We are the music makers.. We are the dreamers of dreams...
I think most of us will remember hearing the news that a club called 'Renaissance' would be opening. The way the advert appeared in Mixmag, the restoration of Sasha to the north. It was the step over the line from a culture of rave that many of us were starting to tire of. It seemed a little odd that it would be opening in Mansfield, not sure why just expected a city. On my first trip, I remember being a passenger in the car for the 260 mile round trip. Thinking about the wait in the queue, being apprehensive, rumours had circulated that the door was picky, not quite sure what we'd have done if turned away, we'd travelled from Suffolk! I and a friend had both dressed in Versace shirts which as it turned out did us a favour. We stuck out like sore thumbs but they got us picked from a crowd of clubbers just as eager as ourselves to witness this new chapter in UK dance music culture. We were in.
What transpired when those double doors swung open was the stuff of legend. Put simply one of the best nights of my life. We've collated a whole host of stuff relating to Renaissance and while hunting through the PHC archives I came across what appears to be one of the very first reviews of a night and brand that would go on to become a worldwide clubbing superstar. Dan Prince on reporting duties.
It all started life with this advert..
One of the very first reviews of Renaissance.
Three months after opening at Venue44, Belvadere Street, Mansfield.
Before the wonderful artwork magazine ads were very modest.
The lineups first class.
And not everybody got in..
A response from Geoff featured in the June 1992 edition of Mixmag.
Article & Images originally appeared in various Mixmag editions - 1992