The Departure Lounge Story...
 

Departure Lounge is a club that was launched in July 2003 in Edinburgh by three friends, music-lovers and clubbers: DJs Astroboy and Mr Zimbabwe, and Cammy, resident percussionist and vibes man. In 2007 we recruited a fourth member to the crew: Jimenez - DJ, digger and all round top chap. Our original aim was simple and still holds true: provide a original, friendly and unique space for open-minded souls to enjoy a mix of music that can't be found anywhere else: jazz, hip-hop, Latin, Afrobeat, Brazilian, soul, house, drum'n'bass...you get the picture! With a love equally for the DJs craft and scorching live music, both of these elements became central in the planning of the night. Having settled on these tenets and chosen a name, the one major consideration remaining was "where are we going to hold Departure Lounge...?". Well, those who have had the pleasure of visiting the Lounge (we had even greater pleasure welcoming you!) will know that this question was answered in the best possible way.

Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, a UNESCO world heritage site, The Caves occupies a series of archways dating back to the 1700s. The Departure Lounge venue occupies two of these archways, and a series of alcoves and stone corridors over two floors. Friendly ghosts and spirits are regularly sighted in the venue (it is believed that they have a fine taste in jazz). The Caves are found on Niddry Street South, just off the Cowgate, across from the Bannermans pub. See some of the photos in the gallery, but really, the venue has to be seen to be believed!

Since those early parties in 2003, Departure Lounge has gone on to gain a somewhat of a legendary status in the Scottish music scene after many euphoric moments of musical genius and dancefloor frenzy. We are delighted to have staged some truly memorable gigs, including Azymuth, Jazztronik, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Kokolo. We have invited a staggeringly diverse range of acts over the years, with guests including Patrick Forge, Zero dB, Benji B, Jade Fox, Spiritual South, Dom Servini, Mad Mats, Raw Deal, Diesler and Joe Davis. As well as showcasing our favourite international talent, Departure Lounge maintains an unswerving commitment to Scottish music, and we been proud to give exposure to such local talent as Livesciences, Orkestra Del Sol, The Everything Treatment, The Elephants, Digital Jones, The Fusion Experience and The Edinburgh Samba School.

So if you are a Departure Lounge regular or are still a virgin, you can be certain that we will continue to provide you with the finest in new music from around the globe and the freshest new talent from Scotland and beyond.

Please take some time to explore the site - check what's on, listen to exlusive live sets and mixes and look at pictures of past events - and talk to us at  info@departurelounge.me.uk if you have any queries or want to join the mailing list.

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