Altar, a New Venue in East London, Debuts This Month With DJ Sets and a Louis Theroux Conversation

Same month, same building — on one side, Simian Mobile Disco's DJ set shakes the floor; on the other, documentary presenter Louis Theroux sits down for a conversation. That kind of range is exactly what Altar is going for — it's not just another new nightclub, but a space that crams music, talks, and rehearsal rooms into a single programme.

Altar is a new music and arts venue combining a bar and a record shop, officially opening next Friday (October 23) in Leytonstone, East London. Curated jointly by Jon Clifford of Dreamhouse Records, Toby L of Transgressive Records, and Simon Singleton of Shake The High Road Festival, the venue's first announced lineup spans both established names and emerging artists.

The opening night takes place across a two-storey space, with sets from Simian Mobile Disco (DJ set), Kate Hutchinson, Charli Vos, and the ALTAR DJs taking turns on the decks — entry is free, first come first served. The following Friday (November 6) marks the launch of the club night series "ALTAR Lates," kicking off with a special basement DJ set from Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, followed by Auntie Flo manning the decks the next night (November 7).

"An Evening With Louis Theroux" on November 16 is the standout night of the whole programme: the journalist, documentary filmmaker, and presenter will sit down for a conversation with Altar co-founder and filmmaker Toby L, with the floor opened up for audience questions. December 16 and 17 bring the first two instalments of "ALTAR Piano Nights," featuring Mercury Prize-nominated singer Ed Harcourt and Madness frontman Suggs respectively. Closing things out on December 18 is Irish-Cornish newcomers Girl In The Year Above, who signed to Transgressive Records just last month and previously covered Massive Attack's "Teardrop" for the soundtrack of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

Other confirmed acts include London disco-punk duo MADMADMAD, emerging DJ and singer Nina Yamada, post-rock newcomers Dog Unit, and Polish-born, Canadian-raised singer Joyeria, with the full schedule still being rolled out.

Beyond live shows, Altar is also setting aside its basement for free rehearsal space for local musicians

The venue is simultaneously launching three initiatives under the banner "Altar Community": Altar Under-18 encourages underage creators to submit their work for a shot at future youth-focused performance slots; Altar Mentorships offers guidance and support to newcomers starting out in the creative industries; and Altar Rehearsals opens up the venue's basement for local musicians to use free of charge. Charity War Child has been named the opening partner, with donation channels available to audiences on site.

In a joint statement, Singleton, Clifford, and Toby L said: "We're so happy to finally announce the full lineup for ALTAR's opening programme — spanning artists, musicians, DJs, filmmakers, and creators across generations, levels, and genres. The creative depth this city holds really comes through in this list. We're also especially glad to be announcing the Altar Community initiative and War Child as our opening charity partner at the same time — the work they do globally is both urgent and genuinely life-changing. Whether you're a local friend or an audience member and artist coming from elsewhere in the world, we can't wait to meet you."

For more programme details and schedule updates, check Altar's official page.