Scream Lounge, South End, Croydon

Official site of Scream Lounge - www.screamlounge.com

Official site of Scream Lounge - www.screamlounge.com

This is a live music venue that tends to keep unconventional hours based around the times of performances. I went to a gig here recently and was able to have a look around the ground floor, although I believe there is a second stage upstairs and their website indicates that they have their own recording studio too. The ground floor comprises of three fairly small rooms, with the largest of these at the back of the building used for the gigs with a decent sized stage and enough room for a good intimate crowd. The front two rooms are a lot narrower, with the bar on the left hand side of the first room and the titular lounge room in the middle section. The decor in both rooms is heading towards the sort of shabby look that this type of venue inevitably moves towards, although the lounge section still looked a bit more upmarket than in your average rock club, with some comfy seating, compared to the basic drinking ledges in the front bar. A TV was on showing muted music videos and there was, as you would expect, a good soundtrack playing. The bar only had keg fonts, so the choice was between Guinness and a few mainstream lagers. The service was pretty slapdash and I regretted nipping out from the gig to grab another pint, as the barmaid stood around chatting to friends rather than serving any of the customers who were patiently waiting for her. I wouldn't return here for a drink, but I liked it as a venue to catch some local bands and the odd bigger name slumming it. I'll no doubt return, but I'll make sure I've quenched my thirst beforehand.