The Warehouse Project: The End of Store Street

After five incredible years beneath the streets of Manchester, the last ever Warehouse Project event at Store Street came to a close in the early hours of January 2, 2012. Within 48hrs all evidence that WHP ever existed in that space would be gone, nothing remaining to give any indication that hundreds of thousands of people passed through those doors but the memories of those in attendance as they marvelled at the accomplishments of some of the best names in electronic music.

A 17 hour marathon event starting at 12pm New Years Day, the long haul was not for the faint hearted; although I was amazed at how many revellers boasted of the feat. Although the sense of farewell hung heavier in the air than in previous closing parties the atmosphere was upbeat as people made the most of the few remaining hours in Manchester’s world famous car park.  Short of writing an unofficial biography of the night it is would be impossible for me to give credit to all of the acts that made this mammoth event so special but rest assured that even with such a number of acts on I was unable to not enjoy the sets of all I listened to. From long term Manchester residents Krysko, Greg Lord and Andro to electronic legend Laurent Garnier I can honestly say I enjoyed it all. Thus with a heavy heart I will now proceed to share my highlights of the evening with you.
 
It was the first time I’d seen rising star Maya Jane Coles after a year of publicised and acclaimed globetrotting around some of the world’s biggest clubs and she didn’t disappoint with a fluid set strewn with sporadic vocals and tight loops that most certainly brought the house to proceedings. After seeing her weave her magic on the Manchester faithful I am eager to see what the Londoner has up her sleeve for the forthcoming year with more releases and remixes promised for the near future.
 
After a hugely successful year Julio Bashmore added to the concoction of genres that were fuelling the night and the crowd feverishly fed off his seamless blend of  deep house, broken beat, UK G and techno. The eclectic nature of his genre hopping set continually kept clubbers guessing as to which way the next track would go making for a purposeful and driven set full of suspense and with a string of solid releases behind him since releasing on Claude Von Strokes famed ‘Dirtybird’ label in 2009 it is easy to see why big things are predicted for Julio in the coming months.
 
Another highlight was Belfast prodigy Space Dimension Controller yet again treating the Warehouse Project to another one of the interesting and unusual sets that have become his trademark. Producing a melodic combination of house, techno and electro with slow motion synthesizers and glittering arpeggios his unorthodox approach to all sounds electronic brought another dimension to the feel of the night.
 
Chicago legend Derrick Carter further indulged an already spoiled (if tired) crowd with one of his notoriously free flowing sets taking influences from soul, jazz and funk of the 70s as well as classic Chicago house. An accomplished set from start to finish with bizarre focal points such as a long running harmonica sample driving through tracks all the way through to a Michael Jackson vocal. With Mr. Carter’s track selection the only thing we could expect was the unexpected.
 
French electronica legend Laurent Garnier twice graced the stage at around 11 as well as playing the closing set. The Manchester favourite’s opening gambit was a slick techno affair laced with the occasional sounds of Berlin drumcode but more often than not with a modern twist. Both sets, (as were all on the main stage) were played at a maniacal tempo with huge breakdowns as monsieur Garnier lavished the crowd with expertly crafted tracks full of variety and imagination. An operatic number was of particular surprise and enjoyment with the forceful vowels echoing around the brickwork generating a spectacular resonance. The enigmatic Frenchman’s second set comprised some old favourites camouflaged in with newer tracks under the cover of subtle mixes and samples but there was no mistaking  Garnier’s full blooded unleashing of  his saxophone laden classic ‘The Man With The Red Face’. This restored a sense of urgency to a crowd that can be forgiven for having slightly depleted energy levels and brought the party back into full swing. The party vibe continued throughout the set until the close when Laurent got on the mic to thank the crowd for such special night and wish them a happy new year before closing out his set with a very suitable homage to Manchester’s electronic past with the selection of 808 State to finish. Laurent once joked to me he wants to start opening more clubs instead of closing them (after releasing the homage to cult Japanese venue Yellow – called ‘Last Dance at Yellow’) but with sets as well crafted as these it’s easy to understand why iconic venues want the illustrious Parisian to do so.
 
The fact that the former bomb shelter played host to series of sets played with a enjoyably frenzied edge to them on its final night was a fitting tribute to the atmosphere of the event as the venue faced its own Armageddon. The scene really was something to behold as the past of Store Street gained a new chapter- for half a decade accommodating one of the world’s greatest electronic music venues. With a large and ominous font exclaiming THE END on screen and a large amount of the staff on stage as the bar staff began unpacking for the final time and with the sound of 808 State in our ears we bade farewell to Store Street safe in the knowledge a good time had been had by all. Goodbye Store Street. You’ll be missed.