Whales in Cubicles have arguably the best name in music right now. Not only that but four piece band are also making some nice waves for themselves with praise flooding in from the likes of XFM and The Independent.
With that in mind we caught up with the band to find out where they like spending their time when they’re in London…
Ali Baba, Dalston: Stef says: ‘First off, if I knew of a special, quiet place in London I wouldn’t go and spoil it by telling the internet. Therefore my second favourite place in London is the felafel shop Ali Baba in Dalston. I don’t live there anymore because rents are very hipster, but when I did 5 years ago I used to have a felafel a day. That’s the only reason I still go to Dalston these days. Delicious £3.50 felafel.’
12 Bar, Soho: Alex says ‘This is one of those places that is basically a hole, but in an endearing kind of way. Instead of drinking next to sociopathic bankers in exorbitantly expensive trendy bars, why not sit next to old tattooed biker dudes in a dark room that is adorned with forty years of band stickers. There’s always live music, blues, songwriters and a lovably grotesque cast of rock’n'roll left-behinds. It’s one of the few places in central London that’s open late that isn’t some corporate super-club that sends your soul to hell, one misogynistic pop song at a time. Sure it’s a bit shit, but then so is life, and that’s why people drink in bars in the first place.’
Doodle Bar, Battersea: Jamie says ‘I used to think Battersea was boring. It probably still is. But now it has Doodle Bar which makes it slightly less boring. It’s in the middle of a bunch of old shipping warehouses on the south side of the Thames and it’s like East London used to be before everyone from Chelsea bought a pair of Doc Martens, migrated to Spitalfields and rediscovered Nirvana. I.e It’s fucking cool. It has a ping pong table, cheapish beer, hot girls and a posh burger stand which seems affordable when you’re drunk (it’s not). Visit before all the East London kids begin to think that West London is cool again.
Audio Underground, Stoke Newington: Leo says ‘This is our rehearsal space. The equipment isn’t the best in London. The rooms aren’t the cleanest. And it’s not central or easy to park outside. However the people here are really nice unlike a lot of other rehearsal spaces. They don’t charge you for a drumkit, bass amp, hi-hat clutch or any wires that you forget to take. They don’t refuse to change or cancel your booking referring you to the T&Cs on their website. And it’s cheap enough for an actual band to afford. However if you’re looking for the opposite of the place I just described, try Rooz Studios, Old Street.’
Sebright Arms, Hackney: The whole band says ‘A pub on the Hackney Road, or behind it, or whatever. To get to it you have to walk down a rapey alley to the entrance and that’s not even the best bit. It has fucking good food, maybe too good, and a live venue downstairs which feels like how I imagine Tom Waits’ basement; whiskey soaked and with a slight whiff of blood, in a nice way. We’re plugging this one because our friend promotes it (who is a smoking babe. She’s called Loretta. Ask for her at the bar) but seriously visit. It might be the only place left in East London left with an ounce of credibility. However it’ll probably be full of bankers in a year so get down there whilst you still can.’
Check out the bands new single, Nowhere Flag, out now, below…
