“Manchester is still the best place for a party” Graeme Park on the city’s dancefloor legacy

Few figures have left a mark on British club culture quite like Graeme Park.

A pivotal force behind the legendary Haçienda, his journey from reluctant DJ to orchestral innovator is a tale of passion, serendipity, and an unwavering love for music.

In this interview, he takes us back to where it all began, revealing the twists of fate that led him to become a defining voice in dance music.

“I never actually had any desire to be a DJ,” Park confessed. “I was playing in bands—I played saxophone and sang—while working in an independent record shop called Selectadisc in Nottingham.”

Graeme Park

Fate, however, had other plans. When the shop’s owner purchased a nightclub, he decided Park was the perfect candidate to take charge of the decks. “Instead of asking me, he told me I was going to DJ at his new club. I protested, saying, ‘I’m not a DJ; I’ve never done this before,’ but he insisted.”

At just 19, Park found himself behind the decks, uncertain but willing. “I didn’t want to lose my job, so I reluctantly agreed. Very quickly, I realised I enjoyed it because I was simply playing music I loved. People responded positively, and after a few weeks of getting compliments, I thought, ‘Maybe I should give this a go.’”

The decision to trade his band for turntables wasn’t an easy one. “We really could have gone places. But at the end of the night, all the money was mine—I didn’t have to split it, set up a PA, or rehearse. It just made sense to see where DJing would take me. That was in 1984, and 41 years later, I’m still doing it. I still can’t quite believe it.”

Meeting Mike Pickering & the road to the Haçienda

In 1987, an i-D Magazine photoshoot in London proved to be a defining moment. Park was featured as part of a new wave of underground DJs and met Mike Pickering, who was already making waves with T-Coy and the Haçienda’s Friday Nude nights.

“We hit it off quickly because we were the only DJs there who weren’t from London or the South East. We both shared the view that the media was extremely London-centric—which, in many ways, it still is.”

Their shared vision led to the birth of the Northern House Revue in February 1988, an event designed to put northern club culture on the map. “T-Coy played live, my band Groove performed, and we both DJed. The idea was to invite the London press up north and show them what they were missing. It was a huge success.”

Just a few months later, Pickering asked Park to cover his Friday nights at the Haçienda while he was on holiday. “Those three Fridays were incredible—I can still remember them vividly.” By the time Pickering returned, the chemistry was undeniable. “He asked if I’d like to join him permanently on Fridays. That was the start of our four-year residency—Friday Nude nights from 1988 to 1992.”

When Pickering moved on to focus on M People, Park took over Saturday nights, cementing his status as one of the club’s most influential figures.

The Haçienda: a perfect storm

Ask anyone who was there, and they’ll tell you the Haçienda was more than a club—it was a movement. But what made it so special?

“A lot of things aligned in the summer of ’88. The venue itself was unique because it was owned by a record label—Factory Records and New Order. It started off as a live music venue, and I used to travel up from Nottingham to see bands there just because I was a big Factory Records fan. But it wasn’t really a club venue at first.”

Then came Acid House, ecstasy, and a growing appetite for something different. “It just exploded into this incredible summer. When I first started DJing there, the crowd was mostly from Manchester, but by the end of ’88, people were coming from across the North West. Eventually, people from all over the country came just to experience Acid House in that space.”

The industrial, warehouse-like feel of the Haçienda added to its mystique. “It all worked together in a way that wasn’t planned—it just happened organically.”

From the dancefloor to the orchestra

Fast forward to today, and Park is still breaking boundaries. Hacienda Classical, his groundbreaking project with the Manchester Camerata, reimagines dancefloor anthems with a full orchestra. But merging orchestral music with Acid House was no easy feat.

“When we first had the idea, I don’t think the orchestra—or Tim Crooks, our fantastic conductor and arranger—fully realised how difficult it would be to score some of these tracks for an orchestra.”

Park’s solution? “I put together a 90-minute playlist and mixed it. Tim came back and said, ‘There’s a lot in here that the orchestra can’t play.’ So I took care of the electronic elements—the acid basslines, samples, and things like scratching and acapella to bring in that club feel.”

The first performance was a leap of faith. “We had no idea if it would actually work until two days before the show. That was the first time we had the full orchestra together for rehearsals. Thankfully, it did.”

Originally planned as a one-off, demand skyrocketed. “What was supposed to be a single performance turned into 14 shows in 2016.”

But Park, ever the perfectionist, knew it could be better. “By the third or fourth show, I realised we needed to start from scratch. Once an orchestral arrangement is set, you can’t tweak it like you would in a band or a DJ set—it’s locked in.”

So, in 2017, they tore everything down and rebuilt it. “That year, we did 16 shows, and it was a hundred times better. Every year since, we’ve refined the show, making it more exciting and immersive.”

Why the Hacienda still matters

For Park, Hacienda Classical is about more than nostalgia. “People who went to the Haçienda in the ’80s and ’90s still want to experience that sense of community. Many made lifelong friends there, some even met their life partners. But it’s more than that—we reimagine the tracks rather than just replicate them.”

And, of course, the music itself stands the test of time. “The reason these classic club tracks still work is because they were brilliant in the first place. They were never performed live back then—everything was produced in a studio and released on vinyl for DJs to play. Seeing these tracks performed by a full orchestra and choir showcases just how talented those original producers were.”

After four decades, Graeme Park remains as passionate as ever. So what does he love most about Manchester, the city that shaped his career?

“Simple—the people. I’m originally from Aberdeen, but I’ve spent a huge part of my life in Manchester. It’s a fantastic city, and that’s because of the people who live here.”

And when asked if it’s still the best place for a party, his answer is instant.

“Exactly—the best place!”

Tickets for Hacienda Classical 2025

Manchester’s iconic celebration, Hacienda Classical, is set to make a triumphant return to the historic Castlefield Bowl on Saturday, July 5th, 2025. This will mark its record-breaking ninth appearance at Sounds of the City.

A groundbreaking musical project, Hacienda Classical fuses the spirit of the legendary Haçienda with the timeless sounds of classic dance tracks. Resident DJ Graeme Park carefully curates a selection of iconic anthems from the late 1980s and early 1990s, which are then reimagined with orchestral arrangements by the Manchester Camerata Orchestra.

The result is a not-to-be-missed experience featuring powerful vocals and special guests. The Voice of M People, Heather Small, will join the show, along with house legends K-Klass performing a full live set. DJ Paulette and Tom Wainwright join as resident DJs for the night. One of the Hacienda Classical curators, Graeme Park, will also take to the decks pre-show. Park said:

Having sold out multiple shows at prestigious venues like the Royal Albert Hall and the Warehouse Project, as well as headlining major festivals including Isle of Wight, Kendal Calling, and even opening Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage in 2017, Hacienda Classical has captivated audiences worldwide.

The show’s unique blend of classic dance tracks and orchestral arrangements has garnered rave reviews from critics and fans alike. NME hailed it as “Probably the best rave since 1997,” while Mixmag described it as “A near two-hour blend of house music’s greatest players with an audience dancing and singing from the off.”

Hacienda Classical continues to evolve, solidifying its place as a must-see event for music lovers everywhere. It brings together diverse audiences, creating an electric atmosphere that has made it a constant sell-out.

Tickets for the 2025 show go on sale Friday 8th November at 10 AM. You can get them by clicking here.