- From nowt but humble free beginnings did Mitternacht emerge. But with time comes ambition…and with ambition comes bigger bookings…and with bigger bookings the need to bring in a door tax. But it was for the modest price of £7 that Mitternacht were offering the people of Manchester the chance to see Mike Denhert play live in the UK for the first time, local legend Mark Turner do what he does best and all the joys of—what I believe to be—the best venue in Manchester. Not bad considering the guys that run Mitternacht are fresh-faced and openly admit to being DJs ahead of promoters.
The Attic is unsurprisingly atop a precarious set of curving metal stairs. It's a dark room that boasts a low arching brick work ceiling, which holds no more than 150 people. With no official DJ booth to speak of, a simple makeshift approach is required, with equipment being set up on a table fortified by frighteningly oversized speaker stacks. Strange curving chairs are braced to the left side but kept to a confined area, maximising floor space. I've had many a good time in this high altitude wonderland in the past, but over the last 18 months most nights seemed to have moved on. Why though? This is prime late night real estate, a place for lost twisted minds to take shelter from the cold and forget their worries albeit for only a few hours.
Resident Morgan Blak was playing when I finally arrived shortly before midnight. It wasn't the kind of music that you would expect to hear as a warm-up set, but this night is wholeheartedly techno. In keeping with this mantra, Morgan, like a well placed kick to the groin, helped me to forget about my weekday troubles. What crowd there was at this point was seeking refuge in dark corners, waiting patiently for the booze to take hold. And take hold it did. 30 minutes was all it took before Mark Turner was turned loose and a secret stash of punters ferried through the doors.
A man of many talents is our Mark; a faultless technician who seamlessly shifts from rhythm to rhythm, a master of keeping momentum rolling. He seems to sidestep breakdowns and keeps the mood moving, layering traditional house-sounding records with more recent techno releases. His mixing style reminds me of the likes of Halo and other such American greats who so easily place basslines upon bassline, achieving with two turntables and a mixer what so many modern day Ableton DJs try to imitate.
I wish I could write more about what happened next, but after only 30 minutes into Mike Denhert's set I had to leave, for reasons unrelated to this review. What I saw of his live show was excellent, a dark and melodic collection of eerie techno sounds that was in keeping with what had gone before. A man clearly at the height of his game and someone I will definitely make the effort to see in full when someone else has the foresight to bring him back to the UK.