- 34 years is an unthinkably long period of time for something to remain relevant, especially in the fast-paced world of dance music. But that's just what The Warehouse in Leeds has managed to do, ushering in musical movements from the New Romantics to minimal techno along the way thanks to an ever-evolving lineup of parties that have called the place home over the years. So, how best to sum up the poly-sexual antics of Speed Queen and Vague, more cerebral offerings of Technique, off the wall bass madness of Sticky Feet and DIY house attitude of Back to Basics, all in one night? Well, the broad appeal and unbiased, kitchen sink approach to genre of 2ManyDJs makes them a fitting choice.
Any crowd in Leeds right now will feature an unhealthy dose of fake tan—boys and girls—but on this night the floor had a more diverse mix of people. Some were old enough to have come to every party, some could have been trying it out for the first time, others seemed to be there simply to rekindle the memories of fantastic nights gone by. Importantly, everyone appeared equally happy come 1 AM, when extra production, lights, lasers and a seemingly extra fine-tuned sound system were at full throttle.
As for Steven and David Dewaele, the duo reigned in their usual mash-up style for something a little more considered, at least initially, allowing tracks to play out and seguing them rather than chopping and changing direction like a stormy sea. It was still high energy, with plenty of manufactured drops along the way. The excitable crowd whooped and punched the air, clambered atop one another's shoulders and did a fine job of manufacturing a sweaty, boozy atmosphere on the club's cauldron-like dance floor.
Paul Woolford's ensuing selection was less inebriated but went down well with the thriving throng on the dance floor. Over the years his "Erotic Discourse" track has always gone down a storm at Warehouse, thanks in part to Woolford's local credentials, so it's a tiny shame it didn't get aired tonight. But plenty of other classics did, along with some tough percussive workouts and synthy techno groovers. This night was always going to be about raucous fun and light-hearted celebration, and on that level, it was a triumph.