Farewelll bash for Perth Ice Factory

Nov 17 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A FAREWELL bash at Perth’s Ice Factory almost raised the roof off the legendary nightclub.

Over 1300 revellers in a capacity crowd danced the night away as the Shore Road venue turned the clock back to its glory years with a massive Hallowe’en party.

After opening in 1994, the club made its name by attracting a regular diet of world-class DJing talents, such as Dave Pearce, Judge Jules, Paul Van Dyk, Pete Tong, Lisa Lashes, Timo Maas and Paul Oakenfold.

And it was the destination of choice for Big County clubbers over a decade-and-a-half as they embraced rave culture.

The final event followed a recent hiatus in activities in the wake of the venue going on the market in July.

And Ice Factory founder John Bryden told the PA that the club’s beat-fuelled send-off was an emotional occasion.

“I am absolutely gutted to have had to close the Ice Factory,” he revealed yesterday.

“It was a fantastic venue and regarded as one of the best clubs in the UK.

“Some of the world’s top DJs did sets at the Ice Factory and our laser was the only one of its kind in Europe.

“We really led the way in the club scene over the past 15 years. But all good things come to an end. “People’s tastes change, people grow up and at the end, we just couldn’t sustain it.”

DJs performing at the farewell bash included Ricky Kennedy, Ross Paterson, Johnny Fraser in Wildlife and Jordan in The Kasbah.

With the venue’s largest crowd for years attending the closing party, John described the night as “absolutely amazing.”

“I saw faces I haven’t seen there for years and I could have sold the tickets 10 times over,” he said.

“It’s just a shame that it took the closure of the club to bring it back to its glory days for one last time.”

Mr Bryden (53) recently returned to his native Perth after several years helping run a successful nightclub in Ibiza, developing a hotel in Morocco and working in Croatia.

But he admitted the move had come too late to reverse the Ice Factory’s decline in fortunes.

“The truth is I had my eye off the ball where the Ice Factory was concerned,” the impresario confessed.

“When I was abroad we stopped getting the world class guest DJs, stopped being cutting edge and people started going elsewhere.

“I feel really sad that the venue has closed. It’s the end of an era for Perth and its clubbers.”

And he revealed there have been inquiries about the building, which he owns outright.

“There are a few interested parties, including some people who want to turn it into a craft centre, others who want to turn it into a fitness and leisure centre,” said John.

“However, I haven’t made any decision yet and the club is still available to private promoters or for private hire.”

See Friday’s PA for more farewell party pictures.