In London, a Special Club Night Marks Eighteen Years of Influential Deviation

This weekend, one of London’s most influential club nights returns to mark its 18th anniversary with a birthday party in Camden and the launch of a limited-edition photobook and exhibition titled: These Are The Levels.

Founded in 2007 by DJ, producer and broadcaster Benji B with host, curator and selector Judah Afriyie, Deviation established itself with a simple vision: “To create a space for music lovers.” Since then, the night and its community have always been at the forefront of the city’s club culture, pioneering the best sound, forward-thinking curation, a central role at the annual Notting Hill Carnival, and dedicated to supporting global icons and emerging local talent alike. Across nearly two decades, it has featured performances from artists such as James Blake, Moodymann, Jamie xx, Arca, Floating Points, Dean Blunt, Yasiin Bey, while platforming the likes of Bambii, Charisse C, Shy One, Nicky Summers and Kitty Amor.

These Are the Levels, the photobook aims to capture the club’s influential cultural history with over 300 photographs spanning London, Paris, and New York. It features rare imagery of artists who have shaped modern culture, including Virgil Abloh, Kaytranada, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Goldie, Madlib, Skepta, Sampha, Erykah Badu, and Samuel Ross. These Are the Levels is a document which captures not just place and people, but moments in time: a portrait of an institution that stands at odds with the frenetic, fleeting moments accelerated in the age of digital. Many of the images are from a time where the music was the experience and capturing that experience wasn’t primary; a time before camera phones and social media. They say it offers “an authentic glimpse into a pre-digital era of club culture, when resident photographers documented the energy of the night from behind the decks to the dancefloor.”

“Deviation turning 18 felt like the right moment to reflect – in theory, the club night we created is now old enough to go to the club. The book and exhibition are a celebration of everything we built: the sound, the people, the energy, and the evolution of a movement born in London,” Benji B says. “For 18 years, Deviation has been a space where music, community and culture could grow together. This project gives permanence to something that has always been lived in the moment.”

“To quote the late, great Glenn O’Brien: ‘Parties are hard work’. Eighteen years in, that sentiment remains the same, but we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Judah says. “As Deviation turns 18, the books and exhibition are a moment to reflect and celebrate and hopefully serve as a guide for future generations ahead. This milestone belongs to our community and everyone who has helped us get these. This is the only accolade that Benji and I seek. We salute you”.

The These Are The Levels London exhibition is open to the public from 14th-16th November, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9DX, 12pm-7pm daily. It will feature a selection of 46 images mounted on aluminium, a specially curated lineup of DJs performing, and a listening room.

‘Deviation: 18th Birthday Edition’ on Saturday 15 November at Camden Stables Market. Tickets are available through DICE.fm and Resident Advisor. Benji B will DJ all night long, with Judah hosting the one-off celebration of sound, culture, and connection.

Header image courtesy of the Deviation Collective.