Scared To Dance are independent club night, film screening and podcast 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 and The George Tavern.

Guest DJs at the club include Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, poet laureate Simon Armitage, comedians James Acaster, Rose Matafeo, Nish Kumar, Lolly Adefope, Elis James and Ivo Graham, ex-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 Belle and Sebastian, Dry Cleaning, Franz Ferdinand, John Grant, Sorry, Billie Marten, Porridge Radio, Lime Garden, Sunflower Bean, Mary in the Junkyard, Temples, Heartworms, Warmduscher, Honeyglaze, Pond, The Tubs, Dream Wife, The Pastels, Swim Deep, The Itch, Superorganism, Big Joanie, Flyte, Edwyn Collins, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Gwenno, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Penelope Isles, Veronica Falls, Laetitia Sadier, Public Service Broadcasting, bdrmm, Girl Ray, Teleman, Slow Club 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.

Guests have included The National’s Matt Berninger, Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire, musician and composer Warren Ellis, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch, Blur, John Grant, Lawrence, Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, writers Jon Ronson and Will Hodgkinson, comedians Rose Matafeo, Nish Kumar, Elis James, Josie Long, Ivo Graham, 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.

Scared To Dance Podcast features host Paul Richards talking to some of his favourite people about their musical passions past and present. In season one he talks to guests including Belle and Sebastian, Sorry, The National, John Grant, Billie Marten, Manic Street Preachers, Pat Nevin, Warren Ellis, Sleaford Mods, Dry Cleaning, Gwenno and Elis James.

We have promoted gigs across London with the best new and established artists at venues such as Moth Club, The Lexington, The Mildmay Club, St Matthias Church, The Shacklewell Arms, Oslo Hackney, The Victoria, Sebright Arms, The Ivy House, Avalon Cafe, Bermondsey Social Club and St Pancras Old Church. 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, Roundhouse, The Totally Football Show, Altitude Films, PRS Foundation, South Facing Festival, The Five Points Brewing Company, Audioboom, 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, The Guardian, VICE, The Sunday Times, NME, The Independent, ELLE, Time Out, The Standard, The Athletic, DIY, The Line of Best Fit and many more.