After months behind closed doors, the upgraded and transformed TESTBED Leeds is all set to party. The much-loved Leeds warehouse venue has announced a huge reopening day-into-night party from 2pm to midnight on Saturday 3rd October. One of British electronic music’s most influential artists, Annie Mac, steps up to headline this special event, alongside Horse Meat Disco, Shee, Marcia Carr, and Junior Simba – a lineup of guaranteed good vibes and quality tunes, and a statement of intent. Tickets go on general sale Thursday 10th September at 6pm, starting from £20. Full details at https://tickets.testbedleeds.com.
The TESTBED that opens on 3rd October has evolved. A 2,500-cap venue with space over doubled to 23,000 sq ft, including a new 5,000 sq ft mezzanine and balcony overlooking the main floor. The launch party will showcase the 360-degree DJ booth in a club experience powered by the city’s only custom L-Acoustics L2 system – the kind of spec you’d find at a festival – alongside a bespoke LED ceiling installation, 8m x 4m LED video wall and more.
Few artists carry the cultural weight of Annie Mac. As BBC Radio 1 Dance Party host, she spent close to two decades championing new music and genre-defining artists. Her Before Midnight day parties are legendary and her skills as a selector are peerless. Annie Mac is the perfect artist to usher in a new era of TESTBED.
Joining her is Horse Meat Disco, bringing guaranteed queer dancefloor euphoria and an unmissable mix of disco, house, and Italo to TESTBED; a sound that has seen them run residencies in New York and Berlin. Fast-rising Irish star Shee will drop his brand of tough, floor-filling, funked-up house, which has seen him collab with the likes of A-trak, Karma Kid, and Mighty Dub Katz. Marcia Carr takes to the Testbed decks with a well-earned rep as a premium selector of deep and funky tunes, known for her vinyl skills as part of the ‘Girlz B Like’ DJ collective. Completing the lineup is Leeds homegrown talent Junior Simba – one of the most exciting names in the new wave of house.
TESTBED founders Laura Wellington and James Abbott-Donnelly partnered with AMAAD (The Bridge Series, L.W.E, Ironworks, Quarters, The Prospect Building) to bring the next stage of the TESTBED vision to life: an exceptional venue that brings world-class artists to Leeds, while remaining a cultural hub, genuinely rooted in the city.
Tickets for TESTBED’s opening party go on general sale Thursday 10th September at 6pm, starting from £20. Tickets available at https://tickets.testbedleeds.com.
TESTBED
