BURY ST. EDMUNDS — “Put your hands up. Put your hands up. Put your hands up for Detroit.”
If the lyrics to Fedde Le Grande’s latest techno-pop smash hit sound familiar, or, better yet, prompt you to get your groove on, then Karooze Cafe Bar is the type of place set to get you crunk.
Situated in a contemporary building on the edge of this Suffolk town’s historic city center, Karooze is where dance-happy party people flock in search of steady beats and an even steadier flow of cold brew.
It’s not that the dance floor has room for hundreds — more like dozens — or that DJs fly in from Amsterdam and Ibiza each weekend (they are more likely to come from Newmarket or Cambridge). What makes Karooze unique in a small town is that contemporary, bass-heavy music is usually the domain of metropolitan enclaves with long lines, pricey cover charges and often arcane dress codes.
Owner Jo Tunbridge takes pride in the fact that Karooze has two of the top area DJs spinning on the turntables on a regular rotation.
Resident maestro DJ N8 has entertained as far away as Las Vegas and regularly takes his place at turntables in London, while fellow Karooze regular DJ at War has played at the National Basketball Association All-Star game and has worked alongside some of the biggest names in hip-hop.
“We get a lot of Americans coming in because they love this type of music. Hip-hop, R&B, you know, dance music,” Tunbridge said. “On the weekends, this place is packed and the DJs keep the place lively.”
Inside, the bar is simple in its design, with basic red paint covering the walls, a few tables along the main wall and a couch built in the wall in the rear in the unlikely event the dancing has grown tiresome.
Call it modern minimalism with a British touch. And the hip joint even has a MySpace site, for those wanting to do some social networking with that oh-so-lovely dancing mate whose digits were somehow misplaced in the blur of a night that suddenly turned to early morning.
So if you’ve passed one too many nights at the pub and have a passion for dancing, stroll to the edge of Bury and join the hottest crowd this side of Cambridgeshire.
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Karooze Cafe Bar
Location: St. Andrews Street South. From Mildenhall village take the B1106 to Bury St. Edmunds. Follow the signs to the city centre and park wherever is most convenient. The bar is on the backside of the town square, directly behind The Officer’s Club clothing store.
Drink prices: Typical English bar with pints running between 2 and 3 pounds apiece
Cover charge: none
Food: Sandwiches and paninis
Entertainment: Fast and ready DJs four nights a week
Clientele: A refreshing mix of young professionals and students with airmen happy to join the mix.
Dress: To impress, but with room to groove.
Web site:www.karoozecafebar.co.uk
