The Gryphon sat down with the founder of Flux to have a chat about how the club night  came about and their plans for the future.

The story behind how Flux came about is certainly more endearing than the majority of fame or money hungry student club nights. In their third year and desperate to put their minds to something that was not their dissertations, the Flux boys organised a party to raise money for a friend’s RAG project. Recognising their genuine flair and a demand for their music, the idea to start a club night was born. Nevertheless, this decision was made in a very different Leeds musical context than that of today. It may be hard to imagine but a few years ago House and Disco was barely represented on the Leeds scene and were instead overshadowed by constant Dubstep and Drum & Bass nights. They recognised the need to inject some different sounds into the clubbing scene and to provide something new and exciting. They wanted to create a night all about the music, more specifically the dream combination of House, Disco, Techno and World Music. The relationship between these four genres is represented in the Flux logo – each corner of the cross refers to a type of music. Who knew? As DJs themselves, they also wanted their night to be a platform for new and up and coming talented Leeds based artists.

The ethos behind Flux remains apparent three years on. Young Leeds based artists are being given residencies and the opportunity to prove their talent to the huge music-lead crowds who always attend Flux. This sense of renewal and growth within the music talent is definitely one of the main elements which makes Flux so special. An example of its success is the incredible Dan Shake, the first DJ from outside Detroit to be signed to Moodymann’s infamous label ‘Mahogani Music’. Two of their other residents, Voyeur and Aartekt, are also now signed to record labels and continue to go from strength to strength, showing Flux’s potential to nurture new talent and provide a stepping stone in to the scene. Flux also adopts a similar ethos with bookings, priding themselves on booking forward thinking and fresh talent. Notable examples of this include Leeds debuts from Todd Terje and Kink to name just a few. Alongside this, the booking of more respected and legendary favourites such a Rahaan and DJ Kon can also often be seen.

Now that Flux has nabbed the Friday Beaver Works spot instead of Wednesdays, they have big plans to improve and expand. The new room means that more focus can be given to a wider range of music across 3 main rooms, and a bigger capacity means a bigger budget for even bigger and better DJs and live acts. But what else have the Flux boys got in mind? Well they have been confirmed for a host of quality festivals next summer, namely Secret Garden Party, Beacons, Dimensions and Garden Festival. They will be hosting a stage at the Austrian Snowbombing Festival in April. There is also a new and visually pleasing Flux website on the way, which contains music news, charts, reviews and interesting features.

Most excitingly, however, are the whispers of a Flux record label. This new venture, which simply translates the strong Flux ethos from club night to record label format, would certainly be a challenge for all those involved but would confirm Flux’s centrality to the Leeds music scene for many years to come. It would of course focus on nurturing Leeds talent, and the boys would have the opportunity to showcase this sound around the country.

So do they have any advice for those out there tempted to start a club night? “Only do it if you’re in it for the music, then you’ll have the best chance of succeeding” seems to be a good summary of what is needed to be as successful as Flux. In a musical context which is as high quality as that in Leeds, keeping integrity is the only way to stick around for long. And having heard their exciting plans and ideas for the future, it is safe to say that Flux is not going anywhere.

Check out their website http://www.fluxmusic.net/

[Maddie Davison]