Rewinding decks back to 1987 for retro house music night at Wire in Leeds

Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, 5th August 1989.Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, 5th August 1989.
Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, 5th August 1989.

Hitting the decks with a little Acid

Retro House music promoter 1.21gigawatts hosts the fourth of their back in time events at Wire on June 25th, going right back to the early days of Acid House, writes Gary Woodhouse.

Where it all began

If there’s one year when House Music firmly put itself on the map, it was 1987.

Back in the day of House soundsBack in the day of House sounds
Back in the day of House sounds
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Chicago House, Detroit Techno, New Beat/Techno from Belgium, Germany & the Netherlands and the emergence of British House Music, this year had it all. While London was largely still gripped by Rare Groove mania, the North heartily embraced these new sounds.

Likely lads ready to danceLikely lads ready to dance
Likely lads ready to dance

Clubs like The Haçienda, with the legendary Nude night (DJs Pickering and Prendergast) set the bar; playing across-the-board from Electro and Hip Hop to House and Techno.

One DJ soaking it all up was a certain Jon Dasilva - fresh face on the Manchester scene and keen to bring his own style to the party.

That style was his own personal blend of House and Techno with a particular fascination with the high drama of dropping sound effects and marrying soulful acapellas over vicious Techno and House.

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It wasn’t long before he got the attention of The Haçienda and his residency started with the now infamous and legendary Hot night.

Two young lads called Mark Holliday & Mark Alexander, over on the East side of the Pennines were just starting to go clubbing and shopping for Imports, mostly over in Manchester and bringing those sounds back to Yorkshire for clubbers at the likes of Vicky’s in Keighley.

Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, August 1989 (photo: Peter Walsh)Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, August 1989 (photo: Peter Walsh)
Two ravers at the first outdoor rave up North, The Gio Goi Joy Rave run by Anthony and Chris Donnelly, Ashworth Valley, Rochdale, August 1989 (photo: Peter Walsh)

Let Jon, along with Messrs Holliday & Alexander take you back in time with the biggest club tunes of 35 years ago. Wire is one of the best intimate clubs in Leeds to host this one off event.

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