The Gallery was a nightclub in Leeds that was open from 1991 -1993, famous for its open gallery around the whole club. It was a rave club with friday nights called Bliss with DJ Tim, who went on to form Utah Saints whose big hits What Can You Do For Me and Something Good were club anthems of the time. One of my first memories of the club is of Jez (the other one) dressed in an ermine robe and wearing a crown, swinging on a rope across the balcony while DJ Tim played Something Good. Fantastic stuff. Saturday nights were called Spark, run by DJ Steve Luigi.
The Gallery was the first ever "proper" club I went to, and I continued to go until they filled the gallery and re-named it. Granted it went on to be Back2Basics and Up Yer Ronson so that wasnt so bad. But it was a genuine Leeds icon, and was an important club nationally in the still fledgling overground Rave culture. Mixmag named it 2nd best club in the UK in 1992. Check out its Myspace page http://www.myspace.com/leedsgallery . Theres some great pictures of the old club on it. And yes, once upon a time, I had a whistle, a dust mask, and I used to dance on the bar! *cough cough*
I came across Luigi's page on Myspace. It linked to a Leeds Gallery appreciation site that Luigi had set up. I couldnt believe it! I've never stopped thinking about those times, but I never imagined anybody else had. It was a forum filled with guys and girls in the early 30's to early 40's all remanscing about the good old days, lol.
So it came to pass that Luigi agreed to have a re-union. He hired Mint, a club in Leeds for one night and sent out the word! As a loyal member I had VIP queue jump tickets, which I have never had before, and we had a cracking night. Only playing old skool rave tunes from 1989 - 1993. We all dug out our old rave clothes (I dug out my whistle with original teeth marks in it), and for the first time in years I put my hands up in the air,a dn went Raving again! It was fantastic! And easlily the oldest average aged nightclub I have ever been to ;)
Ah, nostaglia! They dont make 'em like they used to.
9 comments:
Very interesting - for a lot of different reasons. First of all - I was never clubbing and this type of entertainment is completely strange to me, but I understand the spirit of this community very well. Second of all - memories... There is something about songs that we used to listen to that makes us feel nostalgic, isn'it? Whenever I hear something that i used to like in high school i immedialtely think of all the parties I went to when I was 17 and 18 and how much I liked them.
Third of all - reunions rock! I am glad that you had so much fun!
Great post!
Glad you liked it :)
It was a very important time for me, and I was amazed( although maybe I shouldnt have been) to find it was also an important place and time for loads of other people. It was the start of the Rave culture and I consider myself very proud to have been there at the begining of it. Sometimes I forget that to younger people who are into the Dance scene, its a bit like being there at Woodstock! I Rock!
Martin said - "And yes, once upon a time, I had a whistle, a dust mask, and I used to dance on the bar!" *cough cough*
Cough cough indeed LOL - "Put your hands in the aaaaaiiiiir!!!...Make some f*****g nooooooise...etc etc" (as the saying goes...although the "etc etc" bit was a bonus). Nostalgia is great and part of me loves looking back on things. Also a bit sobering when we start finding ourselves looking back on events not "so" long ago, that seem "historic" now. At the time, it all seemed so "new". Another thing. Do you remember when it was all green fields? :)
Hey Alexander!
It was always green fields, wasnt it!
And you right, its been 16 years! There are kids who have never known Communism, or a Conservative government! For shame!
And no, they dont make 'em like they used to!
WHISTLE POSSE, BLOWWWW!!!!!!!
And no, they dont make 'em like they used to!
What, the kids? LOL
galley classics live dj sets njoy!craze
Hi it's me, Steve Luigi.
Great post and a lot of truth too apart from The Gallery actually closed in 1994, not 3.
The place meant a lot to many and is still regularly spoken of as 'the best ever and 'there will never be anything like it again'. there is a reason for this of course, and that is because back then it was all new, even the tunes and the scene were new and no one had ever seen anything like it before which is why the Gallery and the rave scene in general became so popular. You have to remember that before House music came along. Dance music had been at speeds varying from 90bpm- 102bpm, and then suddenly there was this stuff coming through at 120-140bpm, so there was no wonder that it proved so popular, the kids wanted to dance.
Anyway, great post and thanks for helping to keep the memories alive.
Steve Luigi - Love and peace.
Sorry a little bit more info after reading the full write up. Saturday nights were not called 'Spark'. Spark was a one off night that 'ARK' did there. Saturday nights at the Gallery were simply called 'The Gallery.
Has boris passed ?
Post a Comment