CentreForce Radio 883 (Centreforce 883) is a house and dance music radio station from East London that began as a pirate station on 88.3 FM in May 1989, at the height of the acid house and rave era. After closing in 1990 and several comebacks, it became a fully licensed DAB station in 2018. Today it broadcasts on DAB in London, Essex, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales, and online and through its app to listeners in more than 190 countries.
CentreForce Radio 883 at a glance
- Founded: May 1989, Newham, East London
- Original frequency: 88.3 FM (pirate), hence “883”
- Founder: Andy Swallow, who also co-ran the Echoes nightclub in Bow
- Licensed: licence granted in December 2017; legal DAB broadcasts from 14 July 2018
- Sound: house, garage, old-school rave classics and soulful house
- Listen: DAB, centreforceradio.com and the Centreforce app
The early days: a pirate station for the rave generation
CentreForce Radio first broadcast on a Sunday in May 1989 from Newham in East London, on 88.3 FM. It arrived at a perfect moment: acid house was exploding, Kiss FM had gone off air to pursue a legal licence, and London’s ravers wanted a station that played their music around the clock.
Centreforce became known as the first seven-day rave station. Alongside non-stop house music, it promoted the big M25 orbital raves of the time, including Genesis, Energy, Sunrise and Biology, making it part of the infrastructure of the second summer of love.
The original pirate run didn’t last long. Centreforce stopped broadcasting around June 1990, a little over a year after it launched, but its reputation lived on among the people who had danced to it.
Why pirate radio mattered to UK dance music
In the late 1980s, mainstream radio barely played house music. Pirate stations like Centreforce filled the gap, giving new DJs airtime, breaking records before they reached the shops, and telling listeners where the parties were. For a generation of DJs and producers, pirate radio was the training ground that led to clubs, labels and careers.
The comebacks: from shipping container to Time FM
Centreforce returned in summer 2007, broadcasting on 88.4 FM from a shipping container in Barking. From June 2009 to April 2012 it ran weekend programming on Time 107.5, a legal station in Essex, and in 2017 it hosted weekly online shows.
Going legal: Centreforce on DAB
In December 2017 CentreForce Radio was granted a licence, and on 14 July 2018 it began broadcasting legally on DAB across London on the Switch London 2 network. It has expanded since, adding North East Wales and West Cheshire in June 2020. Today you can find Centreforce on DAB in:
- London: DAB block 12A
- Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales: DAB block 10D
- Cheshire East: DAB block 11C
- Essex: also covered by its DAB licence
How to listen to CentreForce Radio 883
- On DAB: tune in across London, Essex, Liverpool, Cheshire and North Wales.
- Online: stream live at centreforceradio.com.
- On the app: listen anywhere through the Centreforce app; the station says it reaches listeners in more than 190 countries.
- Shout-outs: text the studio on 07709 333883.
The Centreforce family today
Centreforce calls its listeners “the Centreforce family”, and its schedule is packed with DJs who live and breathe house music, from old-school rave and garage selectors to soulful and deep house specialists. One of them is Aston Evans, whose show Aston’s House runs every Monday from 8pm to 10pm UK time. Steve Bell joined Aston as a special guest on Aston’s House, and you can hear the set on Aston’s profile page.
Why CentreForce Radio still matters
Few stations connect the rave era to today as directly as Centreforce. It started in the same years as the acid house parties, survived its pirate shutdown and the long years off air, and came back as a licensed station that still sounds like it’s run by people who love the music. For house music fans and DJs, it’s a living link to where UK dance culture began.
Frequently asked questions about CentreForce Radio 883
What is CentreForce Radio 883?
CentreForce Radio 883 is a house and dance music radio station from East London that started as a pirate station on 88.3 FM in 1989 and now broadcasts legally on DAB and online.
When did Centreforce start?
Centreforce first broadcast in May 1989 from Newham in East London, as a pirate station on 88.3 FM.
Why is it called Centreforce 883?
The “883” comes from 88.3 FM, the frequency Centreforce used as a pirate station in 1989.
How can I listen to Centreforce?
You can listen to Centreforce on DAB in London, Essex, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales, online at centreforceradio.com, or on the Centreforce app.
Is Centreforce a legal radio station now?
Yes. Centreforce was licensed in December 2017 and has broadcast legally on DAB since 14 July 2018.
Who founded Centreforce?
Centreforce was founded by Andy Swallow, who also co-ran the Echoes nightclub in Bow, East London.
Read more on the Centreforce Wikipedia page.
Keep listening
Steve Bell plays soulful, deep and vocal house across the UK, Ibiza and beyond. Catch his monthly DancersHip show and live sets, or see the media pack to book Steve for your event.
