Ahead of The Motif’s fifth birthday party on Friday (14/04) at The Imaginarium, we had a chat with founder and resident DJ Brother Ben about the party…
Imaginarium: What inspired you to start Motif?
Ben: I wish I had a more exciting response for this, but I was really just another student who’d been going to lots of parties in Leeds and thought I might have a crack at it myself. It was only really through chatting to people after we’d started doing the nights that I realised how little there was for techno in Leeds, and around the same time I was exposed to some nights in Sheffield that cemented what sort of party I wanted the Motif to be. Certainly after the first few parties it felt like there was more of a vision. It might sound a bit corny but I guess the vision is to offer a night that feels progressive and that take you on a bit of a journey. Obviously selecting the right DJs is essential for this, but we’ve also always thought a lot about the visuals, and put a lot of effort into making the decor and lighting an evolving feature so that each party feels immersive. The name was actually a bit of a joke as I was deliberately trying to be pretentious to annoy my friends, but I guess it’s stuck…
Imaginarium: Tell us a bit about the DJs playing at this party?
Ben: It’s mostly a lineup of returning guests who are well acquainted with the party which is exciting – it’s always cool when you know people will be picking out music specifically to fit the atmosphere of your particular night. It’ll be great to have Rory playing this time too – it’s pretty obvious I’m a big fan of the Subterranea crew – they’re all fantastic DJs and have been very supportive of the night since they discovered it. They’re all lovely people too which is just as important as music and DJ skill to me. I think Rory’s style will work well with the party, so I’m excited to see what journey we’re taken on!
We also have Gunter B playing the main party. Bob actually played the very first club night we did which will be exactly five years ago come this Friday, so I’m rather looking forward to that. In some ways we’ve come along a bit since that first time Bob played (I was completely clueless back then!!), but in many ways it’s the same old no-nonsense techno party. Unless you came to that first event, if you’re a resident of Leeds it’s unlikely you’ll have heard him play before (or will likely get a chance to) – he’s superb at his craft and I always enjoy hearing him play – if you like deep hypnotic techno it won’t be one to miss.
For the in-store in Plant & Deck joining me and Phil will be Cellar Dweller, co-founder of the Sheffield Techno Institute. I thought Ben would be the perfect fit for this as a proper vinyl enthusiast and versatile DJ who I think will really enjoy checking out the new venue too. Last time we had the Cellar Dweller play for us it was an epic 3+ hr opening set at our first post-pandemic party – it was really awesome to watch such a talented DJ get properly let loose.
Imaginarium: Why did you choose The Imaginarium as a venue?
Ben: I actually came across it on Instagram during the pandemic times when it was still based in Kirkstall, and just thought from the pics that it looked really cosy and that it would be an ace space to have a party. It was only when I ended up there after a Subterranea that I realised who was involved with the project. Been following it with intrigue and excitement ever since – feels like a space that is needed in Leeds and I’m very happy that we are able to make a contribution to its programming with our party.
I remember someone saying to me of the Leeds music scene that ‘community’ is an often thrown around word, but perhaps less often backed up with any real substance. I’m still drawing my own conclusions on this but it as least feels like there is something growing within this space and that lines up with everything I always wanted the Motif to be – a party for which ‘community’ isn’t just a marketing ploy…
Imaginarium: Any plans for the future?
Ben: More techno! We’ve always tried to remain pretty low key on the promotion front but it would be nice to reach more likeminded people, and it feels like we’re a lot better situated now to do that. That’s not necessarily in a geographical sense by the way, it’s more that I’m just more confident in what I’m doing. Reflecting on the fact the party is 5 years old is certainly quite funny, as being a six-monthly party has meant the choice to grow our audience organically has definitely been a slower process, especially when we compare ourselves to other nights that have been running for a multiple years. But I think the patience is paying off, as the atmosphere at the nights is always pretty special and it’s because of the people who turn up to dance.
I’m excited for the in-store on Friday for these aforementioned reasons too – the Motif’s pretty much always been a late night affair which makes it quite the commitment, so interested to do something that makes us a bit more accessible for anyone wanting to dip their toe in and see what we’re about. I think the state of electronic music at the moment has made techno a pretty enigmatic statement, so hopefully we can shed some light on what techno means to us!
Imaginarium: Are there any other projects you’ve been working on recently?
Ben: I started Portal last year which is currently in a bit of a holding pattern whilst I figure out exactly what I want to do with it. The original idea was an event series that focused in on atmospheric techno and ambient styles – with the aim being to showcase some artists from further afield. We had a great first event around this time last year, as well an ambient evening last summer with Phil guesting which was lovely. I think the issue is that techno is already a difficult thing to do in Leeds without additionally honing in on such a niche part of it – the Motif is already quite a deep techno focused event and I’m not entirely convinced their is justification for both to exist if Portal is just going to be another party. I do intend to do more nights with that name though, but I’d like to grow it into more than just a party series. I’m very much interested in its potential as a UK focused record label, as I think there is a thriving scene emerging in the deep techno sphere that it would be great to explore. Hopefully then the Portal parties can be more like label showcases and it would feel like it’s own interesting project, and not just the Motif in disguise as something different. It’s just finding the time! Something is coming together in my head though, so hopefully this project will move forward later in the year. But for now it’s all about having a big ol’ birthday bash on Friday!
Interview: R Brehl
You can buy tickets for the party here. The instore is free entry.