Le Phonographique


Le Phonographique was a gothic nightclub located underneath the Merrion Centre in Leeds. It was the first goth club in the world, opening in 1979 and eventually closing in 2005. Disc jockeys at the club, such as Marc Almond, DJ Mark M, Anni Hogan and Claire Shearsby, would play gothic rock and dark wave music. In 1985, the Clash played an impromptu gig at the venue while attending.

Closure and legacy

The club was foundational to the emergence of the goth subculture, by helping it differentiate itself from the conventions of punk.
It influenced the opening of other influential goth clubs, namely the Batcave. There was a rivalry between it and the Bassment, another goth club that opened around the corner in the Merrion Centre a few years later.
The Sisters of Mercy song Floorshow was inspired by the dances commonplace at the club. In an article for Dazed, it was stated that the "two steps forward, two steps back" style of dancing originated at the club, due to the pillar in the centre of its dancefloor.
The club closed in 2005, claiming "redevelopment", the site is now a retail storage unit.