- Dark skies and torrential downpours are not usually conducive to a successful terrace party. Add to that a last minute change of venue due to licensing restrictions and you have a potential recipe for disaster. But, against the odds, the most recent Krankbrother terrace party, featuring headliners Nick Curly and MANIK, held at Film Plus in northwest London's, Kensal Green, pulled through.
On arrival at Willesden Junction, just down the road from the event, the rain was still threatening to halt play on one of the last daytime party weekends of the year. But a faithful legion of revellers, some of whom had come from as far as Newcastle, made the trek away from their usual "east London TBA" location (or southeast, in the case of Krankbrothers who've held successful parties in Peckham in recent months) and packed themselves into the out-of-the-way venue. Fortunately, the unpredictable weather held off for the majority of the day, which was a massive boost. Inside the venue were two musical arenas, which were connected by a long, well-stocked bar. One was the Warehouse, located inside, the other the Terrace, three-quarters of which was covered by a see-through greenhouse-esque roof. Perfect, even if it did rain.
Photo credit: Danny Clancy
Arriving a few minutes into Nick Curly's set, a crowd of 200+ were already well into the groove, enjoying a well-received spot of sunshine complemented by the 8bit and Cecille stalwart's breezy yet bouncy opening hour. Although his set wasn't as heavy hitting as one may have expected, it certainly did enough to keep the assembled party people inside the Warehouse energised and ready for the night ahead. His two-hour appearance set the tone perfectly for New York's MANIK, a man whose productions and podcasts have cemented his popularity around the globe.
With a selection of tracks courtesy of Hot Creations, Ovum, Poker Flat and several of his own funk-laced productions, MANIK's set was a great main course after Curly's warm, delicious starter. Though a DC-10-style sit down at the beginning was a little out of sync, it set the mood for a very enjoyable two hour performance. Though MANIK's boyish looks led a few in the crowd to ask his age, his mature selection and technical skill certainly stretch beyond his 25 years. Vocals, acid and funk were all interwoven with panache. Tracks like his own "Body High" and "She Watches Me," and the forthcoming Hot Creations bomb "Breath N Pop" by Igor Vicente and Vernon Bara, set the party alight even when the rain started again.
After MANIK made his way off the stage, the Krankbrothers themselves took charge in the darkened Warehouse room, which was a complete contrast to the dusky light outside in the Terrace. It felt far more like a club environment—an odd-yet-comfortable transition, and a great place to wave goodbye to the day and party on into the night.