The feeling of anticipation for this renowned Manchester institution has overtook my weekend build up many times before and once again I am fully able to tread my eager feet on to definitive clubbing grounds with certain knowledge that at some point during the night to come I will lose control of my tense limbs as they become one with thy music.
The Warehouse Project has returned for another quart of a year to deliver time stopping shows and incredible live and DJ sets. This is the venue that has roused Manchester's worldwide penchant for putting on a memorable night reminiscent of the days when rave began in the history-making Hacienda nightclub.
The clubbing world is at its feet in mention of hugely hyped Canadian DJ Deadmau5 and I feel as if I am attending an event of someone who stands to be one of the most successful DJ’s in the world pretty soon. So naturally, there are high expectations. The crowd is different to the usual sophisticated enthusiasts, seemingly younger and donning clothes that fit the spectre of chav, whilst the aroma of Warehouse virgins lingers in circles around you - assumingly new students in town showing allegiance to an act that has produced some commercially stunning tracks.
Upon entering, supporting act Chris Lake is stimulating the increasing herd of a crowd with a tight and sound-perfect set, throwing out tracks 'Tropical Chick' by Alex Kenji, a special mix of Kings Of Leon's 'Use Somebody' and the overplayed and overrated La Roux's 'In For The Kill'. Commercial sing-alongs aside, Lake provides a popular dirty electro sound that bounces off the walls and fits perfectly, like condom to head, in a venue such as this. Still, everybody is waiting patiently for 2am.
Deadmau5's slightly pretentious entrance is impressing the crowd, overshadowing his impending 2 hour set. The crowd are compressing themselves and cheer as if a heavyweight sporting legend has just appeared from beyond the layer of smoke, all staring at the infamous giant mouse head made larger by the skinny frame it balances upon. The stirring hype, however, is short lived - fast forward past a 30 minute opening of renowned tracks such as 'The Reward Is Cheese' and people start to disperse and numbers dwindle.
It all becomes a bit of a letdown.
Yes, unfortunately the set based on his new material is overusing minimal trance, some of which sounds too much alike to determine the start and end of any one track. Thus, I am craving for more, standing rather than stomping and gazing outwardly towards the lights, the beautiful entrancing lights.
Despite my wish for recognisable tunes to surface amongst this constant, downbeat style synonymous with Deadmau5, there is one aspect that is impressing me and a few other hedonists - the expressive lights and laser show. The stage is mounted with tall rectangular shapes showing trippy visuals of ascending lights shaped like a city of skyscrapers, only to descend in quick succession as if the city is being tore down as quickly as erected. Meanwhile, rays of light are piercing a smoky haze, shooting past the DJ and creating a silhouette Mau5 lapping up the love being projected from the crowd through finger punches to the air and silent screams of approval.
In this egotistical moment of his I realise the legions of fans that remain in the room, and the world over, look up to Deadmau5 as if he invented music itself. What he is achieving is an icon status but only to fans that will stand by him despite what his shows and sounds are like. I feel there is a fine line these days between an icon and somebody who is quite subtly a well marketed gimmick.
Full credit goes out to a few of his renowned tunes - most notably the extra long and very acknowledged version of 'I Remember' - that sometimes couldn't be heard over screams of immense appreciation. For all of the nights grandeur expectations that eventually fell way short of the mark, it is 'I Remember' that resurrected a dying night.
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