For many Northerners, the sight of those red neon lights of Sheffield’s The Leadmill is enough to make your heart soar. The glow that the building casts across Leadmill Road holds within it a great deal of promise: of a euphoric night ahead, of a thriving music scene in the city, of a community for artists and fans alike. The Leadmill is seminal in many a coming-of-age tale, and has been for forty-two years now.
Last week saw management at The Leadmill announce that they were set to be evicted, with the beloved venue being transformed into Electric Sheffield instead. Naturally, this prompted absolute outcry amongst those who hold The Leadmill close to their hearts.
– – –
– – –
Whilst Electric Group, who plan to remodel The Leadmill, promise it will remain a music venue, they fail to understand that The Leadmill is far beyond just somewhere for new floors and sound systems to be fitted and a lick of paint to be had. It is beyond the building. What was once a derelict mill is now the city’s longest running live music venue and nightclub. And for the people of Sheffield, it represents far more than that.
The city has a myriad of venues of varying sizes, but they completely lack the history and legacy that The Leadmill possesses. It’s symbolic of grassroots endeavours in the North’s music industry, renowned for catalysing many a band’s career. It’s played a pivotal part in the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, bring me the horizon and more. There’s a reason that for many bands, The Leadmill is a must-stop on any touring circuit. The values it represents and the work it has done within the community is mammoth. The Leadmill has been built ultimately from the ground up on sheer hard work – they’re pioneers of showcasing the talent in the district and that sense of community and family is central to the ethics of the venue.
– – –
– – –
Within the community, The Leadmill is an inescapable presence. From club nights to festival street parties to their constant live music, it is steeped in memories for an unimaginable amount of people of all ages. The Leadmill plays host to the sort of gigs that stick with you; heading down in your teenage years for a band you adore, falling head over heels in love with live music. They often seem to prompt a lifelong affair with that experience and particularly with the venue. With so many landmark gigs in band’s careers taking place at The Leadmill, each one can feel as though you are witnessing history. Bands and music lovers traipse through those floors again and again, never failing to enjoy every minute.
After lockdown, many music venues were completely decimated, much like the rest of an industry which relies so heavily upon those raw, mystical experiences of live music. As the music world finds its feet once more, it has truly felt as though the last few months have seen all eyes on The Leadmill as the lead to follow. Having auctioned off memorabilia and crowdfunded throughout the pandemic, the return to life saw The Leadmill give renewed energy to a celebration of creation and culture in Sheffield.
The music industry in the North of England is an interesting one – things can feel relentlessly London-centric, but music is in the bloodlines of Yorkshire and The Leadmill is at the heart of it. It’s close-knit and collaborative, and The Leadmill is a figurehead of that legacy. Often, the severe underfunding of the arts can hit hardest in these regions – places like The Leadmill are crucial to showcasing an array of local talent. From comedy to cinema to drag to theatre and talks, the work that the team do to get these voices heard is instrumental. Without it, the future of young artists currently on the rise might be very different.
For The Leadmill to change hands and become one in a chain of Electric Group clubs and venues would be to lose its character. It’s built on warmth – the loss of the Leadmill would leave a gaping crater in Yorkshire culture and indeed the music industry as a whole. One quick glance at the #wecantloseleadmill hashtag is indicative of how important the Leadmill is to so many people. A fundamental character in legions of formative experiences and a venue steeped heavily in nostalgia, The Leadmill is an absolute institution in the North. To lose it is unthinkable.
– – –
– – –
Words: Nieve McCarthy
– – –
