Fat Tony to headline TRADE: The Birthday on the queer club night’s 14th anniversary: ‘What you call crazy, I call normal’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Tony is amongst a star studded line-up set for daytime-into-night queer party including Smokin Jo, Harry Gay and more
By Aaron Sugg
Fat Tony is set to headline Trade: The Birthday this weekend (18 October) as the legendary queer London club night moves to Hackney Wick’s newly re-modelled Number 90 venue.
The daytime-into-night party will welcome back Trade favourites including Smokin Jo alongside a new wave of DJs such as Tedesco, Harry Gay and Nick Clev.
With 35 years in clubland, Fat Tony has performed globally for icons from Carl Cox to Versace, and continues to shape London’s dance and fashion scenes while building a huge social media following.
He spoke exclusively to Attitude about the upcoming Trade anniversary and his wild club legacy.
Can you share your first memories of TRADE and how you first became involved with the event?
I don’t remember it – I was so out my nut in the ’90s. When it first opened, it was the only after-hours in London that was in a proper club (Trade is the UK’s first all-nighter club). It was the most debauched night… that would turn into the most debauched of days.
How did you and The Sharp Boys help introduce house music to TRADE?
We’d just gone through the acid house genre, so to introduce house into a primarily hard house club was some feat. The Sharp Boys did it well on a weekly basis, and then I joined in. The main floor at Trade dominated, and some people used to say there was no room for two Tonys at Trade! I’m, of course, talking about the legendary Tony De Vit (RIP). Turns out there certainly was room for the two of us.
What are some of your most memorable sets or standout moments at the club?
I wouldn’t say there’s one in particular, but turning three records into a 12-hour set was always fun. Being told “one more song” and then just staying on and doing another six hours – that turned out to be a regular thing. Trade Lite always went way longer than the rest of the club.
What are the craziest or wildest things you’ve seen on the dance floor over the years?
There’s nothing I haven’t seen on a dance floor. It’s more a case of what you call crazy, I call normal. See, Trade made whatever you saw on the dance floor the new normal – and that’s what gave, and still gives, Trade its magic. Hence why Trade has been so instrumental in shaping the club scene on a global scale.
How do you view TRADE’s legacy, especially with the upcoming anniversary?
There are so many elements to Trade because it’s become mythical – and with that, it intrigues people of all generations. The legacy of it is remarkable, especially when you discover how many of our favourite DJs it has influenced too. It has that history, but it also has a future, and that’s a very rare thing these days.
What makes this year’s anniversary stand out from any other?
Without blowing my own trumpet… I’m back! I took a break a few years ago, and I don’t see this as going back to Trade – I’m going forward with Trade. Its evolution is exciting.
What are you most looking forward to?
Reading the energy on the dance floor. To be back in Trade Lite in that incredible new space at Number 90. Playing with The Sharp Boys again and seeing multiple generations coming together. I’m excited to see past, present and future punters come together on the Trade floor again.
How does Trade compare to other venues and events you perform at?
Listen, if you’ve never been to Trade, you won’t get it. If you have, then you will. It’s unique and has a magic to it.
In what ways did Trade influence your DJ career and the wider London club scene?
It was the first and the best. As the saying goes: Often copied, never equalled. That’s what it did. It gave me the freedom to play whatever I wanted to play, and I’ve carried that freedom on for the rest of my career. It taught me not to be afraid to play Elton John in the middle of my set, or play a single track a dozen times in one night (I don’t really do that anymore, though!).
What advice would you give to young DJs today, and how do you reflect on today’s club culture?
Quite simple: learn your art, know your lane. If you’re warming up – warm up. You’re not the main event. The art of DJing is knowing your placement within the lineup. If you’re on second and there are two others on after you, then build the room up. It’s not about you – it’s about the crowd. You want to always leave room for the next person to grow, whether you’re first on or second to last.
How would you describe your personal legacy at TRADE?
My personal legacy, those 12-hour sets were legendary. They always will be, because I didn’t give a fuck. The difference today is I do give a fuck. I feel the music again. Trade taught so many of us to just be ourselves – don’t try and be like any other DJ.
Remember: music is a very wide spectrum of magical feelings, so don’t be afraid to embrace those feelings. I know I’m not. I can’t wait for 18 October.
The event takes place on Saturday 18 October 2025 from 2pm onwards at Number 90, Main Yard, Wallis Road, Hackney Wick, E9 5LN. Tickets are available via the Trade official website.