In the pitter patter of the rain and the cold Mancunian breeze that slaps you in the face, we patiently waited for what could be Warehouse Projects best night of the season so far : Homobloc.
As stated on their website "Homobloc is a queer block party for all. For Homos, Hetros, Lesbos, Don't Knows and Disko Asbos. All of us. Love is the message." I couldn't put it better myself as this night, by far, was the safest I have ever felt at a WHP rave (not saying its dangerous at all, just the atmosphere left no room for danger).
A catwalk that extended into the crowd, lights that popped and a line-up to kill, this night was full of surprises that just kept giving. From death drops to confetti explosions, roses being handed out to performances by FVCK PIGS: the night was relentless and so enjoyable that no-one wanted it to end. As we tumbled into the depot we were faced by flashing lights, a dick confetti cannon, the smell of sweat in the air - we were ready to be completely vulnerable to the night!
We threw ourselves into the mix for Horse Meat Disco who gave us a tantalising feast for our senses and a good taste of what was to come. Would it even be a Homobloc party without these guys - We say NO! The crowd was screaming for more , throwing hands up in the air and bopping along to some amazing songs like Love If You Need It blasting through the speakers.
We were so pumped as we made the rounds, firstly into Archive which was dropping some filthy Disco/ Techno by ABSOLUTE. then into Star and Garter for what felt like Drum & Bass on Acid with Tokky Horror - but we always found our way back to the Main Depot for Horse Meat Disco and the cage dancers who were giving us seduction at the back of the room.
Taking a break on top of the balcony, we took prime position for Irish singer-Songwriter Róisín Murphy who is known for her deconstructed, gritty, disco fulled beats which are dreamy and addictive. We were loving people watching from the side, seeing how everyone was dancing in union makes you feel like you belong to some exclusive club. She kept the crowd occupied with classic disco and soul remixes which lured us down into the depths for the next few hours. her energy was insane and the crowd replicated it perfectly!
As Róisín Murphy ended, The Blessed Madonna graced us. She ruled the main stage, bringing us deep house hits with high octane mixes which just kept on giving, the whole crowd roared as balloons were given out to throw around, water guns blasting into the crowd as well as dancers who promoted inclusivity (gender and body size) graced us with their flawless confidence. "I wish I could do that" was often heard throughout the entire night as people looked out in awe, love was in the air. I have always wanted to see the Blessed Madonna and she did not disappoint, in fact, she exceeded all my expectations as she walked the catwalk herself, handing out roses to the crowd and dancing with the performers.
HAAi came on hard, she gave us the dirty baselines that we craved at 1am, keeping the tempo steady in her effortless chic-ness which only few can achieve. The Aussie artist has been making a rumble in the electronic music scene the past few years, and we would describe her music as electrifyingly wonderful. Her music gives pop and edge as she merges classical Electronic samples with cool and earthy underground house finishing with a splash of pizazz. Pushing the boundaries of what electronic house/ Dance should be, HAAi makes you feel tingly and special. If you have never listened to her stuff before, please make sure you check her out and deffo listen to Be Good and Baby, We're Ascending as these should be a must to any Dance playlists.
The entire venue was full right until the very end. We forced our way to the front of Concourse for Honey Dijon as yes, she deserved all the attention at the end. Her music and activism works hand in hand, her message for love and acceptance in the LGBTQ+ community is central to the message that Homobloc displayed that evening - so what better way to end the night with listening to some of her incredible mixes. I stumbled across Honey Dijon a few years back and was instantly captivated by her use of old school Chicago House coupled with a slick lyric samples which lift you up and drops you hard, allowing for pure freedom of expression on the dance floor - take Work by Honey Dijon feat. Dave Giles II, Cor.Ece & Mike Dunn as a core example of this. Her mixes were clean and fluid, her drops were dirty and lustful. The dancing did not stop, water was being guzzled down from left to right and everyone seemed entranced by both the light and sound set up. Its such a shame the night only lasted until 4am...
People were super friendly, there was no room for hate. Smiles beamed into the night and people actually moved out of the way, being very aware of their personal space which is unseen at a rave. Going back to my original point, this was the safest I have ever felt as the energy was purely friendly and people wanted a new core memory full of love and happiness, it was evident form the offset.
Now the kicker question - Would we go to Homobloc again? a resounding, in a heartbeat yes. everything was sublime. Cannot wait for next years instalment!
