The State Ballroom is situated on Liverpool’s Dale Street. Originally a Ballroom where ‘Tea Dances’ where held in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the State is architecturally unique, and is a Grade Two listed building. The State opened in the late 1920’s and the design is said to be Art Nouveau rather than Art Deco. The State fell into disuse in the late 1970’s having previously been used by the Littlewoods Organisation as their Social Club.
Littlewoods then used it simply as a store house
The State owned by Bernie Start,John and Sandy Hewson opened as Liverpool’s first Laser nightclub in 1982. The original music policy was Alternative Dance (Kraftwerk, Heaven 17, New Order, DAF, ABC, King Trigger, A Certain Ratio) and the resident DJs where Frank Cookson and Steve Proctor.
Steve Proctor played on Thursday, and Frank Cookson on Fridays and Saturdays. At that time, the State was Liverpool’ most hip' night club, and the in crowd used to attend regularly on a Thursday evening to be amazed by the laser light show and intrigued by Steve Proctor’s ability to beat mix. On a Thursday evening local celebrities such as Pete Burns, Jayne Casey, Holly Johnson and Pete Wylie could be seen strutting their stuff at the State.Steve Proctor then left Liverpool and joined Polydor Records and set up the Urban dance label as well as being one of the countrys leading Acid House DJs playing the likes of Shoom.
October 1984 Mike Knowler and Andy Carroll were resident djs at The State. At that time, the music played included Kraftwerk, Talking Heads, Simple Minds, U2, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dead or Alive, King Trigger, Echo & the Bunnymen and New Order. Mike and Andy also introduced an element of Hip Hop into their respective sets, featuring the likes of The Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Eric B and Rakim, L L Cool J and Stetsasonic. This would be 1986 to 1988.
The State also put on live gigs and pa's; these were usually booked and promoted by Steve Proctor, or some other outside promoter. Particularly note worthy were appearances by Big Audio Dynamite, New Order, Divine, A Certain Ratio and Zigue Zigue Sputnik. The State Ballroom also featured in the film “A Letter to Breznev†Also, Liverpool group Frankie Goes to Hollywood filmed their video for their number one hit record Relax at the State.
Mike Knowler and Andy Caroll remained at the State until it closed in November 1989, due to Police pressure; the Police believing the club to be overcrowded and out of control. However, eighteen months before that, in the summer of 1988, Mike & Andy met up with another local DJ James Barton (later of Cream fame). This was to be the first Summer of Love and James wanted Mike and Andy to DJ at Liverpool’s first regular Acid House event, on a Monday night at the State. The night was called Daisy,and was an immediate success! (Mike & Andy had both been turned on to House Music on separate trips to New York’s New Music Seminar in 1986 and 1987 respectively). Mike amusingly assumed the DJ name of mic microdot, and as a direct result of James Barton’s Monday Acid House nights, the State played House Music exclusively until it closed on 11th November 1989.
