Recollection of a life changing night with Theo Parrish at Plastic People that cemented a friendship etched in Christian’s memories forever.

Plastic People was a vibe. Dark and cavernous you could barely see anyone on the dancefloor but boy could you feel the bass from that legendary sound system. Throughout it’s life span Plastic People played host to some of the most iconic nights on the underground music scene with residents including Floating Points, Four Tet and Theo Parrish to name but a few.

Christian, Plastic People

2008? Maybe 2009. Kicking out time from the pubs. Merrily half-cut from playing pool over pints in the Griffin in Shoreditch. Wandering around we find out Theo Parrish is playing at Plastic People. My mate and I know the reputation of both, so in we trot. 

I didn’t have many friends who were up for this; who were into music and dancing like I was. I’d known Damion for years but over the previous 2 years we’d been becoming best friends and this night, for me, cemented that feeling. 

We walk in – both of us straight to the centre of the empty dancefloor to check the soundsystem. Oof. I’m misty eyed at the thought of it. Ooohhh. Some hard jazz-funk tune playing and I feel it inside me. In my bones, guts, veins, right down, deep down, way down inside. Yes, Yes. Yeesssss. It’s just before 12 and there are about 15 people dotted around. A couple of Japanese guys I recognise from Vinyl Junkies record store. Theo’s bent over his records, bugging out already, head bobbing, b-boy style. As am I. What the hell is this tune? 

It’s a question Damion and I ask each other repeatedly over the next 4 hours. We’re no novices – we’re in our mid-thirties, Damion’s had his own label and we’ve both been buying records obsessively since our teens but on this night I’m back in nursery school. He asks Theo for the names of two tunes and I ask once but it’s starting to get silly. Can you write us a setlist Theo? 

We remained in the middle of that dance floor until the last record when we and a handful of others applauded Theo. The place never got close to filling up – never more than 50 people I think. But everyone in there was in it together. We didn’t really drink much. Going to the bar was time away from the dancefloor. I felt so totally in the moment; in the right place at the right time. Everything had aligned. All I had to do was stay in this spot and soak it all up and go with it. A woman was behind Theo rolling jazz cigarettes and she continued to supply them to him for the entire night. The air was thick with it. Damion got her to share one with us for a second whilst Theo wasn’t looking. He didn’t notice a thing – he was deep in the juju, lost in a jazz trance and playing with the levels. What is he doing? I’d never seen anyone do that before, stealing the bass out so we’re waiting to get it back, tweaking the treble and mid whilst he keeps us waiting. Then drops it back in so heavy that it’s distorted and has he busted the speakers? Raw and guttural, all over the place - he’s playing with us, teasing us – Christ, what is happening? It's so good. So rough.

And then he dropped America by Prince. Good god, the 12” version. The first import 12 I ever bought - in HMV at 14. The first record I played on my first ever record player. 21 minutes and 46 seconds of heavy, heavy funk. Filthy. I’m ecstatic. I don’t know what to do with myself. Damion knows. He knows what this’ll be for me. That’s enough. But I want to go up to Theo and hug it out. Stay cool. Just enjoy it and stay in the moment. 

I’m playing that record now as I write. I mean I love this record but who the hell else is going to play this in a club? It’s bananas – in the best possible way – and he made it work like it was nothing. By now I’m in awe. But it’s not just Theo I’m in awe of, it’s Damion too. I’m not on a pill, I just love this guy. Who else is going to enjoy this as much as I am? Who else is going to not even question the idea of staying until the very end? Who else is going to suggest a rum and ginger at precisely the right moment? 

At some point a woman comes up to me and says “What’s this music called?” It was a soul tune playing so I said “Erm soul?” She says “no, I mean everything he’s playing – what do you call it all?” I think I just said it’s all kinds of music but I messed up. I didn’t know yet. I should’ve said this is House. I don’t think he played more than a few bits from Chicago, New York or Detroit – he played soul, jazz, disco, funk, rock, jazz funk, hip hop and r’n’b but the attitude was all House. The energy, the togetherness, the rawness, the space to get lost in rhythm, the feel and the love of it, House; god I’ve missed it during lockdown.