- New nights seem to be all the rage in Manchester at the moment. And that's making it hard to stay in when—on any given weekend—nights like Content are shipping some of the world's best DJs straight into the heart of the city. The Roadhouse seems to be a safe breeding ground for such nights to prosper, with its devastating sound system that continues to shock me every time my ears have to bear it.
I had to wait for a few people to get through the doors before the harsh edge of the highs were better absorbed and the dance floor turned into a more habitable space. As with most nights at the Roadhouse, and Manchester clubs in general, this began to happen at around midnight. But while the crowd found its way to the front doors, the low end never rested as it continued along its sadistic path, reverberating around the room with a demented demeanour.
This is perhaps why it took me a little while to get into what is only Content's second night. I was struggling to find the energy to launch myself into a Friday night frenzy. This was rectified shortly after midnight as the head count picked up and the atmosphere rose to a level that any Northerner would come to expect.
This seemingly sudden shift in mood was capitalised on by Eddie Leader who adjusted the pace and momentum of his set to that of the newly energised crowd. The Hudd Traxx curator rolled through a selection of tracks that were reminiscent of the Leeds house heyday from some four years ago but without that dated jacking sound. In its place was a deeper take on the genre, reflective of the European-based producers that have recently released on his label.
Sascha Dive played the always predictable Roadhouse closing set from 1:00 till 3:00. Sascha certainly used it to his advantage, starting things deep and moving swiftly through a remarkable two hour set that was pieced together by a deft touch. He stole the room into a locked groove not 20 minutes in, slipping Dennis Ferrer's hypnotic "Underground Is My Home" in before traversing through some the finest house music I've heard this year.
I'd made presumptions about Dive before the night after reading what I now assume was an inaccurate account of one of his previous sets. But perhaps I caught him on a rare excellent day. I doubt that, though, because being able to programme a set like he did on this night takes more than luck. It takes talent and a knowledge of music that is not easily obtained.