An “underdog” Norwich nightclub has been nominated for an international award. Gonzo’s Two Room, in London Street, Norwich, has been named alongside 10 clubs for the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards prize for ‘Best Venue In The UK And Europe’. The awards cover four categories, and will be decided by public vote, which closes on February 14.
In an interview with Eastern Daily Press, a spokesperson for the venue said: “We’re incredibly humbled and privileged to announce that we’ve been shortlisted as Best Venue.
“We want to send love to everyone in the Fine City, without your energy and support we wouldn’t be here.
“Thanks to you, our little club in Norwich has been nominated alongside some of the most legendary venues in the world – Fabric, Amnesia, Drumsheds, Hï Ibiza, Sneaky Petes, Motion, Index & BS Warehouse.”The Dance Community is already stunned to see Norwich on this list. Let’s get voting and stun them again.”
Gonzo’s Two Room has played host to an eclectic range of sounds and performers. Their winter programme featured American garage house innovator Todd Edwards, D’n’B legend DJ Storm, and Rhythm Section’s Bradley Zero. They also showcase their local talent, with resident DJ’s Effy Mai, Tadi, Levi Fruits and Beeches on warm-up duties.
Talking to the BBC, owner Mike Baxter said: “It [live music] is a hard industry, but for us it was about making something awesome
“To see artists that – by definition – don’t belong in Norwich. You’d see those at shows in London, Manchester and Ibiza. We’ve developed relationships now with artists where we’re getting major artists that we’ve not seen outside of the major cities before who are coming for the crowd.”
It’s not the first time the Norwich nightclub has been recognized for industry awards. In 2023, the venue was a finalist in the ‘Best Club’ category at the DJ Mag’s Best Of British Awards 2023, going up against big names like Phonox in London and Patterns in Brighton.
In a write-up for DJ Mag in 2022, Ben Murphy gave a glowing review of the 200-capacity club: “The venue’s excellent sound, friendly atmosphere and mix-and-match decor — festooned with mirror balls, flock wallpaper and humorous portraits — have made it an essential nightlife hub in a city that in recent years has been underrepresented in dance music terms.
The winners of the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards will be revealed live on Radio 1 Dance from 18:00 GMT on 21 February.
Also shortlisted for the best venue award are:
- Amnesia, Ibiza
- Drumsheds, London
- Index, Dublin
- Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
- Blackstone Street Warehouse, Liverpool
- Fabric, London
- Hi Ibiza, Ibiza
- Motion, Bristol
- The Warehouse Project at Depot Mayfield, Manchester
Vote for Gonzo’s Two Room or your best dance venue here!
