Anyone who has already been to Bakelit (Vinyl) on Soroksár road, or in Tachelles in Berlin will know what it's like to wander among the run-down industrial halls and trucks, so that we can come to this place in the middle of nowhere. As we approach R33, just inside the gate, the skeleton of a decaying concrete ramp greets us; after that, we're not even surprised to see the Robur Party Bus in the yard, where DJs play their music. The atmosphere here reminds us of the old Tűzraktér, in Tűzoltó street.

More surprising is the concert hall: how on earth could they ever build such a respectable ballroom here? The walls are painted an elegant butter hue, respectable chandeliers on the ceiling, and the stage and the board fits in comfortably, while still leaving some room to sit, and an exhibition space too.

This scenery is so unique that it would be easy to believe the team has always been here -- but the name of the place refers to the old times in Rottenbiller street. Before this came a dentist's office in Szikra Press, then the old ELTE building on Ajtósi Dürer road (where half the team still remains and runs it under the name of Blokk) -- the rest of these people arrived to Közvágóhíd (the Communal Abattoir) in July 2011 (the story is told in detail in the coMMMunity page). Not only warehouses and industrial buildings can be found in the Közvágóhíd complex, a lot of bands have their rehearsal rooms here.

Apart from the 450 m2 concert hall, 3 rehearsal rooms operate here, and the juggler group from the old Tűzraktér has also found a new home here; in the weekends R33 primarily offers concerts, exhibitions, parties.

But beyond these, they now have their own internet radio station and record publisher, and organize a talent show. A member of the team, Tibor Perecsényi (Pernye) entertains the notion that Közvágóhíd will eventually become a sort of underground entertainment district, a veritable artistic city in itself, like Christiania in Copenhagen.

But while we're waiting for that, it is still an interesting experience to come out of the factory and mingle with the decently dressed girls working in the office buildings on the Danube bank.

Address: Budapest, IX. district, Soroksári út 58.
Open: M-W:04-02; TH-SAT: 17-05

Published courtesy of Ruinpubs.com