Music you can feel: Inside Leeds' new, 2,500-capacity nightclub, Mint XL
The new venue, which launched last month, has been kitted out with a custom Funktion-One Vero soundsystem and high-spec lighting Continue reading...
Hundreds of eager ravers are lining up in Leeds city centre, buzzing to discover what lies behind the monolithic doors ahead. Mint XL , a new 2,500-capacity venue from the team behind the city's Mint Festival , Mint Warehouse and the former Mint Club , is about to welcome in its first visitors, with a launch party featuring sets from Francesco Del Garda, Sonja Moonear, Craig Richards, Prosumer, Enzo Siragusa and more.
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With a strict no-phone policy, a custom Funktion-One Vero soundsystem and high-spec lighting, the venue takes over the former PRYZM nightclub building on Woodhouse Lane; the team stripped the old shell back completely before building something entirely their own. “Ultimately, every decision centred on the sound, the atmosphere and the experience of the raver," says Mint XL's head of marketing Michael McMahon.
Once inside, the venue is filled with music that you don't just hear, you feel. “The soundsystem and production is designed to complement each room, meaning each individual space offers something different,” says Mint XL's head of marketing Michael McMahon. “The layout and proximity to the DJs give each room a genuine sense of intimacy. The three rooms are split across The Cage, The Club Room and The Ballroom."
The Cage is an interesting addition, added by Shane Graham, the owner of Mint. “He wanted to create a really immersive, industrial space, with metal cladding, copper walls and floors, and a 360-degree DJ booth bringing everything together," says McMahon.
Crucial to that immersive experience is the ban on technology. “The no-phone policy makes a massive difference because it encourages people to be present and connect with what is happening in the room," he continues.
“It has been a tough few years for the industry as a whole, but we are confident in what we are creating with this incredible new space," McMahon adds.
Check out some photos from the opening night of Mint XL on September 25 below.
Katy Strong is a freelance music writer, you can get in touch with her here .
