At Cosmic Ears, we have a deep love for live music in all its forms, and we feel it’s important to celebrate the nightlife that, throughout the years, has formed the blueprint for the live events culture of today.
In Stoke-on-Trent, one historic venue has been a monumental symbol of the rave era for over three decades, leaving an indelible mark on the UK's electronic music scene. That place was Shelley's Laserdome, a club that became legendary for its immersive atmosphere, its eclectic mix of sounds, and its buzzing energy.
Shelley's Laserdome closed its doors in October 1992, however, its influence and the memories it created have remained strong throughout the rave community.
Though the original venue has since been replaced, in the years following the closure, annual reunions have been held at KeeleSU, where those original rave veterans return to the scene to relive the magic of the old days. These reunions, often featuring a blend of past and present DJs, are a celebration of rave culture, and the like-minded people who contributed to the club's spirit, as well as an opportunity for the Shelley’s energy to be experienced by a new generation of rave lovers.
Obviously, at Cosmic Ears, we always recommend wearing hearing protection in loud environments, to prevent damage to the ears and hearing loss, but the attitude towards hearing protection is a lot different now than what it once was.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Nigel and Darren, the owners and promoters of the Shelley’s Laserdome Reunions, who kindly shared their insight on Shelley’s, and on wearing hearing protection at raves. Here’s what they had to say:
What do you guys think makes Shelley’s special, and brings so many people back to the reunions each year?
Nige: When you talk about iconic clubs from the beginning of the rave scene Shelley’s Laserdome is up there with the likes of the Hacienda, The Eclipse and so on. It simply was one of the top clubs in the country at that time for a short period before it closed in 1992. With the reunions we have tried to do justice to that and at the same time give people the best line ups and production for the lowest possible ticket price. We are seeing people who came back in the day bringing their children with them now to experience what Shelley’s was about.
What are your thoughts on seeing young people attending the reunions?
Nige: I know some people say it should be for people who were there back in the day, but I totally disagree with that. It's great to see the younger crowd getting a taste of what it was like back in the day and actually embracing the scene, the 20 somethings are the future of the scene at the end of the day.
What are some of your favourite moments from the reunions over the years?
Nige: There's so many, Frank De Wulf in 2015, FPI Project from this year’s event simply taking the roof off, Various Shock C intros in his sets, bringing Ibiza legend Alfredo to Stoke On Trent, getting Parks & Wilson back, I could go on, there's been some magical moments.
If you could have any DJ’s music as the soundtrack to your biopic, who would you pick?
Darren: It's a really tough question. If we are talking the Shelley’s era then it would have to be Sasha or Brothers in Rhythm. Both set a staple for the club and for the people who went. Alex, Dave and Steve put so much into their music and still do, and have done a few collaborations which were amazing.
What was the stance on wearing hearing protection to Shelley’s and similar events back in the ‘90s?
Darren: There wasn't any ear protection as far as I saw? I guess we didn't think about what the sound and frequency did at the time. We even had people dancing on top of the speakers at Shelley’s (Get down off those speakers!)
Do you think that stance has changed at all in recent years?
Darren: 100% it has. You can see sound engineers, DJs now wearing ear protection these days. Which is very important especially with sound systems becoming louder. It's great to see companies like yourself giving out such good support.
How excited are you guys for Shelley’s 35 next year?!
Darren: We started this 10 years ago as a one off for the 25th Anniversary. We never thought it would get to this.
We have a massive hill to climb to top the 2024 event. It was absolutely mental. The feedback was amazing. We are already making bookings for the lounge and made some inquiries about the main room.
Nige: The 35 year reunion is a big thing, none of us ever imagined we would be here 35 years later actually putting these events on. There's no better feeling when you see everyone smiling, hugging, dancing and creating memories and we can't wait to see everyone again.
Thanks again to Darren and Nigel for taking the time to share their thoughts with us, and providing some brilliant pictures from this year's reunion. We’re very grateful, and extremely excited for 2025!
Follow the Official Shelley’s Laserdome page on facebook to stay informed and become part of the community and check out the Shelley’s 2025 Reunion page for more details about how to get tickets for next year.
Of course, make sure to stay safe and protect your hearing when you’re raving! You can find more information about our Custom Hearing Protection here.
