Feature The Cockpit Turns 15

Camille Ainsworth celebrates 15 years of the Leeds music venue

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Feature: The Cockpit Turns 15

Growing up around Leeds there was one definitive alternative pit stop that frequented - and that was The Garage at The Cockpit on a Saturday night, it was great fun. And, unlike many of its contemporaries (Liquid anyone?), the venue’s still going strong. The Cockpit is one of only a few surviving long-running alternative venues, and this September celebrates it’s 15th birthday.

As an independent venue opened way back in 1994, The Cock of the North took charge of the Leeds alternative music and club scene, homing promoters Futuresound - those responsible for Live at Leeds and bringing The Specials to Millennium Square this summer - and establishing legendry club nights Brighton Beach, Garage and The Session.

The Cockpit is one of the few Leeds venues that played a defining role in creating the nationally respected music scene that we enjoy today. Hosting the big names The White Stripes, Queen of the Stone Age and Coldplay as well as local acts, the venue won the title of Radio 1’s Live Music Venue for 2001 (as voted for by listeners of ‘The Evening Session’ with Steve Lamacq). It’s also a place with stories to match the reputation - a certain ex-Libertine asking the bouncer for tin foil because his “sandwiches were drying out” a request which was flatly ignored repeatedly until the man shuffled into The Cockpit kitchen, helped himself to an entire industrial sized roll of tin foil which he then attempted to conceal down his trousers, badly (you couldn’t write this could you?) or the days when Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs fame was a DJ at The Session, meeting Ricky Wilson and driving past Majestik at closing time, thus inspiring ‘I Predict A Riot’.

With years of stories behind them, The Cockpit’s plan is to mark the anniversary with a number of special events, but they are playing it close to the chest “Look out for special events and secret gigs happening throughout the Year,” says Mark from the venue. “They’ll be confirmed on both the website and on the Facebook group.” So this is our official Leeds Guide little nod to a venue that’s continually bringing Leeds some of the best touring acts and works hard to help support local bands too, we wish you a very happy 15th birthday.
Swinegate, LS1 4AG, 0113 244 1573, www.thecockpit.co.uk

Posted on Friday 25th September 2009

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