A performer at Passing Clouds — Photo courtesy of urban-lightWalking into Passing Clouds, is like entering a magic cloud of bonhomie and interesting ideas.  It's dark, and draped with scarves and mementos from travels in India, Marocco Latin America and the Middle East.  Cushions with glinting glass twinkle on chairs and the brick walls are painted cream.  Everything is bathed in a warm yellow light and the smell of incense, good food, and wine fills the air.  

Passing Clouds hosts more than 14 live events a week, from live music, to poetry, film screenings and 'sound happenings'.  For an example of their sound happenings, just go to the site of the Hackney Podcast for a brilliant montage of sounds and voices from Hackney woven together with commissioned music, rap and a collage of sounds from the borough.  This is the kind of event that perfectly sums up Passing Clouds.  Allowing you to lazily discover new worlds.

The venue is open Monday to Thursday from 6pm to just past midnight, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm to 02.30am, and on Sunday from 2pm- just past midnight.  This is the kind of place that you can get lost in contemplation, and come out refreshed relaxed and happy.

Draped with scarves, the interior at Passing Clouds — Photo courtesy of uniteddiversityLatin American inspired food and home made cakes are great for providing sustenance, and it's the kind of place that lots of people come after the pubs have shut to continue the party. You need to be a member here if you want to enjoy full access to all music, and events, and you should have some kind of artistic credential if you want to join.  According to many reports, the organisation was the brainchild of an Eton and Oxford graduate, and the name comes from a brand of cigarettes he smoked in Congo, but it's difficult to tell if that was myth making or reality.