Scared To Dance are independent club night, film screening, podcast and live music promoters founded by Paul Richards in 2009.

The club plays post-punk, indiepop, new wave and art rock music in London, Berlin, Glasgow and Brighton. We have monthly residencies at The Shacklewell Arms, The George Tavern and The Victoria Dalston.

Those who have guest DJed at the club include Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, poet laureate Simon Armitage, comedians James Acaster, Rose Matafeo, Nish Kumar, Lolly Adefope, Ivo Graham, Olga Koch and Celya AB, former professional footballers Gaizka Mendieta and Pat Nevin, broadcasters Gideon Coe and Colin Murray and writers Jon Ronson, Simon Price and Pete Paphides.

Bands who have DJed include Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian, Dry Cleaning, John Grant, Sorry, Billie Marten, Porridge Radio, Sunflower Bean, Public Service Broadcasting, Heartworms, Edwyn Collins, Honeyglaze, Warmduscher, Big Joanie, Pond, The Pastels, Home Counties, Superorganism, Flyte, Gwenno, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Penelope Isles, Veronica Falls, Mary in the Junkyard, Girl Ray, Teleman, Slow Club, The Goon Sax, Let’s Wrestle and more.

We host music-related film screenings with Picturehouse Cinemas across their UK cinemas. We invite guests to curate an evening featuring their choice of film or documentary followed by a Q&A with the host Paul Richards.

Guests have included The National’s Matt Berninger, Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire, musician and composer Warren Ellis, Blur, Lawrence, writer Will Hodgkinson, comedians Elis James, Josie Long, Sophie Duker, Robin Ince and directors Bernard MacMahon, Paul Kelly, Kieran Evans and Toby L.

The current season includes screenings of Meet Me in the Bathroom, Dance Craze, Pretty in Pink, Tommy, The Harder They Come, Empire Records, Stop Making Sense, blur: To The End, Wings of Desire, Be Pure – Be Vigilant – Behave, blur: Live at Wembley, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Don’t Look Back, Becoming Led Zeppelin, Lawrence of Belgravia, Mistaken For Strangers, Ellis Park and Escape From History.

The film night has also taken place at Glasgow Film Theatre and the independent arthouse Genesis Cinema with screenings of The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen, Head, Mistaken For Strangers and God Help the Girl.

We promote gigs across London with the best new and established artists at venues such as Moth Club, The Lexington, Oslo Hackney, The Mildmay Club, St Matthias Church, St Pancras Old Church, Sebright Arms, Bermondsey Social Club and The Ivy House.

Artists that have played at our shows include Allo Darlin’, bdrmm, Rozi Plain, The Tubs, The Wave Pictures, Whitelands, Peaness, Ex-Vöid, Laetitia Sadier, Sweet Baboo, Adwaith, The Surfing Magazines, Darren Hayman, The Spook School, Withered Hand, Tigercats, Flowers, Barbican Estate and more.

We have worked with brands such as Sony Pictures, Dr. Martens, Wide Awake Festival, London Short Film Festival, The Totally Football Show, Altitude Films, South Facing Festival, The Five Points Brewing Company, Conic Films, Signature Brew and Up The Game as well as DJing at festivals and events in New York, Oslo, Bergen, Edinburgh and Dublin.

We have curated exhibitions, promoted book events and published fanzines. We have been featured in publications such as The Times, VICE, The Guardian, ELLE, Time Out, NME, The Athletic, DIY, London Standard and many more.