F Club

The F Club was a punk rock, post-punk and new wave club night in Leeds that ran between 1977 and 1982. Beginning as the Stars of Today in a common room in Leeds Polytechnic, it was held at various venues across the city during its tenure, which also included the Ace of Clubs and Roots. After moving to Brannigan's in 1978, it changed its name to the Fan Club.

In Karl and Beverley Spracklen's book The Evolution of Goth Culture it was described as the space "where gothic rock was born in the form it is now". The club was foundational in the emergence of the goth subculture and led to other high profile clubs in the scene, such as the Batcave. It was frequented by members of many influential post-punk and gothic rock groups such as the Sisters of Mercy, Gang of Four, the March Violets, New Model Army and Southern Death Cult.

History


The club night began in the summer of 1977 under the name the Stars of Today. Founded by John Keenan, Graham Cardy and Shaun Cavell, the night originally was hosted in an available commonroom in Leeds Polytechnic. While here, it hosted performances by acts such as the Slits, XTC and Slaughter & the Dogs. When the summer ended, the University did not wish for the night to continue leading to it relocating to the Ace of Clubs in Woodhouse. Here, the club changed its name to the F Club in reference to how to the flyer for the final event at the University read "Let's get the 'F' out of here". In order to keep the attendees through this move, the club introduced a £1 membership scheme, where members would be admitted for cheaper. While here, the night was host to groups such as X-Ray Spex, Wayne County & the Electric Chairs, Sham 69, and early performances by the Mekons and Gang of Four. In 1978, it moved once again to Roots in Chapeltown, where it hosted Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division and Rich Kids. In August 1978, it relocated to the basement of Brannigan's on the corner of Call Lane and Lower Briggate. With this move it changed its name to the Fan Club, due to a leaflet by the Leveller claiming the "F" stood for "fascist". Here it hosted the Cure. It was here that Andrew Eldritch and Gary Marx, who would go on to be the founding lineup of the Sisters of Mercy first met. In 1981, the March Violets played their first performance at the venue, followed by the Sisters of Mercy's first performance. Bands such as Soft Cell, New Model Army, the Danse Society, Skeletal Family and Southern Death Cult also formed at the club during this period.

On the third and fourth of October 2007, the New Roscoe hosted thirtieth anniversary performance for the club. On 12 October 2012 Brudenell Social Club hosted 35th anniversary concert headlined by Penetration with support from Expelaires and Knife Edge reforming for the occasion. On 18 August 2018, the Brudenell Social Club hosted forty-first anniversary reunion show for the former members of the club.