In Conversation With: Sonny Hall, Founder of UNLOCKED Shoreditch

118 Curtain Road sat derelict for over a decade, an old illegal rave space slowly reclaimed by ivy and rainwater. Most people would have walked past it. Sonny Hall saw something else.

Today it’s UNLOCKED Shoreditch, one of London’s most unpredictable independent venues. In just over a year it’s hosted Boiler Room, headlined Skepta, worked with Netflix, Adidas and FIFA, and somehow found time to trend on Mumsnet for a family exhibition. Hall, also a Defected Records-signed artist as part of Yours Collective, built the venue around a hybrid model that treats flexibility as the future of grassroots culture.

With an extended licence now secured and UNLOCKED Wynwood on the way in Miami, we caught up with Sonny to talk underground roots, production, and why adaptability might be what keeps venues like this alive.

What have been some of the standout musical moments at UNLOCKED Shoreditch in 2026, and is there a particular night or artist performance that really exemplified what the venue is about?

If there’s one thing that really captures what UNLOCKED is about, it’s seeing completely different audiences experience the space in their own way. One weekend it might be a cutting-edge electronic music show, the next it’s a large-scale immersive exhibition or creative launch. That ability to constantly evolve while maintaining a strong cultural identity is what makes the venue special. 

UNLOCKED operates as a hybrid venue rather than a traditional clubbing venue. How important has that model been to surviving and growing?

From the beginning, we designed UNLOCKED to be flexible enough to host live music, exhibitions, fashion events, brand activations, creative productions and private events alongside our electronic music programming. That hybrid model doesn’t just create commercial sustainability; it creates cultural relevance because the space is constantly being experienced in different ways by different communities.

For me, adaptability is the future of venue operation.

The building that became UNLOCKED Shoreditch has real underground history – it was an illegal rave space before it was abandoned. How conscious are you of that heritage in what you programme, and do you feel a responsibility to honour that history?

One of the things that attracted me to the building in the first place was the energy it already carried. Even in its abandoned state, you could feel that it had a story to tell.

We’re not interested in recreating the past, but we do respect it. The underground scene has always been driven by creativity, independence and community, and those values remain important to how we approach programming today.

Sound system and production quality are everything for an electronic music venue. Could you provide details as to the tech and production stack at UNLOCKED Shoreditch?

We’ve invested heavily in creating a technically versatile venue that can accommodate everything from electronic music performances and live shows to large-scale exhibitions and brand activations.

What matters most to us isn’t simply having impressive equipment on paper; it’s ensuring the technology supports the creative vision behind every event. We work closely with specialist production partners and continuously refine the venue’s technical infrastructure to ensure we can deliver high-quality experiences across multiple formats.

Like the venue itself, the production side is constantly evolving. We’re always looking at ways to improve and push standards further.

You have hosted and worked alongside several brands like FIFA, Netflix and Adidas to name but a few, alongside electronic music programming – how do you strike a balance between the underground and the commercial side of the business?

Whether we’re working with a global brand or hosting an underground music event, the starting point is always the same: does it make sense for the space and the audience?

Commercial partnerships play an important role because they allow us to invest back into the venue and continue creating ambitious cultural experiences. At the same time, we’ve worked hard to build a reputation for programming that feels genuine rather than purely transactional.

The balance comes from staying true to the identity of the brand and being selective about the opportunities we pursue.

What has been the biggest challenge since launching UNLOCKED, and what keeps you motivated?

The biggest challenge has probably been the pace of growth. Building and operating a venue of this scale requires constant decision-making, problem-solving and adaptation. No two weeks are the same, and there’s always another challenge around the corner.

The project itself was a huge leap of faith from the outset. The building came with significant planning, licensing and operational complexities, and there were moments where the easier option would have been to walk away.

What keeps me motivated is seeing the vision become reality. Watching audiences connect with the space, seeing artists perform, and seeing ideas that started as conversations turn into real experiences is incredibly rewarding. I’m also motivated by what comes next because I genuinely feel we’re only at the beginning of the journey.

What is your strategy when it comes to supporting emerging talent at UNLOCKED – and what does a new or upcoming artist need to do to get on your radar?

Supporting emerging talent is incredibly important because every established artist was once unknown. The industry only stays healthy if new voices are given opportunities.

What’s coming up in the near future at UNLOCKED that you are most looking forward to?

The first is our licensing announcement, which has significantly expanded on what’s possible for us operationally and opened up new opportunities for programming.

The second is the continued growth of the UNLOCKED brand internationally, including the launch of UNLOCKED Wynwood in Miami. That’s a huge moment for us because it represents the first step in taking what we’ve built in London onto a global stage.

More broadly, I’m excited about continuing to evolve the brand. We’re constantly exploring new formats, new partnerships and new experiences, and I think the next chapter of UNLOCKED will be our most ambitious yet.

More info and tickets can be found here!