Finest interviews Reis Esiroglu- the guy behind Sankey’s 25th Anniversary FESTIVAL

We for one can’t wait much longer to get to the as of yet unknown location to party like we used to way back when the clubbing institution still held open its doors in Ancoats.

It seems that the excitement for a special anniversary tour hasn’t just hit fans of Sankeys, but the event organisers themselves are chomping at the bit to reveal more details of what they have in store for us on 13^th July 2019.

We spoke to Reis Esiroglu, Sankeys’ Bookings and Event Manager, on the much-anticipated Sankeys festival.

Tell us about the tour. Who are the acts booked that you are most excited about?
The tour is a culmination of 25 years putting on parties in Manchester, Ibiza and across the UK. With the closure of the Manchester venue back in early 2017, this spurred us on to take the vibe of Sankeys around to different rave hot-spots in the UK. It is safe to say that those first parties definitely led to this 25th Anniversary Tour.

We will be taking over 12 cities in total in the UK and a couple of international trips, *cough* Sonar *cough*… Starting with London at our home in the capital, Studio 338, on Saturday 23rd and then we will be heading to Essex, Sheffield, Newcastle, Southampton and then in July, the Piece de Resistance of the tour, our 25th Anniversary Festival!

Of course, over the 25 years, we have had some truly amazing artists making up our line-ups so choosing a select few for this tour was a really fun process. Expect to see original Sankeys resident turned superstar, Darius Syrossian, alongside VIVA boss Steve Lawler making an appearance. We also have the likes of Amine Edge & Dance, Sam Divine, Hector Couto, Jozef K, Andrew Kay and many other regulars on the tour.

As the Festival is spanning over 5 stages, both indoor and outdoor, from 12 pm through to 6 am, it has given us the chance to showcase the many sides of Sankeys with ;Unusual Suspects hosting a more underground stage with tINI, Cassy, East End Dubs and many others on; The Redlight room that will boast a bassier sound with Artful Dodger, Matt Jam Lamont and DJ S.K.T on the bill so far… We will also have an old-school room with Dance 88/89 hosting something truly special.

We still have a lot more to be announced for the festival and the rest of the tour so keep your eyes and ears peeled…

Why are you putting on the festival? What does Sankeys aim to achieve?
We are putting on the festival to celebrate 25 years of love, parties and unforgettable moments with our dearest family in our beloved home of Manchester. As mentioned, it is spanning over 5 stages which gives us the chance to showcase all sides of the Sankeys sounds. This will be a day & night that nobody should miss!

Is it emotional or poignant to be back to Manchester for the festival?
We returned to Manchester for the first time at the end of 2018 since the closure of the club. That party was something truly special and we knew that we had to be back soon. It means so much the fact that our original family will be able to join us on the biggest stage we have ever put together with this 25th Anniversary Festival.

How do you think Sankeys has forged the way for the music scene in Manchester?
For years, Sankeys has been at the forefront of Electronic Music in the city of Manchester bringing in artists such as The Martinez Brothers, Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos and loads more. It certainly has become a dance music institution for many.

Are there any special anniversary features of the festival that punters should get excited about?
We are currently in the process of creating something very special for the tour. A production piece that you will never forget. You will never have seen a concept like this before and it will certainly blow customers away…. We can’t say too much right now, but, the working title for the piece is The Cube.

What has the response been like from punters over the country? We’re very excited about it in Manchester…
It has been amazing! We are 80% sold out of all tickets for the first half of the tour including Manchester. It’s going to be a really special year and we cannot wait…