Sheffield Kingdom and Pulse clubbers reunion DJ is buzzing and ready to do it all again

Sheffield DJ Martin Wright is still buzzing after the huge success of his big 1990s and 2000s city clubbers’ reunion – and is already looking forward to the next one in 2022.
By Julia Armstrong
Published 2nd Sep 2021, 10:18 BST

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Sheffield Clubbers Reunion fans having a great time on the dancefloor at the LeadmillSheffield Clubbers Reunion fans having a great time on the dancefloor at the Leadmill
Sheffield Clubbers Reunion fans having a great time on the dancefloor at the Leadmill

Martin, nicknamed Cheggers, organised the night at the Leadmill on Bank Holiday Sunday after a huge response to online DJ sets streamed online from his kitchen during lockdown.

The DJ, who worked at Sheffield nightclubs Pulse, Vogue, Club Wow and Kingdom in the 90s and 00s, found himself out of work when the pandemic closed clubs.

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He saw other DJs doing online sets on Facebook and thought he would have a go as well.

The livestreamed sessions were aimed at fans of Kingdom, Pulse and Club Wow, who loved dancing in their kitchens and meeting old friends online and demanded a real-life reunion when restrictions eased.

The reunion event was such a huge success and enjoyed so much by the 800-plus crowd that tickets go on sale at 6pm on Sunday (September 5) for the next one, with details to be announced on the Sheffield Clubbers Reunion Facebook page at the same time.

Martin said: “It was absolutely incredible. I’ve worked in nightclubs for most of my life and I have never experienced an atmosphere like it. It worked so well.

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“The average age was 40-odd and they were absolutely going crazy, like they were 18 again. People were saying they need new hips and legs and all sorts!

The scene at the Sheffield Clubbers Reunion at the LeadmillThe scene at the Sheffield Clubbers Reunion at the Leadmill
The scene at the Sheffield Clubbers Reunion at the Leadmill

Read this: Kingdom and Pulse clubbers’ reunion – are you in these pictures from the night?

“They never stopped from 5pm when we opened the venue and it was still absolutely packed at 11pm. People stayed right to the end.”

Martin said that social media afterwards went crazy as people posted their own pictures and videos of the night.

He said: “Everybody wants to do it again. It is something for that age group, there is nothing like that for them. Nightclubs are full of young people and the music is not what they want to listen to.”

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Dancers at the clubbing reunion getting the crowd goingDancers at the clubbing reunion getting the crowd going
Dancers at the clubbing reunion getting the crowd going

The event featured seven DJs playing in two rooms – the main room featured music popular at Kingdom and Pulse and the second room was dedicated to 1990s hits. There were also stage dancers, confetti cannons, big screens, a balloon drop and everyone was waving glow sticks.

The party actually started at 3pm, when clubbers gathered at West Street Live for a warm-up event and then went by special bus to the Leadmill. Martin said that everyone partied on the bus, which had its own DJ on board.

He said the atmosphere was fun with no trouble and was very friendly: “A few people came on their own and made so many new friends on the day. Everybody was wanting to meet you and talk to you.

“After seven to eight months of hard work and no sleep and stress about the whole event and putting it on, it was worth it to put a smile on so many people’s faces and seeing them feel 21 again.

“At one point I was tearing up from seeing what we’d done.”

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