The Spirals’ calendar of police harassment includes this-
XMAS/NEW YEAR ROUNDHOUSE, LONDON NWI
4 free parties provide 1000 meals for homeless. Police attempt illegal confiscation of equipment without noise abatement order.
NO CONFISCATION – NO ARRESTS
NO CHARGE
Here’s a quote from Steve Spiral:
The round house we never had a generator… Had to hotwire, FACT, I was there when it was done… not saying I did It.
Thanks to Snufkin for this comment:
I was at the Roundhouse gig on New Years Eve too. At the time it was derelict and owned by the Metropolitan police. the entrance was blocked with several hundred tonnes of rubble, totally filling the access road. Didn’t stop the Normals drving the rig and genny in on a six six-wheel-drive Militant that used to belong to Moscow State Circus, strainght over the top. Another crazy night. Next night wasn’t so great, after the security had done too much coke and gone to sleep and every mugger in London moved in.
From the Spiral Tribe Wikipedia page (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Tribe ):
The power was stolen from a light socket owned by British Rail at the back of the building and the system went off at 6:30 in the morning when they turned the lights off. Someone then found an alternative power source.
There are also some lovely pics and a flyer from this party over at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20081206111111/http://www.spiral-tribe.org:80/understand/page10.html
Again, we heard about it at the time but didn’t attend. Remember hearing rumours about muggers, but also about what an amazing venue it was. Were you there? What was it like? Got any photos or flyers? Also, there seems to have been a Christmas Eve party (also Spiral). Anyone know about this? We’ll create another post for it.
UK Free Parties and Free Festivals 1988-1994 
Great night! New years eve in such a great venue. 2 cars from surrey and crazy stories still replayed whenever we see each other. Fireworks inside, the balcony, Rosie the raving granny.
The Roundhouse NYE 1991 3 Red and Blacks, I just about remember it. An obstacle course (check), Mud (check), Darkness (check) Ravers and Travelers (Check).
A couple of weeks later the balcony had collapsed when went to another party there. Glad that didn’t happen new years eve!
There were muggers in action that night a friend had a knife pulled on him 5 feet from us and we didn’t even know.
I’m also sure a copper or coppers walked through the rave and were tripped up or had on of their hat’s knocked off. Though that could have been the pills, anyone else see that? I’m pretty sure a generator turned up from somewhere at some point.
Food being served as well and Hawkwind and Spiral what more do you need for your new years eve.
The best party ever, a gathering of the tribes – nothing ever came close to this! To this day I still tell tales of the magical wonder of this night… nothing but a legend! 🙂
The next NYE, ’92/3, with Bedlam and Circus Lunatek at Bromley-by-Bow Library was better imo.
For one thing, the rig sounded much better. At the Roundhouse, only Gastro knew how to wire up the sound system the Normals had ‘acquired’ from a huge lorry with the engine running outside an Ertha Kitt gig at Wembley.
But he was so off it on speed, it wasn’t sorted out and sounded rank.
Bedlam’s started on Thurs Evening, 31st, continued until Sat afternoon. Switched off for a couple of hours for checks. Back on. Continued until Monday morning.
I was doing the door when 4 (3 male, one female) “ravers” came in – got a fiver each off them – with whistles round their necks and holding glowsticks. Each was holding onto the shoulders of the one in front.
Must have been undercover plod. Because 5 mins later, they came out with a look of utter terror on their faces.
It was rammed in there, and it was manic, hardcore, London Underground Acid tekno. One of the Liberators must have been playing because I was dancing for all of Murph’s set and he played for five hours after those three had finished.
The vibe was so strong that you’d be tripping even if you’d never taken anything.
The fuzz looked totally off it.
There was one mugging. Suddenly the music stopped and a voice came over the sound system: “You don’t know me, mugger. But my name’s Pebbles and I’m a bit of a devil, and when I find you, mugger, you’re dead,”
Banging bassline comes in, with people chanting for his death. Bit like Lord of the Flies.
No more mugging after that. They must have all legged it.
I remember party at blackwall tunnel, I say I remember, dont remember much, think that was due to the strawberrys and barrels! Jacket potatoes were served, who could of eaten anything I really dont know. Poo everywhere upstairs and lots of drugs for sale, fog, special brew and very crusty. Wish I could remember more. Would love to see some pics!
Went 2 cable St Winchester roundhouse. Torpedo town rain in Tunbridge Wells St George avenue wiv reg Newport farm Lechlade smeatharpe.
Had a mad time @ smeatharpe not sure if it was the orange spaceship someone gave me or rail racing with the diy crew
I was at roundhouse Camden,
We got there early… Think it was boxing day though… We had been somewhere me n my mate eddie met a funky dred n he told us about it so we moved with him from then on that night … Wicked times.
I remember walking over people to get in the building after we got through a gap in the corragated fence.
There was a bomfire in the midfle of the room a mad place balcony all round it with the set up at one end.
Theee was punks, homeless, trippers, white glove crew , rude boys allsorts in there.
Would love to see some photos.
Seem to remember we went back new years.
Seems another lifetime away now.
Happy dayz
I was there, crazy night, totally agree with Bob,
Wow! A legendary party, a bit like the Treworgey Tree Fayre but smaller! Went with friends for what we thought was going to be a Hawkwind gig (“new year’s spherical wobble”,was on the flyer). Paid a fiver I think to get in, took some “penguins”, and it all went mad….
Main memories; everyone walking in circles, all the time; being round, it was impossible to find the toilets without walking all the way round the building… only to find a derelict room awash, completely awash….
… being so tripped out I couldn’t even tell if there was a group playing on the stage.. asking the guy in front of me, who just laughed and said “haven’t got a fuckin’ clue mate!!”
…never seeing so many wide-eyed and grinning people assembled in one place…. except maybe Treworgey!
…eventually leaving the madness inside,after recovering one friend who nearly got lost in the basement, to get a breath of fresh, sane air..and finding the whole of Camden in pretty much the same state!
…having to go through Trafalgar square to get our nightbus home; an equally chaotic scene, but far more threatening and ugly.
Great daze indeed!
Hey all – I’m making a documentary about this NYE 1991 night (weeks). If you have interesting tales to tell please do get in touch. Aaron.
Roundhouse holds a special memory. Across the road was a garage or off-licence, I can’t remember exactly and so 3 of us bought loads of drinks and just pushed our way in as we looked like part of the tribe. The music was on and off throughout the night, issues with the sound system and to be honest it sounded like shit, but we made loads of money really quick.
Around 4 am my mate and I managed to get a dj slot, 3 acid tunes I can remember playing which went down massively.
Maurice – I gotta big dick
The Extacy Club – Jesus loves acid
DHS – House of God
We went back a few times it wasn’t only on one night, had some good nights.