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Leeds Clubnight: Filth
Luke Pompey, resident DJ, Danny Savage and promoter, Jamie Jay
EVEN the biggest club nights tend to have somewhat haphazard, unlikely starts – and that was no different for Danny Savage’s baby, Filth.
“I’d always wanted to run my own club nights,” says the promoter and DJ. “ But this all happened out of the blue. In 2006, I was asked by a friend if I could DJ at her Birthday party in a small club in Otley. The party was a total shock with over 150 people there – it was like playing at a club event.
“One thing led to another and we ended up hosting our own event a few months later in the back hall of Korks wine bar in Otley, which was usually used for line dancing classes. We sold 150 tickets in a few weeks and the first Filth was a sell-out: just with myself and two mates playing vinyl on a turntables resting on an old piano.
“The party was a huge success but the owner of the wine bar didn’t invite us back, so I decided to do another party a little closer to home in Wakefield. We had over 700 people in the club – the bar was dry by 1am. We’ve hosted monthly parties ever since.”
Proving a huge hit in satellite towns, it would only be a matter of months before Filth – with its meaty mix of everything from fidgit house to techno and electro – would gravitate towards the centre of the Leeds club scene.
This Saturday’s birthday party takes place in their new home, The Warehouse, where they now take up the 2nd Saturday of every month. But it was really Mint club on Harrison Street which proved to be a launchpad.
“We had four amazing years at Mint Club, but we thought we needed a fresh start somewhere new.” says Savage. “ I’d considered moving venues in the past but there were no other clubs in Leeds that really blew me away.
“Then when The Warehouse contacted me last May, I went to look at the club and they’d really turned it around. They had installed a brand new Funktion-One sound System, new lighting and moved the DJ booth to a better location.
Full
“So we decided to do a one-off party at The Warehouse last May bank holiday Sunday and by 1am the place was full to capacity. Straight away I knew this was our new home, and we’ve not looked back since.”
But despite being forward thinking Savage also knows the fifth birthday is a moment to savour some of Filth’s achievements.
“I’ve been very lucky to have fulfilled quite a few of my childhood dreams over the last five years.” says Savage, 31. “In 2010 we helped run an arena at Burning Man festival in the Nevada Desert. I’ve watched video of Burning man for years on the internet and always wanted to go, then a good friend Nick from Glade festival invited us to join their camp, it was a life changing experience to say the least.
“We’ve also hosted rooms at Space, Ibiza over the years, Space was one of my favourite clubs and I’d always wanted to play there. We’ve taken our ‘Ice Cream Van’ (Converted into a mobile DJ booth/Art Car) to loads of festivals over the past few years, but playing at Glastonbury has always been a dream, and last year we got to play there every night.
“And having Faithless play live for our 3rd Birthday at the 02 Academy was unbelievable. They were probably my favourite band as a teenager, so to have them play for us to a sell-out crowd in Leeds was beyond a dream come true.”
Savage also lists Kerri Chandler, Joris Voorn, Edu Imbernon and The Martinez Brothers as his favourite visitors to Filth. But the jewel in the crown of line-ups must be Frankie Knuckles who has been invited by the Filth team to perform at The Warehouse as part of the legendary club’s 33rd birthday on March 31.
Now doubling up as events manager at The Warehouse, the next five years of Filth look set to be even busier, but nothing he can’t handle. In fact the biggest mountain he has to climb is an eternal one which only afflicts promoters and DJs.
“The biggest challenge?” he says. “It’s still getting out of bed on a Monday morning.”
Filth with David Squillace, Audiofly, James Teej, Inland Knights and Kitchen Sink Disco, Saturday, The Warehouse, Somers Street, Leeds, 11pm to 6am, £13/£16,
Tel. 07803 148057 www.ticketarena.co.uk
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