Beloved '90s South Asian party Bombay Jungle to return this week
Famed for its parties at Soho's The Wag Club, Bombay Jungle acted as a hub for South Asian clubbers between 1993-94
Bombay Jungle, the beloved '90s South Asian party, is set to make its return at AMBASSY at Ambassadors Clubhouse this week — over 30 years since it ceased operations.
Established in 1993 by Impact Crew's DJ Matticus, DJ and Hustlers HC member Mits Sahni, and Panjabi Hit Squad member and former BBC Asian Network and 1Xtra head Mark Strippel, Bombay Jungle was a regular fixture at Soho's iconic The Wag Club until the end of 1994.
Credited as the first weekly "Urban Asian" party in London, Bombay Jungle helped set the blueprint for South Asian club nights in the West End — often seeing lines of 800 young people queueing for entry on Wardour Street.
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Bombay Jungle was also famed for its fusion programming, which featured one floor of The Wag club dedicated to Bhangra and another featuring jungle, hip hop, Bollywood and UKG.
The club night will now make its return on Saturday (November 8) at Mayfair's AMBASSY, a newly-launched after-hours space in West London that has been "designed to celebrate the Punjabi culture and creativity," according to a press release.
The event will run from 11:30PM until 3:AM, and feature sets from Maximum NRG, Hustlers Convention, DJ Matticus & Mr. Kay (Impact), DJ MJ (Double Trouble) and a special guest who has yet to be announced.
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“Bombay Jungle was born out of necessity, as young British Asians in the early ’90s often felt excluded from clubland and creative spaces,” says Bombay Jungle co-founder Mits Sahni.
“What we created as a home for second-generation British Asian sounds signalled a cultural shift, the attitude, the sounds and the authentic representation of a community we were part of became the foundation for everything that followed,” adds Mark Strippel.
"Our first two nights back in the 90s were solid, good energy, steady flow," says DJ Matticus. "But that third night? That’s when it caught fire. The queue ran all the way down around the block. Inside, the floor was packed tight, the air thick with bass and joy.
For more info and tickets for the return of Bombay Jungle at AMBASSY, Mayfair click here.
Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter