurate in every particular. The public is very demanding, being accustomed to schedules of first class.

Moxa is also a restaurant...how do the two quite different things work together and is it common in Italy to have the two side by side?  The two things coexist very well. The restaurant follows the same club policy, focusing on quality and creativity and the evening is an occasion to start the night together. DJs, crew and guests dine in a unique atmosphere. We will try to create the same ambience in London, organizing aperitifs before the party during which the artists can mix with the crowd, while a painter put his fascination with music on canvas.
In Italy there are several club-restaurants, but in most of the cases are commercial clubs.

Who have you had playing there recently who's really blown you away?  Solomun was probably the artist that impressed me the most amongst the many others I hosted at Moxa.

Why the move to London over the summer and what do you have planned?  Dealing with a city like London, where clubbing has its roots and is way of life, is a dream come true. It is a challenge that we believe we can win. We are planning a series of 13 events, called Moxa Experiment that we will organize between Corsica Studios and Hoxton Gallery, a warehouse in Shoreditch.

And what made you pick Corsica as the venue?  Corsica Studios is a place where I found the same philosophy as Moxa’s, run by passionate and knowledgeable people. It is also one of the most respected clubs of the underground London-scene with a very interesting program and a fantastic audience.

How will the London parties differ from the Italian ones?  Generally speaking, I think that in the UK there is more interest in music and an absolute respect for the artists.
This is what is generally missing in Italy. Moxa has always had the external point of reference, and for this reason, being now in London is a fantastic experience.

You've just had the launch party with Octave One, Luke Solomon and Rob Mello amongst others. How did that go and who are you most excited to hear playing at Moxa over here?  The launch party went well, especially considering the fact that it was our debut in a highly competitive city like London. There isn’t a particular artist I’m looking forward to more than others, we are putting together really exciting lineups!

Have you ever hung out in the UK over the summer before? What are you most looking forward to about it? Yes we have: someone lived here in the past and others are regular visitors to the ‘Big Smoke’. The thing we are most looking forward to is to have a great time and a succesful ‘experience’. Not to be forgotten that it is the ‘Olympic Summer’. London will be very exciting during the games!!

Finally - pasta or pizza? Definitely pizza! However, we’re giving a lot ot space to ethnic cuisine and British classics: Sunday roast, minty lamb and bangers & mash are the most appealing!

For more on the Moxa Experiment in London, head here.

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