Legendary clubbing institution Niche makes return to Sheffield scene
Nostalgic bassline event makes a return
A legendary Sheffield nightclub credited with helping shape the city’s bassline sound is making a comeback.
Niche will return to the city on Saturday, October 17, more than three decades after it first opened its doors on Sidney Street.
The club became hugely popular during its heyday, attracting crowds from across the country and helping turn Sheffield’s bass-heavy sound into a national phenomenon.
Its DJs, producers and iconic mixtapes helped spread the music far beyond the original club, with the sound becoming so closely associated with the venue that it was often simply known as “Niche”.
Now the Niche name is being revived under a new Sheffield-based ownership team, bringing together figures connected to its history with a new generation of bassline artists.
The relaunch will take place at Network Sheffield, on Matilda Street, with two stages running from 9pm until 4am.
The bill will include artists associated with Niche’s original era, including Michelle Platinum, Bassboy, Kaylee, DJ EJ, Nev Wright and Dom Brown, alongside newer names including JTJ, Wardy, JYB and Sheffield producer Thorpey.
The event is being billed as the start of a new chapter for Niche, and the new owners plan to develop the brand through further events, music releases, artist development, digital content and clothing.
Drew Garber, operations director of Niche, said the team wanted to protect the club’s legacy while giving new artists a platform.
“We’re so happy to announce that Niche is back,” he said.
“The relaunch is the first step in building a new future for the name while keeping it connected to the people, the sound and the city that made it.
“People care deeply about Niche and we know our responsibility is to keep that legacy in safe hands while giving the residents and artists who built it a home, and the next generation a genuine platform.”
The new team is made up of Sheffield-based figures with experience across DJing, music, club promotion, events, grassroots projects, hospitality and venue operations.
Former owner Kate Baxendale has passed ownership of the Niche brand to the new team.
The owners say they want to establish Niche as a year-round Sheffield music brand, with plans for an artist collective and record label supporting emerging underground producers through events, collaborations, releases, remixes and live sessions.
Niche was founded in Sheffield in 1992 and grew from its Sidney Street venue into one of the most influential names in UK club culture.
Its popularity helped put Sheffield firmly on the map for bassline, while its tapes became a way for people across the country to discover the music coming out of the city.
The relaunch will take place at Network Sheffield, 14-16 Matilda Street, on Saturday, October 17, from 9pm to 4am.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite, with prices starting from £20 plus booking fee.