- Connected, which recently touched down at Cable London with a lineup that included Waifs & Strays, Krankbrothers and No Artificial Colours, generally deals with all things house, and this night was no exception. After No Artificial Colours had primed the crowd early on with futuristic house interspersed with dubby interludes, 2 AM signaled the arrival of Bristol duo Waifs & Strays, whose past year has included several successful releases on the likes of Futureboogie, Leftroom and Hot Creations. Perhaps their most notable release to date, "Body Shiver," was rinsed, as was Thugfucker's "Step Aside (Lightweight)" and Marko Darko's "Darko Days," each mixed seamlessly.
Cable's grimy stone arches and exposed brickwork didn't faze the unpretentious crowd, a bunch every bit as diverse as the stomping ground itself. Yet, despite the expectation that you were walking into something coveted and exciting—given by the hefty queue at the entrance—it fell slightly short of being exclusive. Throughout the night, it felt like more of a festival-like struggle navigating the volume of people, a revolving cycle of those trying to reach the smoking area, toilet or bar. Cable's rabbit hole of interconnecting rooms aided such issues, but was a double-edged sword, as some people find it hard to get fully engaged—something to be expected in a club capable of holding over a thousand.
Photo credit: Olivia Ovenden
In the second room, the decks were hidden away in a low-ceilinged den similar to Shoreditch's Plastic People, and offered a more populist contrast, with tracks like Jamie Jones' current rework of 11:11's "Tourist Trap" being aired. Meanwhile, back in the main room, the Krankbrother siblings brought the same eclectic sound that has ensured the success of their self-titled club night, their concoction of electro, techno and house resounding strongly with the heaving crowd. By the time their set was over, they'd dropped Tiefschwarz's "Corporate Butcher" and PBR Streetgang's forthcoming "Downstroke" to a wave of appreciation. If they continue throwing nights like this, Connected will undoubtedly continue to grow in popularity. Fingers crossed Cable can fit them all in.