Interview Matt Rix, The Session
We interview the man behind The Cockpit's indie-rock club night The Session
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We speak to local promoter Matt Rix about The Session, the long-running indie and rock night that packs out The Cockpit every Friday.
How long has The Session been running?
It’s been running since 2001; it was launched off the back of The White Stripes show at the Cockpit which was incidentally their first UK date, and Steve Lamacq DJ-ed the launch.
What is the big appeal of the night?
I think the main draw, and the reason The Session is such a popular night, is that it has such wide appeal; you really would be hard pushed to come down and not find something you liked. We’re really lucky to have three rooms of music as it means you can be in the main room dancing to The Drums, move to the second room and hear a Rolling Stones track and finally wind up in the third room grinding to some Jay-Z - variety is the spice of life and all that.
Have you seen the night become busier as indie music has become more mainstream?
Obviously it’s up and down but to be honest The Session has been consistently busy since it was launched nearly 10 years ago. What has changed is the sub-genres of music and the way people dress. Around 2005 everyone was wearing neon and The Libertines couldn’t be further from the vogue whereas now, while electro is still extremely popular bands that the night was launched on, such as The Strokes, are regaining popularity with a new generation.
What is the best/worst thing about your job?
People always ask me ‘what do you actually do at The Session?’. The answer is, if the doors are open and everything is running smoothly, not a great deal - I can enjoy myself, have a drink and talk to my friends, which probably puts the role up there with the best jobs in the world! It’s when it hits the fan that my job can be a real pain. Obviously running a club full of 800 drunk people, things are bound to go wrong from time to time - things such as power cuts, police inspections, fights, falls and fire alarms can make my life a misery. I guess it’s all part of the fun though.
How do you rate Leeds’ clubbing scene compared to other cities?
I couldn’t really comment on the scene as a whole, but as alternative clubbing goes I think it compares pretty favourably. At the moment Leeds has got some really interesting nights being put on by independent promoters in new venues that are breaking away from the traditional indie night template and keeping the whole scene fresh, which I think is great.
Do you get chance to do much dancing while you’re working?
Do I get chance to do much working while I’m dancing would be a more accurate question! But seriously, yeah loads.
What is the future of The Session night?
We’ve just got to make sure we’re keeping our ear to the ground and evolving the night as popular music changes. We’re also looking at doing some live showcases in the coming months with some really exciting bands.
Fridays at The Cockpit, Swinegate, LS1 4AG, 0113 244 1573, 11pm-3am, £4 (adv) £5 (on the door). More details of band showcases can be found on the Session Facebook page at www.tinyurl.com/thesessionclub
Posted on Wednesday 17th March 2010
SJTB
The Cockpit
Swinegate, Leeds, LS1 4AG
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