New lease of life for Perth nightclub
At the peak of its success, the Ice Factory was hailed the top nightclub in the UK.
Now, the glory days are returning to the Perth venue.
Experienced club operators Wayne Dunbar and Stine Hope are behind the revival.
And while the Ice Factory is luring a new generation of clubbers and top-notch DJs, it’s also widening its horizons, showcasing everything from live bands to a Doggie Xmas ‘Barket.’
Stine and Wayne are also counting down to the Rhumba Club’s 28th anniversary birthday bash on Saturday, which is on track to be another sell-out.
Their original itinerant Balearic-beat club shared venues in Perth, Dundee and Edinburgh before making the Ice Factory home in 1994. The biggest names in the business headlined in the Fair City.
“I can’t believe the Rhumba is still going strong after all these years,” admitted Stine.
“It was a ground-breaker in the Tayside music scene back in the early nineties.
“Not for a minute did we think it would still be going nearly 30 years down the line.
“We never really had a plan. We have had lots of breaks along the way but it keeps returning in one shape or another.”
Weekend headliners include Slam, Harri and Zammo, who have been Rhumba stalwarts down the years. They’re joined by Groovement, Silicon Soul, Rebecca Vasmant and more.
“There aren’t many venues like the Ice Factory with multi-room options and an outdoor space,” said Stine.
“We are regenerating the Ice Factory with a multi-purpose approach, which is good news for Perth.
“The recent Kyle Falconer gig was a sell-out and the feedback has been excellent. So we are looking to build on that.
“The family friendly ‘Yard on Sunday’ which introduced food trucks to Perth, along with live music, has been going down very well and we are continuing it over the winter on the last Sunday of the month.
“The arts and crafts weekend markets with music have been profiling exciting new young artists.
“The December 8 Doggie Xmas Barket will host a visit from Santa Paws and a range of market stalls.
“Our Hogmanay event is being put together in conjunction with Edinburgh promoters Nightvision, who handle the massive Terminal V electronic music festival at the Royal Highland Showground.
“We are partnering with different people to bring a variety of events to Perth.
“In its heyday the Ice Factory was hailed the best club in Scotland, and even the UK.
“The days of the massive super clubs might be hard to replicate but the Ice Factory is still putting Perth on the map.”
*Remaining tickets for Saturday’s Rhumba Club birthday party are available for £18 plus booking fee from https://rhumba-club.ticketlight.co.uk
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