- "Banging techno and boss people" read the sign inside Liverpool's hip and deservedly-hyped venue, Camp and Furnace. If you're unfamiliar with North-West English slang, then boss roughly translates as "great," and, irrespective of where anyone calls home, we all know what banging means.
One of a number of venues located in the city's rapidly developing unpolished club and bar district, the Baltic Triangle, Camp & Furnace is arguably the most successful, thanks to consistently interesting DJ bookings, a solid live music calendar and a significant number of food-focused events. The crowd for 303's second birthday earlier this month was a winning mix of friendly and musically clued-up, though more mature than usual.
The latter was hardly a surprise, mind. To fill the three rough-and-ready rooms, all connected by dark stairwells and dimly lit corridors, the promoters had put together a stellar lineup that was always going to resonate with over-30s (not to mention their elders). Justin Robertson played first in the smaller of the two main rooms, throwing down a jacking assault of acid-inflected techno. Early on, the atmosphere was tangible.
Add to that a standout set from Andrew Weatherall, who followed Robertson with a heavy-but-not-hard three hours of brooding cosmic rollers, and I could have left for home feeling thoroughly satisfied even without Dave Clarke, the night's biggest name. The Baron was in his element, blending and button-bashing his way through an onslaught of visceral, no-bullshit techno and electro. 303's birthday, with its older crowd and seasoned headliners, proved just how much experience can add to the vibe and tone of a party. Boss and banging indeed.