London serves us all well. You just have to travel an hour out of London town to see how the shoddy nightlife serves some less fortunate than ourselves; well futile.
Amidst this utopia of dance floor opportunity, a hybrid sits in waiting for that hindmost party. While he and she watches others crawl home in blight, he and she are getting ready to continue the evenings tomfoolery. And what better place to fool a Tom, than London's most loved after-party and after hours hang out, Jaded.

We caught up with Jaded's head honcho, Krista, to talk shop and get a look in on what Jaded's 5th Birthday (this weekend!) really means to her...


Hi Krista :)

I'm not going to lie, I will happily judge a book by its cover. I look them up and down and think "do you ever go to afterparties?". If the answer is yes, we're totally going to be friends. If the answer is no, I essentially tell them to...well, jump :)
My point is, afterparties seem to draw in a type of person and personality. Would you agree with that? What sort of characters have you met over the years? Would you say they're inspirational to continuing Jaded?
Krista: I would say that afterhours people are united by a transcendent love of the music you may not find so easily on a Saturday night. You have to be pretty devoted to get out of bed on Sunday morning and come to the club fresh. Jaded gets some real characters passing through, but those who stay on and really get to know us are the ones who interest and inspire me – you forget that to the outside world, these people might seem a little avant garde. Some of the Jaded regulars become so immersed that they almost become performers, and legends in their own right. An afterhours star of particular note is Carry On Pam. Last Glastonbury weekend, she hosted her own micro-festival in a tent on Jaded’s dancefloor, complete with poetry readings, dry ice from a spray can and her own pair of dodgy bouncers.


Where did the idea for the name Jaded come from? Were there any names you came up with before, or was it love at first sight?
Krista: You won’t get the shortlist out of me, but one outsider that never came close to being chosen was ‘better than bed’ - can you imagine?! There was dissent and a fair bit of ridicule when I decided to call it Jaded, but the artwork was so loved, everyone went with it. ‘Jaded’ was just my expression for Sunday clubbers at the time. It was meant as a bit of a compliment. They’d paid their dues in mainstream parties, heard it all, and they wanted something different to inspire them. Early morning clubbing was the answer for me back then. In October 2004, this seemed a little insane, now it’s just part of the culture... I like that.



In your own words (not mine), how has Jaded progressed over the years? Why is this party going to be, without sounding too weird...
Krista: It’s alright, wierdos are cool – (you can be in my gang if you like?). The main reason why, is because I’m still passionate about it. Part of that passion has been born of the curve balls and adversity we’ve encountered along the journey. Hearing the news that AKA and The End were to close, felt devastating; but like Shake It! and Superfreq, we’ve been determined to carve out something new and beautiful. It’s given me a new energy.

There was a point where I thought I would not find a new home for Jaded, and it has taken until now for Jaded mark III at Ghost to really come into its own. There are a few changes that you’ll see at Ghost for the first time for the 5th Birthday this Sunday. For example, we’ll be welcoming Wish’s amazing VJ Hobbyboy to the Jaded fold. The opening of Jaded at Ghost’s Room II (styled as a ‘back to mine’ room), has been put back until 2010, but I’m excited about adding such a major new dimension to our mornings...

How many people make up Jaded?
Krista: Apart from me, Jaded is main resident Raymundo Rodriguez, door host and promotions manager Theresa Collins. Dee Shennan the GM of Ghost and before that, one of the AKA managers, has been pivotal to our existence, I love working alongside her. Team Jaded is a piratical crew of Saturday night party starters whom you’ll spot around the gutters of Shoreditch, Farringdon and Dalston, wristbands at the ready! The Jaded Tea Lady is a new addition to the team, you’ll see her and her trolley for the first time on Jaded’s dancefloor this Sunday AM.

Can you explain this girl on the phone? She looks disheartened by something being said?!
Krista: The girl on the phone is S-J, the Jaded pin-up having a word to herself on Ghost’s phone to nowhere. This phone gets passed around in Ghost’s bar area at the height of the morning, so if someone hands you it and says “it’s for you”, you’ll know it’s time to start acting up.

I think everyone on the after-party scene asks each other this at some stage or another, so we're presenting it to you...What has been your longest party experience? Any nights out you want to confess, or forever hold your peace?
Krista: I don’t know what you’re talking about...

What's the line up all about this weekend? Besides Raymundo (resident for Jaded), what have the other guys done to deserve such statures?
Krista: The line up is a mixture of pure sentimentality, raw energy and guest talent. All of the DJs on the bill are responsible for some of my favourite Jaded moments.

Bushwacka and Raymundo will be playing back to back. The last time they did this, it was when Jaded hosted the end of The End Afterhours. This will probably forever be the highlight of my party-life. I can still transport myself back to hear snippets of Bushwacka and Ray’s set and to Mr C’s afterward. When he dropped The Specials’ You’re Wondering Now - that was it for me. Ray and I were in the corner of the dancefloor watching the water fights, the tears, and all of the instrumental people from the last 12 years together in one room, and we decided to leave then and there, The Specials still ringing in our ears... It was a moment of total completion.

Jaded’s monthly ressie Mouj will be joined by Kanio in another back to back 2 hours. Mouj has reduced me to tears of laughter at his sheer verve and cheek in the past particularly when he plays his rocking acid house finales, Kanio is just an unrivalled party starter, so that’s the reasoning there.

Reset Robot has guested at Jaded at Ghost twice before, and each time the party has been widely described in terms of ‘best ever’. For me his appearance at the Alive party at Jaded earlier this year was legend. Don’t let the clean-cut image deceive you, he has a rare appreciation of how afterhours people need to be motivated, I trust him to come on and play at 10.30am (a time when sometimes only Raymundo understands how to fire up the dancefloor). His productions for Sci + Tec just lend themselves to afters too. Watch him!

I hear word of an after-after party?! Tell me more?! Is it close to Ghost?
Krista: You heard right, we’re hosting our annual Jaded Birthday Daytrip from midday-7pm and a celebration of Theresa’s birthday at The Book Club in Leonard St, Shoreditch. The site was scene of the crime for last year’s after-after party. I’m staying tight lipped but legends were born at last year’s bash. This year you’ll find a paired-back classic warehouse space, a new sound system, and a secret den... We love the ethos and intimacy of this place. One of our special guests is Kath Harding – say no more!


Besides the capitals humble abode of Jaded, where else do you like to go get Dain Bramaged, and what remedies do you hold dear to your heart for the morning after?
Krista: Besides the parties I’ve already mentioned, you can find me at Cable for Zombies, Fabric for WYS and The Horse and Groom for Mooch. If there are two parties off the beaten track I’d urge people to discover for themselves it would be Wish, Kath Harding and Linda Hewson’s unique avant garde spectacular – I’m in Paris for their last party at Nouveau Casino on Dec 11th, but they’ll be returning next year with a new incarnation. Kath Harding (Wish and Fabric) the Wish resident is a DJ who’ll blow up in 2010.

My other favourite underground party is Misstake at 512 - Helios, Silvia and Lukasz’s fusing of music and The Arts. The next one’s on 12th December, besides their very talented residents, they fly in the best guests, people who you just won’t hear playing anywhere else.

For the morning after Jaded, I recommend climbing under your desk, adopting the foetal position and remaining there until the following Friday. For me and Ray, the favourite after-clubbing pastime is a you tube battle. This can run into several hours but inevitably ends up with 2 Tone, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock and for when the auto pilot kicks in – our old school east coast hip hop favourites...

Thanks Krista!

Krista: It was a pleasure Mr Bramaged, I love reading your blog – but I’m not ready to go quietly yet, can i please do some 5th birthday shouts?

Is the Pope Catholic? Do fish piss in the sea? Do bears shit in the woods? ...Of course you can ;)
Krista: I just need to say to my hero, Raymundo Rodriguez, thank you for inspiring me to put on Jaded. To The staff at AKA and The End and Ghost, thank you for making us part of your family. To my Jaded soldiers, thank you for your energy, and to Mouj and my jaded guests - you’re amazing. To Britta Rogozinski of Shift, I’ve loved our almost decade working together, you’re an inspiration. Finally to Theresa thank you for being my wing lady for 5 years. Oh and Jaded love to you all, over and out.


Check out Jaded this Sunday morning, @Ghost nightclub, Farringdon, and continue shenanigans from midday through to 7pm with the Jaded army after-after party, for what sets to be one of the best days out of the year!