Page 21 - Real Rochdale - Winter 2018

Kirsty Rigg talks to Empire’s Jon Da Fox
EMPIRE

Where did the name
Jon Da Fox come from?

It’s an old stage name from my house music
DJing days.
What does the town centre need more of, in Is it keeping music lovers from going Who are your favourite local names that you
Are there any particular memories you can terms of entertainment and social venues? off to Manchester? have seen live?
share of discovering your favourite acts?
We now need a real different type of place, like Yes, we have packed out shows every Friday The best local band by far is Soul Revolution,
I can’t pick just one as I’ve been involved in say a Manchester Northern Quarter and Saturday night, and even have a large influx then you have the likes of County Rats. There
music since school days, then performing myself establishment, somewhere we can eat tacos and of customers coming from all the other areas are too many to mention.
in front of large crowds since age 17. nachos and drink great cocktails and gins, around Rochdale, including Manchester.
listening to every type of music. So I plan on Would you like to see Lisa Stansfield take to
I think the best time for me was DJing alongside opening somewhere myself soon, right in the What’s your favourite thing about Empire? the stage in town?
Carl Cox and the Prodigy and pretty much every heart of Rochdale town centre.
big name in the business during the 90s. How relaxed the atmosphere is and how mixed Yes definitely, 100%, many times I’ve asked but
If you are not at Empire, where else do you the ages are attending. This year, again, we are got no reply. I think if Lisa played Empire it would
What do you think Empire has to offer like to hang out in town? putting on a free afternoon Christmas party with be great. Never say never.
Rochdale’s music scene? Springhill Hospice for all local senior citizens.
That’s a tough one as there are some great
Empire is the only local premier live music venue eateries and pubs around Rochdale, but
in the area giving us proper high quality live currently not one specific late night venue I feel
music performances every weekend. I would hang out at regularly.

What sort of audience do you get in Rochdale? How does the live music scene compare to
similar towns such as Oldham and Bury?
We get the best kind of people attending, a real
mixed bag from 18 right up to 80, all socialising I can’t really compare other towns, but
together under one roof. apparently Oldham has a venue which is now
trying to replicate Empire and it’s working, so I
Share a fond memory from one of your nights. guess we are doing something right.

If I have to pick one it’s the festival Do you think the town centre scene gives local
weekend because as the council organises the people more than it used to?
Feel Good I organise the unofficial fringe festival
right here at Empire - ‘Festidale’ - in associa- Before we started to provide the town with
tion with Springhill Hospice. Last year was the great live music shows there was just the local
first one and this year we had 17 live local acts pubs, as the late night scene had pretty much
all perform at Empire. It was a massive success, faded away unless you were a youngster.
once again packed out from start to finish.

REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2018 20 21 REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2018