Ministry of Sound celebrate their 30th anniversary at the O2 Arena in Greenwich
He was there from the start, so Paul Oakenfold couldn’t be happier to still be involved with Elephant and Castle-based dance club Ministry of Sound three decades down the line.
On November 13, the iconic dance music brand will celebrate their 30th anniversary at the O2 Arena in Greenwich.
Called Three Decades Of Dance, the show will feature a performance by Ministry Of Sound Classical, recreating the legendary tracks that have defined the club over the years with the 50-piece London Concert Orchestra.
Also appearing are world-renowned DJs that have been mainstays of Ministry such as Judge Jules, Brandon Block and Alex P, alongside esteemed vocalist Kelli-Leigh, will be bringing their considerable talents to the decks to ensure that the night is one to remember.
But the line up wouldn’t be complete without Ministry of Sound’s first resident, Paul Oakenfold.
He said: “Who would ever have thought we would still be talking about Ministry and my relationship with them after 30 years? What a fantastic club, though.
“I was lucky enough to be the resident when it opened and our relationship has just grown naturally from there on in.
“I’ve done many, many events with them and still do, so when they asked me to be part of this big show, I didn’t have to think twice. It’s a wonderful thing and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”
Mr Oakenfold said that from when the club first opened in 1991, it felt like a landmark in dance culture.
He said: “Up until that moment, there hadn’t been a club that was purpose-built and designed for the dance floor like Ministry was, had the sound system that Ministry had and had the vision that Ministry had for what it could be.
“It was a real moment in club history, if not the world. We suddenly became players. Those kinds of clubs were only ever seen in America, then suddenly England, so therefore Europe, had a club that could compete with that. It was a game-changer.”
Even after 30 years, Mr Oakenfold still considers it an honour to be part of the iconic club.
He said: “It was always a big deal for me to play at Ministry of Sound and it still is.
“I always love playing in the club. For A DJ, to play on a sound system like that and to have the club packed, well it’s wonderful. Every time. It’s as simple as that and I feel very fortunate to have been able to play there so often and to still be able to.”
Tickets for Ministry of Sound Classical at The O2 Arena on November 13 are available to purchase via AXS, Eventim, SeeTickets and Ticketmaster.
Pictured: Paul Oakenfold
