Shaun Roberts, beloved former fabric promoter, dies after cancer battle
"As a team and a family we are devastated at your loss," read a tribute shared by fabric
Shaun Roberts, the beloved UK club promoter who spent 16-and-a-half years helping to programme events at London's fabric, has died.
Roberts passed away on Christmas Eve following a three-year battle with cancer. Confirming his passing, a tribute shared by fabric said: "As a team and as a family we are devastated at your loss."
It continued: "You were the dearest friend to us, a cherished fabric family member, professional raver, passionate music lover, full of strength, determination and so much more. We love you very much and you will always be a source of inspiration.
"You paved the way for so many artists that are now at the top of their game and helped to shape fabric into the club it is today and we are all so grateful."
In his own tribute to Roberts, fabric resident Craig Richards said: "You don't meet many humans like Shaun in a lifetime. Valiant till the end. He will be greatly missed."
Born in 1975, Shaun Roberts was a key member of the fabric team from its launch in 1999. Initially helping to promote the venue's launch that year and taking on roles in the wider team, he eventually became a promotions assistant for the club and worked alongside Steve Blonde on the founding of fabric's flagship Friday night party series, FABRICLIVE.
In 2006, Roberts took over from Blonde as promotions manager and remained in the role until 2016. During that time, he helped FABRICLIVE grow further offering various labels, collectives and DJs from across the worlds of bass music, drum & bass and more the chance to curate full parties under the FABRICLIVE banner.
Roberts also played a key role in programming fabric's FABRICLIVE compilation series, which launched in 2001, and took in mixes from Andy C & DJ Hype, dBridge & Instra:mental, Four Tet, Ben UFO, Daniel Avery, Flava D, and lots more across its 17-year, 100-volume run.
Roberts left fabric in January 2016, and was diagnosed with cancer three years later. The club hosted a fundraiser event in November 2021 – featuring guests such as Annie Mac and The Chemical Brothers – to help pay for him to receive life-extending treatment in Germany.
You can read a number of tributes to Roberts, shared by people from across the dance music community, below.
