A Look At The Piano Works Freedom Day Celebrations

“TEN…NINE…”
I look around myself as a throng of people countdown from ten, the hands on my watch inching seconds closer to midnight. There is the feel of anticipation in air, the sounds of a live band play music on a stage in front of me and people are breathless with excitement.
“FOUR…THREE…”
And no it’s not New Year’s Eve, but the much anticipated “freedom day.” After a year and a half of strict Covid restrictions, revellers have headed to live music venue The Piano Works to see in the celebrations.
“ONE!” As the countdown reaches its final second, the room erupts into a feeling of euphoria. The band break out into a rendition of “I wanna dance with somebody” a red ribbon is cut and the dance floor is officially open for business.

While the pandemic is not yet over, it is incredible to feel a sense of normality. Something that just 18 months ago would have been completely taken for granted, now seems a totally alien concept. I wipe confetti from my hair and take a glass of prosecco from a nearby waiter, stepping back to watch the action.

The Piano Works has always been one of my favourite venues in London and used to be my first stop for a classier night of dancing in the city. It encapsulates everything you could want for a night out, starting with a mouthwatering menu of bar snacks and other food dishes such as burgers, rib eye steak, cornfed chicken and more. You sit on tables placed around a stage where a talented band plays songs requested by the audience. All you need to do is write your song request on a piece of paper and place it on the lamp in the centre of the table. Your waiter will then take this up to the stage and if you’re lucky, the band will play it. The result of these requests means you have a very diverse mix of music, where you could go from listening to Busted to Celine Dion and Calvin Harris in a ten minute period. It’s one of the best nights out and means you all get involved.

The Piano Works Freedom Day party coincided with also being their sixth birthday party so there were many celebrations lined up for the night. Just before midnight, tables were pushed back and cakes with sparklers were brought round. The excitement was rapidly building, everyone anticipating the strike of 12 in the same way that we do on the 31st of December, eagerly waiting a new year and a clean slate. For the pandemic has been tough on us all, having to miss out on seeing our loved ones and doing the things we love. This felt like a step in the direction to life heading back to post-pandemic.

The party continued on long to the early hours and I was sad when I had to leave at 1am to get my train. My hair was speckled with prosecco from an overenthusiastic nearby dancer, my feet were throbbing from dancing in heels and I felt absolutely shattered, yet I’d never been so happy about it. I still put my mask on for the train and will continue to do so in shops for the foreseeable as well as regularly taking my lateral flow tests. It is important to keep an eye on the rules and restrictions and to remain safe and to just do what you feel comfortable with.

The Piano Works offered a night of true jubilation and celebration. There were happy faces all around and the venue executed it perfectly. While not everyone is ready to go to busy venues or get near to a dance floor, if you are, there is nowhere better to go than The Piano Works. With delicious food, mouthwatering drinks and entertainment that you’d be hard to beat, it has everything you could need and so much more.

The Piano Works Farringdon