The Wardrobe’s 20th Anniversary

www.thewardrobe.co.uk

 

The Wardrobe Bar and Kitchen | St Peters Square | Leeds

 

One of Leeds’ favourite nightspots The Wardrobe celebrates its 20th Birthday in style with special week of events to celebrate the venue’s musical heritage.

Events include Gilles Peterson, Submotion Orchestra, Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Club, The Dig Family Reunion and The Amy Winehouse Experience

Running Friday 20- Saturday 28 September 2019!

Opened in 1999 The Wardrobe Bar & Kitchen on St Peters Square celebrates its 20th Birthday this September with an eclectic programme of events. Since first opening its doors the venue has hosted legendary artists such as Amy Winehouse, Charles Bradley and Roy Ayres plus the early shows of breakthrough artists like George Ezra, Catfish & The Bottlemen and Lewis Capaldi.

The venue has solidified its reputation within the Leeds music scene in recent years, but it’s not just music the multipurpose venue specialises in. The Wardrobe has hosted spoken word, comedy shows and talks, seeing Joe Lycett, Phil Jupitus, James Acaster, Kerry Godliman and Viv Albertine all appear at the venue, and it is a popular destination for famous comedians and regulars on the TV panel show circuit to test new material prior to residencies at The Edinborough Fringe.

Wardrobe 20th Anniversary

Opening the anniversary week will be Leeds Soul/Funk/Jazz Legends The New Mastersounds featuring US singer Lamar Williams Jr who has performed with artists such as Rehab, Little Richard and Jagged Edge. The band performed at the venue in the early days and will be supported by the reformed Dig Family, another selection from classic Wardrobe alumni.

Craig Charles returns on 21st September with his hugely popular Funk & Soul Club. The 6music DJ and actor sells out his Wardrobe residency every time and partygoers can expect the best in funk, soul and anthems from Craig’s radio show and huge record collection. This will be a slightly special Wardrobe edition though, featuring live band performances from neo soul outfit Mamilah to keep the party going.

Submotion Orchestra have a long history with The Wardrobe having played the venue multiple times and some of the seven-member strong band even worked there. The band are one of Leeds’ strongest musical exports in recent years and have gone on to play festivals all over the world. They bring their soulful ambient electronica home on 25th September!

We could not celebrate the Wardrobe’s musical history without a homage to the Amy Winehouse show that took place at The Wardrobe on November 11th 2006. The tour was in support of her newly released album Back to Black, which went on to be one of the most decorated and revered albums of the decade. In honour of this we welcome The Amy Winehouse Experience AKA Lioness on 26th September. A well established and respectful tribute, ‘Lioness’ features tracks from Frank, Back to Black, Lioness and a host of covers associated with the award-winning, much-loved late soul songstress.

Friday 27th September sees the return of Casa Latina, an evening of Salsa Classes, live music and salsa DJ’s unlike any other event you’d see in a music venue! A reunion of the original promoters DJ Lubi and Chico after 17 years and featuring the UK’s only all-female salsa band

Guerrera, and star teachers Tanya Cusan Espinosa and Mauricio Reyes. This is not to be missed for any salsa lovers in the city! Never tried salsa- have no fear- this is the perfect event to come down and give it a go!

The week of events is concluded with a true modern-day icon performing at The Wardrobe. DJ, Broadcaster, producer and record label chief Gilles Peterson will be performing on Saturday 28th September. Peterson has played a pivotal role in promoting genres such as jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music over the last 20 years and it’s fitting that he closes a week of birthday celebrations for a venue that hosted so much of the music he has supported.

Many promoters and DJs have hosted events at The Wardrobe throughout it’s history one of which, DJ Lubi, has been hosting shows such as his seminal ‘Soul Rebels’ night since the venue opened. Asked about his involvement in the venue he said:

‘There were too many great shows at the Wardrobe to remember but afrobeat

co-founder alongside Fela Kuti, drummer Tony Allen in 2011 has to be my favourite. He was amazing. The full spectrum of drum dynamics, from incredibly powerful rhythmic attack to the lightest jazz style touch on the cymbals. I’m hugely looking forward to the anniversary week to see lots of the old mates from the early days of The Wardrobe like New Mastersounds and in the Casa Latina reunion!’

MOBO award winning artist Corinne Bailey Rae was a regular at the Wardrobe both as a punter and onstage. She remembers her times at the venue fondly:

“I went to The Wardrobe the first few weeks it was open. I used to work at legendary Leeds jazz club The Underground so I remember feeling excited that I would have somewhere to go out that was ‘exotic’ and not ‘home’. I used to perform [at The Wardrobe] in the early days with The Haggis Horns and I performed with Wayne Clarke, John Ellis (Cinematic Orchestra), and Cleave Freckleton. The backstage hang was always at least as good as what was happening front of house, if not better!”

Event Listings >

FRI 20 September:
The New Mastersounds Ft Lamar Williams Jnr & The Dig Family

SAT 21 September:
The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club

WED 25 September:
Submotion Orchestra

THURS 26 September:
The Amy Winehouse Experience AKA Lionness

FRI 27 September:
Casa Latina Reunion Party

SAT 28 September:
Gilles Peterson

Full interviews with Lubi and Corinne are available on request.

Tickets are on sale for The Wardrobe anniversary events from SeeTickets.com and Lunatickets.co.uk