This year’s Warehouse Project has kicked off finally and a wonderful lineup was set out before our very eyes - Moderat, Bicep, Eliza Rose, TSHA, Joy Orbison, Jon Hopkins, Terri Chandler & Greg Wilson (Just to name a few) graced our ears as we were catapulted into the musical abyss that is Mayfield Depot - home to WHP MCR.
Highlights & Review:
The ominous thudding wanted to be let out, the people rushed in and the venue was already packed by 8pm - no-one was going to miss a thing and it sure as hell told. We got there as Benji B took to the stage, the longtime BBC Radio Presenter and DJ gave us an eclectic set full of Electronic sounds from around the world, honing in on more deconstructed beats to fill the venue and set vibe for the late evening. Drinks in hand, we entered the void full of ravers young and old, immersing ourselves into the epicentre of the dance and skank. A grand ol' night was unfolding in front of us.
TSHA, as the goddess she is, dominated the stage with an electrifying set that took her from behind the decks to the forefront with guitar in hand. With effortless ease the ravers jumped and pumped their way into the deep crowd, pulling people in - we too were magically hypnotised by the dulcet sounds and sweet riffs that the set finished, her smile pulsating into the audience.
Stumbling over, Archive hosted Manc musical connoisseurs Children of Zeus who have mastered the art of blending classic soul with contemporary hip-hop rhythms which creates a sound that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking. Vocals were sublime, the beats en pointe which made them a stand out performance for the night as per usual, we do love it when WHP hosts local talent!
The venue was abuzz with ages all round, perhaps this night attracting the millennials like myself as we were super happy to see Moderat (Sascha Ring, also known as Apparat, and Modeselektor members Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary) back together and live! starting off with a tight throwback to the early 10s with bangers such as 'A new error' and 'Les Grandes Marches' and 'no.22'. After the epic opening tracks, the guys took things down a notch with some of their more downtempo songs, they were sandwiched in between some of the other more high energy acts on the bill. It felt like a nice contrast, although perhaps too far on the ambient side of the spectrum for some people. Seeing them live was Definitely a great moment for us, although we would have wished to hear more tunes from their self titled album for sure!
Jon Hopkins presented us a techno and electronic set, using the LED installation to full use with a trippy, mesmerising and groovy experience playing mixes that fell into the crowd. playing 'Singularity' was insane to see live as well as some experts from his brilliant album "Music for Psychedelic Therapy". All around he perfects set up main stage for Bicep Closing.
At this time we popped by Concourse to see Joy Orbison transforming the space into an otherworldly party as he seamlessly weaved together different musical styles and eras that has rightfully earned him a reputation as a tastemaker within the electronic music community. Last time seeing him was over 5 years ago at Granada Studios so it is nice to see his music in a venue suited for his sound - incredible.
His music is known to be intricate, he gave us filthy deep baselines, and a sense of atmospheric, otherworldly soundscapes - The crowd obviously pleased. tune that stuck out and has been rattling in my brain ever since was '2M3 2U' by the artist.
Bicep presenting Chroma AV DJ set for an incredible closing performance with the venues new light installations. Something so simple has simply elevated the overall experience into some mystical spectacular, taking you beyond the old train station’s interior. the duo graced us with bangers like ‘Opal’, ‘Glue’ and ‘Apricots’ solidifying themselves yet again as masters of the dance experience.
This year we see more food and drinks choices with Temperance street not only a musical venue but host to all sorts of vendors from Gyros, to hotdogs - Boa Buns to a wine bar. Now, as the older raver in me I can’t help but feel like it is moving beyond its older exterior and opting for a facelift, is this a bad thing? Only time will tell as we explore more of the WHP season.
What a mighty start however - WHP is still profoundly impactful within the Manchester Music scene and is going nowhere anytime soon. We are absolutely thrilled to be given access to this festival season with Worried About Henry being the next on the list – join us as we transverse musical barriers throwing ourselves into the mix and hopefully discovering new artists to keep us entertained well into next year!
Check out WHP events for this autumnal season , some are still available so get them while you can!!
As always, see you at the front!💃🏼
