The Knowhere Guide

The Local Music Scene in Harlow, Essex*

Harlow, Essex Record Shops and Venues

Record Shops

• Theres plenty of record shops in town now, especially since the 'water gardens' has been majorly reburbished
• there used to b a record shop down near the post office in the town...dunno if its still open though...
• Virgin!
• casa records or up northweald market, my cousin is a DJ so i often ask him to do me cd's (although he does keep me waiting)
• Virgin in the town or HMV or theres a record shop by the post office, vinyls.
• HMV, Virgin, duno whether that tiny dodgey lookin record store is still there next to CM20's?
• Motel6 is stocking cheap cds punk hiphop rock etc etc unavalibe at hmv or virgin
• Can't believe Harlow used to have two Startime records shops, an Our Price and Parrot up in the Harvey Centre. Now it's just the identikit HMV and Virgin of which Virgin seems to have the slightly better selection but that's not really saying much. There also used to be a great second-hand vinyl place in the bays at The Stow. Alas, that's gone as well.
• HMV in the Water Gardens is your best bet. Virgin is not saying much at all if you want something other than Will Young or Britney.
• Monday Market!! - loads of second-hand stuff, rarities, all sorts.
• Startime Records RIP
• Brick lane
• Virgin in Broadwalk
• good virgin store in the town
• opposite da candle shop
• Virgin is ... well, virgin. Overpriced CDs and sullen assistants who's knowledge of music outside pop boy/girl bands is minimal. Eyed my student discount card with great suspicion, because I am in my thirties!
• Stevenage and cambridge
• Virgin or smiths, if you're into anything non-commercial, its tough
• Harlow is a town of more than 60,000. About 50% only listen to garage (insipid commercial rubbish widely available through mainstream shops) whereas the other 50% listen to nu-metal (insipid commercial rubbish widely etc etc etc) and thus has no specialist music shops at all. It used to have a little junglist shop at the bus station, but they never had more than four records (they made most of their money through the fact that, if you uttered a certain codeword and paid an extra tenner, you'd find a little lump of funny resin in your bag). It closed after about six months and has been replaced by a place which sells unpleasant food like pie and mash.
• opposite mister marks ( the hairdressers) up the town!
• Virgin music for all tastes!! sells DVD's and the rest
• They have a very small shop which has probably shut down and moved on like all the other shops in the town center. Virgin megastore is sitll there though in the main town center. Mega with a very small 'm'.
• a new underground record shop just opened in harlow "casa records" has been open about 6 months now......hope it lasts!
• Virgin!
• Whitehouse sells deperatley fashionless throw aways to desperatly fashionless 20 somethings who wont move in larger circles.
• Tracks to Tracks
• Neither Smiths nor Woolworths any longer sell classical CDs - that says something about the town - and about Smiths and Woolworths
• Trumps is alright and there's a Virgin Megastore that sells NOFX and other pretty cool Punk Stuff (If you look hard enough).
• Virgin music shop Trumps Our Price went yars ago

Clubs (Dance Music) and Music Bars

• Whetherspoons is a pub its ok, they have no music but their food is scrummy! Yates is good at the weekend but can be pricey for a pub. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK FOR ANY OFFERS WHEN APPROACHING A BAR! It all helps if you're strapped for cash. The Orange House is a good laugh with BOGOF always available. The music can be cheesy and the toilets are often a mess but its a good starting point for a night of drunkeness! Jumpin' Jaks is and always will be Butlins entertainment [for kids] or the alcoholics, although they do have drink deals on from time to time. Check out the one night entertainment slots they have had talent! I believe Chico appeared one night a while back! CM20 is for the garage girls and boys. Smaller than most clubs but has an upstairs, its sometimes a little moody but its strict so theres not much trouble. Personally its one of my favourite venues in Harlow. Liquid is probably the most popular club in Harlow and many surrounding areas. it has two rooms and a VIP area with a suttle viewing window looking down on the main room. The music varies through the night but is always good. Thursdays and Sundays are a good crack though the capacity doesnt reach near to a Friday or Saturday you have the benefit of less queues at the bar and toilets and most importantly plenty of space on the dancefloor!
• The square! why would you want to go anywhere else? i supose there is Jaks, Liquid and Cm20...but CM20 is a shit hole and jaks is boring...if you HAVE to go to a club...i guess you should go to Liquid
• CM20 has got to be the top club in harlow, Liquid is alright, the rest are not worth bothering with
• Jaks - really dont bother, liquid small but ok on house nights, CM20 funny, small and poor effort, Yates and all other pub/bars are just Harlow!
• 195 in Epping is cool, they play funky house, and just because i like house and garage doesnt mean that i dont like all your indie, punk and rock aswell because i actually really do.
• Liquid is wicked,full off fit blokes.Whoever thinks Harlow is a shit hole full of slags let me just put 1 thing straight i have lived here and clubbed here for 21 years and there are loads of beautiful women n gorgeous men,yer of corse there may be the odd slag but where aint there? Cm20s is quite good and reasonably priced.Quatros is a laugh,especaily at the moment with the by 1 get 1 free shots.Jumpin Jaks is a laugh if you want a cheesy night out,and orange house is also buy 1 get 1 free on drinks fri and sat.Well anyway i rekon n i know loadsa people who have a good night out in harlow!!!!!
• The Square is the place to go to see rock bands. Jumping Jaks or Liquid is the place to go if you like nightclubs.
• Liquid is just a white smaller version of Millennium aka 'the Dive' - if you like garage n all the uptodate choons - then go there - I think you'll find in Harlow that there is always a queue out the door so obviously they enjoy it! Quatros has now replaced the scummy Jean Harlow, the upstairs hasn't opened yet but a good place to go if you don't fancy a big night out as its open til 2 n is again an even smaller version of the Dive, its buy one get one free on some shots at the mo. so make sure u rinse it! Jumpin' Jaks is the kinda club where you need to know all the staff n its a good nyt out if all ur makes r out messing about dancin to cheesy music - its not for pulling in!!(thats all I'll say!) Go for a laugh n cheap drinks (buy 1 get 2 free b4 10.30pm)...nothing more - you have been warned! Ah the Square... what can I say - in its hayday it was good n its gettin better with the likes of 'Another Story'(tipped to be big!), playing. But its still made for the under 18 goth/grebo wannabes - who cant seem to queue up to get in, but feel the strong urge to bundle everyone thru one small door at once. Plus everyone head banging in the mosh pit - you have gotta be joking - good entertainment wen it all goes wrong tho - make sure ur either high up or far away from the action! All the other pubs arent bad orange house (music, cheap drinks and pool tables), wetherspoons (no music, but very cheap drinks), yates' (onsite DJ, open til 1, not cheap drinks) Polekats is your other alternative - if you like seeing naked birds - men only! ...oh n one more thing CM20's don't even go there...
• Liquid is THE place to be. Wicked club, wicked music, wicked staff and management. Great atmosphere. Not too expensive and I can't wait to go back this weekend!!
• go to the square thats whell good fun. if u whant torealy get drunk go orange house coz they go 2 for 1 in thire but all other clubs are good realy if u with friends
• Just recently opened, Liquid has actually impressed me. Formally "The Dive" i can honestly say out of the 6 or so years i have been going out in Harlow, i had one of my best nights out... ever. Surprising huh!!! Thoroughly recommended!
• OK - so Millennium was not THE place to see and be seen, but now they have finally knocked the bloody thing down, there is a glimmer of hope that the new Liquid Nightclub thats going there will be a place of granduer and class......just so long as the single mums and scummy teenagers are not allowed in! I say make the place strictly over 21 and let those of us that don't want to be put under the trashy Harlow Umberella have a decent night out. Oh, talking of decent nights out, if thats what you are after AVOID CM20 at all costs. Its full of little boys and girls in Gucci loafers carrying Burberry handbags (clearly they are yet to realise that its, like, so last season) The place is an absolute DIVE, the music is naff, as is the lighting, layout, choice of staff and baboons that call themselves doormen.
• The bird cage aka white lightening aka millenium jumpin` jaks the blue rooms
• Millenium but I would not recommend it
• First up i just like to say passions shut about 3 years ago and its now jumpin jaks, chicagos is now orange house aswell. We now have Yates wine bar, CM20 club and JD Wetherspoons aswell. All the people who keep going on about how much trouble there is are probably getting trouble because there looking 4 it. I go there every now and again and i nether get any trouble. As 4 it being full of slags, no way, you get the odd 1 or 2 but thats the same in every club you go too and you can take my word 4 that because i go clubbing every wkend. Last of all as for the women being trogs, whoever says there ugly can shove it. I lived all over England and harlow has got to have the finest women in England. Ohh and by the way if you think theres only 3 clothes shops in Harlow you obviously havent been no further than the market you tramps.
• I only went to Jumpin Jacks and was not impressed at all by all the low life harlow scummy men!
• Millenium, scene of that famous Michael Barrymore incident, Orange House, Jumping Jacks which put on uninspiring acts such as Jason Donavan and Chesney Hawkes, CM20s which is as bad as it sounds!
• Callin all 'rich, goodlooking' men! If you're looking for a place to go after the bar's have closed for the night, head down to POLEKATZ Gentlemens club. You'll have a chance to see some of the county's 'finest' honey's, shakin their money maker's at you! It's become one of Harlow's most popular nightspots, due to it's TOP entertainment!
• JUMPIN JAKS..Okay if you are pre-pubescent and enjoy listening to the same Pop crap all night. Not for the more mature patron. MILLENIUM..(Ditto). CM20..(Same old, BOOM BOOM BOOM.!!! MOAT HOUSE every other Friday. Over 35's. Okay if you are up for a quick grope with a Gran.
• the square good punk
• Jumpin Jaks is VERY scary!!! they do cheap nights, thats about the only reason to go there. Although you can watch the mad ppl on stage. I spent many happy nights in there, winning free drinks, I think i had 3 birthdays in one month once, and I also had at least 2 "stag nights"..impressive since i am of the female gender.
• dont bother wiv harlow!go to faces
• Chicagos for retro; Jumpin' Jacks for the fake western/rodeo style decor and amusing plastic candelabras that flicker in time the the music *lol* Stick to the Square
• the square, it rocks!
• Jumpin Jaks if your "remarkably young drinkers" or over 40, Shites isnt worth mentioning. Your best bet is H2O's in Stortford
• Millenium, the local Sharon and Tracy club. Plays garage and hosts regular violence. Over-priced and rubbish. Jumpin' Jacks, once played host to Jason Donovon, 'nuff said. The Square, once a good club (saw Carter USM there, and PWEI, and Autechre) has since been turned into some kind of yoof club and is now sh*t. Owned by Essex youth services, run by nazi a*seholes.
• Millenium nightclub- AKA The Dive!!!! says it all really, Jumpin Jaks- Pants!!
• Millenium now known in the year 2002 as 'The Dive' due to the fact that it is a 'dive'. Jumpin' Jaks...Lets not go there! In fact, don't go there (Unless you are over 50 and have a strange belief that you will 'pull' an 18 year old girl who all happen to be wearing slapper clothes and look like they are ready and prepared for business on the streets of Soho)
• Millenium now known in the year 2002 as 'The Dive' due to the fact that it is a 'dive'. Jumpin' Jaks...Lets not go there! In fact, don't go there (Unless you are over 50 and have a strange belief that you will 'pull' an 18 year old girl who all happen to be wearing slapper clothes and look like they are ready and prepared for business on the streets of Soho)
• POLEKATZ!! For the Essex man who loves female flesh.
• Jumpin Jaks is good especially on a sunday nite cos its free b4 10 and a pound a drink. CM20 is a new trendy place 4 all the beautifull people. The dive is 'ok' i suppose but just make sure u dont look at any1 in a fuuny way or u mite leave with either 2 black eyes or with no handbag!!!!1 good reason 2 go though- jade goody ( mouthy big brother house m8) has been seen up there!!!! Witherspoons is a new place near the odeon and although ive not been yet it looks pretty good!!
• As no-one else has bothered to update this page I will. Ok so Costa Del Harlow isn't everyones cup of tea, but the Town is actually getting better. Passions has gone (Thank God) and has been replaced by the equally as cr*p Jumpin Jacs, Its cheap booze and a cheesy night out so Its not to sad. Chicargo's is shutting down 15/08/02 which I don't think anyones gonna miss now we have a Wetherspoons, which is just the cheap drinking session before the dive (millenium). YES Millenium is still going, stronger than eva now there is Garage Heaven on a Sunday, Wicked Line Up's, No Attitude and pleanty of fit people. Apart from all that the only place to be really is the CM20 Bar, if you like Quality Music and a Top Atmosphere then look no Further. So to all you outsiders Harlow isnt such a bad place.
• the clubs all suck, goto the square
• Theres no such thing as Passions anymore there is a new club called Jumping Jacks in its place. By the way not all Essex girls are like that!
• Jumpin' Jaks - Replaced the crappy Passions. Jak's is the best of the buch, playing all the old music. The people are aged 18 upwards, and there doesn't seem to be any underage drinkers! Great place to go and get drunk and dance and make a fool of yourself! CM20 - Full of Essex boys with their collers up and Patrick Cox shos on. Worth going just to laught at them. Music is Garage. Not a bad place to start your evening.
• There is millenium known to all as simply "the dive" My advice is make sure your drunk before going, then you can garentee a half decent night. The newly opened Jumpin Jaks is a dissapointment, cheesy party music and over the top prices on drinks. Sunday nights are good though as it's free to get in and £1 a drink. CM21's is a new bar. closest thing you'll find to a london bar in these parts. Great music and a good supply of good looking people.
• "Remarkably young patrons" (as the question answered by that this response asks) are the norm here. There is not much else for those 'patrons' to do. Keeps them off the streets while they get drunk before going to some of the greatest dives in recorded history. The two major clubs in Harlow are very low quality compared to larger cities, and they are frequented by some very unsavoury characters. Micheal Barrymore turned up at the Millenium one night and took a guy home (with others) who was found in the morning dead in his pool, big thing on the news in 2001. Draw your own conclusions.
• there all very crap with a sad crowd and sad bouncers who all just want to fight....need i say more....the squares not bad if you want any old live music though.
• Millennium. Not as rough as people like to make it out to be. If you get involved in a fight... its probably because you were acting a pr!ck and deserve it! music is great on a Sunday (Garage Nation). Friday and Sat its House and Garage with some bumping RnB for the last hour. CM20 is a bar down post office walk. The music is unsurpassed. DJ Rayna and DJ Jan. It really rocks. Yates - Cheesey and full of people that are on a budget. Chicagos - older and cheesey but good if you fancy dancing to Come on Eileen or Wham! Monday night is £1 a drink and the music is better. commercial garage a bit of party and some RnB and Hip Hop. worth a look, but very young crowd on Mondays. Jaks - full of people that look inbred!!! Sunday night is ok and Wednesday night is ok. They have live acts occaisionally. Jason Donovan was worth a look! The Willow Beauty - great for the regulars. filled with trendy youngstas that know each other. beer garden and pool tables and fun!
• Jumpin' Jaks - Terrible terrible plastic theme shed, fits over 1000 idiots at once. Piss poor stage act of crap chart music with pianos played over the top of it by unemployed musicians, probably entertaining to people who go to see 'tribute bands'. Vicious bouncers who will kick your head in around the corner where there's no cameras. Pulling potential: 15% Fight likelihoood 20% Chicagos - Even worse 'rock cafe' style with another 1000 gurners inside. For some reason you have to wear a collar and shoes (probably a novelty for most of the punters). Pulling potential: 8% Fight likelihoood 20% Yates Wine Lodge - Not strictly a club, but another large shed, no character, full of dodgy market traders, slightly up the food chain from Jean Harlow. Again, unknown reason for shoes and collar.
• what clubs?If you're under 18 you may aswell stay in bed all day!!!!oh yeah we do!!!
• Millenium, you have to be very very drunk to enjoy this place, Watch out girlies instead of saying hello, they pinch your arse, shove their groin up against you and then try to ram there festy beer tongues down your throat!!!!! very classy!!!!!! but at least most of the girls look like such rejects that if you are semi decent you are likely to be able to take your pick from the totty starved blokes. Passions is soooooooooooooo pants that i have avoided it for , well actually ever since the first week it opened, word is that it is still full to the brim of complete desperate losers, and they have a really hideous carpet!!! Chicagos is ok for a cheesy tacky night out, bit leachy these days though, to many furry chests poking through shirts and shiny medallions.
• tastefully renamed "millenium's" heights or shites,(the latter being the used name) is the perfect place to go if you cant afford pay-per-view boxing or wrestling.If your new in town and announce this to anyone,you can be sure to be the centre of the attention,or at least until the police arrive.and do'nt dispair if you can't get into any situation inside,theres a kebabery just around the corner where you can smell trouble(and were not mentioning the food,that comes later).
• the harlow club scene is growing im glad to say,but for people who are not from harlow though one word of warning from me "passions nightclub" is full of the people who cant get in anywhere else and if you want a one night stand go there (lovely girls)ha ha ha, no but really stay away from this local attraction !!
• UPTOWN CLUB..the place where you can actually meet DJ Franky
• Millenium has too be the club of the moment, it used to be Heights 2000, but the they decided to go up market and call it something that no one could pronounce! It plays various types of dull music ranging from cheesy house to errr.. well, cheesy garage. Every one there is remarkably fresh faced and because there are only about three clothes shops in Harlow most girls are wearing exactly the same Bay Trading dress. However it is a good night out, if your up for the odd punch up and drinking so much that your sick. I used to love it there. Fond memories...... Oh yeah, there's passions as well but quite frankly it's c**p!
• The recently opend 'Chicagos' is about the best night out. It's managed to bring a tiny bit of class to the town, but not much!
• Heights 2000 since changed names its now Millenium- still very crap but its 50p a pint on Thursdays so who really cares!! Other wise theres the new club Passions, also poor.
• Places to avoid at all costs- Millenium, Passions- Oh well, nothing decent in Harlow then.
• There is one cacky disco type thing called 'Heights 2000' but it's rubbish and this is where all those Essex girls go!

Live Music Venues

• many pubs have live bands playing mid week as well as weekends. CHECK THE LOCAL PAPERS FOR DETAILS
• Man in the Moon cambridge
• The Square is cool!
• ?? the shark is a nice little pub for karaoke and bands occasionally
• The Square is crap!!!
• The Square
• Ah the Square... what can I say - in its hayday it was good n its gettin better with the likes of 'Another Story'(tipped to be big!), playing. But its still made for the under 18 goth/grebo wannabes - who cant seem to queue up to get in, but feel the strong urge to bundle everyone thru one small door at once. Plus everyone head banging in the mosh pit - you have gotta be joking - good entertainment wen it all goes wrong tho - make sure ur either high up or far away from the action! The town park has a massive stage, so if you can get in on one of the shows in the summer your bound to be seen - its always rammed in summer, especially with the beer tent out n about.
• go to square no where else
• The Square has served the musically oriented very well over the years. Many up and comers have played here over the years. Keep your eye on whats happening here as you get some gems from time to time.
• Theres The Square which lots of wanna-be bands play.......sometimes they hit a goldmine and have a band that could make it
• the square
• The Square
• The Square which is trying to reinvent its self as a youth club at the expense of people who actually spend money there!
• THE SQUARE 4EVER
• the square
• the square. full of young kids, but still a great night. very cheap drinks!! Cool ppl in there too, try to find SA Rob.
• The Square always was close to my heart so I am biased, but visited again recently and it was still great - no bad atmospheres or girls crying in toilets, just honest, live music - take your friends.
• the square
• The square was good but the chill-out bar downstairs is now a cyber cafe and the main floor is full of kids who want to be "different"
• The Square, see above. Also the carparks by the DIY shops in Templefields, excellent if you like garage blasting out from the considerably acoustically-cr*p shape of a BMW or Ford Escort.
• Again 'The Square'...Small, Sweaty, Very Loud and Slightly Smelly...The Perfect Music Venue. Good place to go if you want to see bands before they make it big. It's Good Value, near(ish) to the Train Station, and you are almost guaranteed not to find any 'typical' Harlow teens i.e. boys and girls with their Addidas tracksuits tucked into their football socks, *Real* Burberry caps and attitudes bigger than the town itself.
• the square, mind the mosh tho
• the square is about the only place thats not full of nasty people and bouncers so it speaks for itself really...some of the pubs are o.k but you never know what sad thug your going to bump into im afraid.
• THE SQUARE!
• The Square, it's great but used to be better. The usually age to let people in is 16 apart from Banger and Mosh nights which is 14+. It's alot better in the summer because people seem to have more energy. It's great fun!
• The Square is a cool place to go - look out for a bank called Mulberry Green from Old Harlow - v good!
• The Square. Punk rock at it's best. To many little nu-metal fans that piss me off.
• THE SQUARE - This is probably the best venue in the UK ignore it at your peril
• The Square, used to be great, now its OK. Good summer events in the town park.!
• Oh yeah the old stage at the town park, that is never used and has handcuffs hanging from the ceiling.
• Square. Only decent thing in Harlow!!
• Not really a venue as such, but Melody 2000 are a brilliant local talent organisation.
• The square, but sixteen years olds are allowed in there although not to drink. They are all suffering from acute teenage angst and are very miserable and scary looking. BUT not a bad place on the whole ( i spent my youth as one of those scary miserable people!!! ) Fond memories!
• The Square.ran by squares all bookings from squares performed to a pretty out of touch collective (i would say audience,but three or four punters does'nt warrant the word).
• The Square is an excellant place to go if you're inclined towards punk/grunge/rock/alternative. I went there to see Capdownh and it was wicked!!! :-) They usually sell tickets on the door, but for exclusive gigs (ie Less Than Jake) you may need to book tickets in advance. It's really cheap to get in; last time I went it was £2 16-18 or 18+ with NUS card, and £4 for over 18s. it sells alcohol for us legal people, but they're really strict about ID.
• The Square. It rocks. :O)
• UPTOWN CLUB ..DJ Franky can be seen there
• The Square. China Drum, Tribute to Nothing, Snuff, A, Goober Patrol, have all played there (Even Supergrass in the old days).
• The Harlow Square, 4th Avenue, is an excellent nightspot, particularly when home-grown band Circumspect are in the house.
• Chicagos has bands play sometimes or theres the Square.
• The Square

The Knowhere Guide started out as a list of places to skateboard in the UK. It is a compilation of (unedited) information and views supplied by users like yourself. It is not a conventional tourist guide!

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Last updated: 2007-08-09