Brighton Beach, Leeds: Founder of Britpop club night on its 'life-changing' impact ahead of 30th anniversary return
The founder of a historic Leeds club night is gearing up for its “special” 30th anniversary celebration in the city.
Brighton Beach, which was synonymous with the heady heights of Britpop in the 1990s, will return to Project House on Sunday (May 4) for a night of classic songs from the time as well as the Soul, R&B and rock songs that inspired them.
The night started in late 1994 and was held at The Cockpit on Swinegate, with founder Richard Todd saying: “It was a Britpop night before Britpop even happened.
“Nine months later when it had blown up and the term ‘Britpop’ first appeared we became the country’s best known spot for doing it all. It was perfect timing.”
As the likes of Oasis, Blue and Pulp became household names the queues started snaking around the block every Friday night as punters came to here the bands of the time as well as the ‘60s Soul, R&B and psychedelic rock bands that inspired them.
Richard said: “Those first two or three years were life changing for lots of people. It was something completely different.”
The nights would also see 20-minute sets from local bands and, as the night became more popular, the sets became taken up by stars of the time including Supergrass and Ocean Colour Scene.
Richard said: “Half the time they weren’t announced and often the posters would go out the week after as if to say ‘this is what you missed’.”
After spreading to Sheffield, Leicester and Newcastle, the club night continued to attract the scenesters of the time as it stretched into the 2000s and focussed on the indie rock revolution coming from America.
Richard said: “It was a logical musical change as were able to continue to celebrate the music that had made it happen.”
It was then a go-to spot for the Kaiser Chiefs, with frontman Ricky Wilson previously saying: “Without Brighton Beach, there would be no Kaiser Chiefs, so they have a lot to apologise for.
“If my knees still worked, I’d be there every night. Some people had formative years, we had formative Friday nights.”
This Sunday’s big do will see two of the original DJs from the club’s first nights, Red Helen and Dan Guest, playing classic hits from “all the stages of Brighton Beach from down the years”. The second room will play more rarities and feature spots from
Looking forward to Sunday’s big do, which will be held between 5pm and 10pm, Richard said: “Loads of people who have been coming to Brighton Beach over the years have got in touch to say that they’ll be travelling over.
“It should be a busy one for the hotels in Leeds and will be a special event.”
Tickets for the event are still available from fatsoma.comand dice.fm.