The former cinema on Ship Hill / High Street in the town centre is currently being restored. It is also known as the Essoldo building and was built in 1913 as the Empire Theatre. It has since operated as a cinema, snooker hall and nightclub.
A new community interest company (CIC) has been created centred around using the restored building as a multi-purpose community arts venue, pointing out that Rotherham has a lack of venues and no dedicated live music venue.
On Sunday November 16 the new Empire Theatre hosts it's first Northern Soul all day event, bringing together a strong line-up of DJs and a proper wooden dancefloor built for spinning and stomping.
According to Historic England "Northern Soul" is shorthand for a once underground subculture that originally developed among young, mostly working-class people in the north of England in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Followers collected and danced to rare soul records from America.
Legends Russ Winstanley and Norman Jay MBE are scheduled to appear in Rotherham.
Russ is known as "Mr Wigan Casino" having been the founder and resident DJ at Wigan Casino Soul Allnighters.
Norman is known as "Mister Good Times" who took the music of Black America, gave it a distinctly London twist, and used the marriage of styles to forge a hugely successful career as a trailblazing DJ and broadcaster.
The event takes place from 12 noon to 10:30pm with a host of well=known Northern Soul and local favourite DJs on the bill.
"We expect this to be the biggest Northern Soul event in Rotherham for well over 30 years, since Clifton Hall days.
"Expect a friendly crowd, great music all day, and a proper Northern Soul atmosphere from start to finish."
The venue recently secured a premises licence with the application indicating that two floors could be used for performances of live music, plays, dance or any entertainment of a similar description. It is though that the Empire has a capacity of 800.
The ticket price for Soul Rotherham at the Empire Theatre is £15 plus a £1.91 admin fee. Fundraising for chosen charity, Rotherham Hospice, will be taking place.
Soul Rotherham ticket website
Images: Google Gemini / Empire Rotherham
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