London's future-music institution, still kicking at 100.

On Friday 14 June Fabriclive will open its doors for the 100th time. Alongside faithful residents James Lavelle (UNKLE), Ali B and Grooverider will be Death in Vegas' Richard Fearless, Jazzanova, Simian Mobile Disco and the usual host of True Playaz from the re-ignited drum and bass scene. It promises to be a real belter, but that's nothing unusual for the Farringdon club's popular Friday session.

Since opening in October 99 Fabric has cut its own distinctive path through UK club-land. It's a big club, regularly packing 2,500 punters into the exposed-brick caverns of its subterranean complex (formerly the Metropolitan Refrigerated Stores). The three rooms are equipped with serious sound systems and lighting rigs and room one has a 'body sonic' dance floor, vibrating with the music to make the crowd 'feel it' as well as hear it.

James Lavelle and Ali B... residents with attitude.

The club is run with military precision. Ear-pieced personnel direct proceedings whilst doormen, cloakroom and bar staff man their posts with well-trained efficiency, polite but firm. It's obvious that Fabric means business as soon as you walk in.

But where business for certain major clubs means turning DJs and club culture in to mainstream products, Fabric manages to remain credible in London's sceptical scene.

"It's a club for clubbers rather than a club for the industry," says resident DJ and Mo Wax impresario James Lavelle. "We wanted to create a really contemporary, exciting club atmosphere…big and loud and decadent and dark…but also with an intimate spirit to it".

Fellow resident Ali B agrees, "It's down to the music policy in terms of programming. They don't really rely on big name DJs to fill the club, I think when people come to Fabric they do so because it's Fabric on a Friday or Saturday night".

But big names do come. The list of artists who've performed at Fabriclive reads like a telephone directory of beat-infected innovators. Adam F, Afrika Bambaataa, A Guy Called Gerald, Andy C, Andy Smith from Portishead, Arthur Baker, Aim and the Avalanches…and that's just a few names starting with A.

World beating hip hop DJ's, Scratch Perverts on stage.

Drum and bass is another feature of Fabriclive,"It's dark and brutal, but totally wicked" says one punter up from Farnham to see DJ Ray Keith. DJ Hype, who's True Playaz night moved to Fabric from The End, London's other heavyweight underground club states simply, "it's the best club-night in Britain for drum 'n' bass. Full-stop". But he would say that wouldn't he.

So what's the secret? How has Fabric got it right, where others have lost that pioneering spirit? "It's a faith thing," says Niall from the Scratch Perverts, "The people involved in it love working here and that's really rare for something of this size." His DJ partner Tony Vegas adds,"in the majority of clubs that we play it's a promoter hiring a venue to promote his night, with Fabric it's in house - that's why the consistency is there".

Whatever the reasons, it's working and it's pleasing that such a big club with such a big sound can still keep it real. Sure there are draw backs; it gets crowded, the drinks aren't cheap and you might have to queue to get in but the fact that Fabric and Fabriclive exists is good for UK clubbing not to mention cutting edge music in general. If you've never been, Friday's a good time to start. AL 10 June 02

useful link: www.fabriclondon.com