DJ Dave takes plunge back to the Old Pool

“I had a full page in the Daily Star at the time, dance music was that big, and he was asking if I could put something in.

“I thought that’s so risky when he told me about it.”

The risk paid off, and the club became a legendary venue on the dance scene, with Dave a regular in the DJ booth.

This weekend, he’s back in town for Back To The Old Pool festival at the Tower Festival Headland, aiming to recreate the atmosphere of the now-demolished superclub - which has its own Syndicate Superclub Reunion Arena at tomorrow’s event.

Curated by the club’s prominent promoter and DJ, Jason Fubar, the festival bill includes a ‘producer’s set’ from techno-trance maestro Mauro Picotto featuring all his own hit records such as Komodo, and other recent releases. There’s also M.I.K.E. Push famed for his big room classic Universal Nation, Thrillseekers - the brains behind 1999 hit Synaesthesia, and long-time Gatecrasher resident Scott Bond.

Dave has fond memories of the superclub, which was synonymous with Blackpool’s nightlife from 2002 until its closure in 2011.

“The first time I went there, it was packed to the rafters, it was incredible,” Dave said. “People came by coach from Scotland, and from Manchester and Liverpool.

“The atmosphere was amazing, and the revolving dancefloor was always fun to watch; you’d see some poor confused person having a drink with their friends one minute and lost the next.

“Chris [Lowe] from the Pet Shop Boys called me and asked if I could get him in. That’s the kind of place it was. I hope we can recreate that on Saturday, we’re trying to bring back that atmosphere. Being right near the Tower, that’s amazing, and I hope locals come out.”

Dave was the voice of dance music on Radio 1 in the scene’s heyday, with his Dance Anthems’ show - a mantle carried on by the Fylde’s own Danny Howard.

“Dance music was everywhere, it became the new pop,” he added. “What was essentially an underground record would work its way to being a hit. Maybe four or five of us DJs would have a copy as a test pressing, but by the end of the year it was a national hit.”

Tickets cost £45 from www.skiddle.com/e/12914619.