Simian Mobile Disco – The Warehouse Project

5 October 2009

SMD Lights Saturday 3rd October brings round two for my visits to The Warehouse Project this season. Tonight’s line-up features two of the scenes heavy hitters – Simian Mobile Disco and Boys Noize. Those who’ve been lucky enough to see Simian Mobile Disco play live know that their shows are like no other, it’s safe to say I am just a little bit excited to see their infamous ‘Rave Stack’ get another outing. The same goes for Boys Noize, I looked on in awe last year as Alex Ridha well and truly smashed this very venue to pieces with his headline set in mid-December. Other artists on the bill tonight: Berlin based DJ/producer Jesse Rose, hometown lads Delphic, Optimo, Now Wave DJ’s, Young Father’s and The Rapture’s Mattie Safer.

As I wander around the venue tonight it’s noticeably quieter than last weekend, that’s understandable though I suppose – the opening weekend is bound to be busier. Now Wave DJ’s are on stage prepping the crowd for SMD, the music isn’t to my taste but the people at the front seem to be enjoying it. At about 12:15 they finish their set and the house lights come up – SMD were billed to be on at 12:00 but it seems they have been pushed back to start at 12:30. As their stage time approaches roars go up amongst the crowd as MGMT’s ‘Kids’ Soulwax Remix kicks in over the sound system – I don’t know whether it’s a coincidence or they are really trying to get everyone well and truly pumped up. Suddenly the music cuts and the lights go down. Smoke fills the stage and an ever so quiet 4/4 pumping bass drum can be heard , James and Jas take to the stage and assume their positions behind an array of keyboards, synths, pads and buttons to the familiar sounds of ‘Sleep Deprivation’ – the ultimate opening track I have always thought. Slowly building, revving the crowd up to a crescendo of sirens over the steady, pumping beat. It’s almost tribal, the green lights filtering through the smoke create a dark, hazy, underground atmosphere. The only way to truly describe it was similar to a rocket taking off, plumes of smoke filling the stage while the lights change blue to red to green to white – the anticipation and excitement in the room are palpable.The light show is like something from outer space, they run perfectly in sync with the music creating a hypnotic effect.

With the tracks flowing right into the next and live remixes of many of their tracks, it becomes difficult to pinpoint exactly which tracks are performed. The familiar techno beat of ‘Synthesise’ comes in, a perfect tune for somewhere like The Warehouse, dark and dirty – it seems to be just what the crowd want to hear as everyone surges forward in a bid to get closer to the two dark silhouettes onstage. ‘Audacity of Huge’ and ‘Cruel Intentions’ are two songs of the new album that have a more poppy, housier feel and tonight they certainly get the crowd dancing. The latter of the two sparks an actual dance-off next to me between two girls, something I’ve never seen at The Warehouse Project and something I’m sure I won’t see again!

An SMD show wouldn’t be complete without a performance of their single “Hustler.” “Go to a record store and put it in my clothes and Walk past that record man Got to have the sticky hands” – the vocals spark a mass sing along, looping over and over, by the looks of it I doubt some of the people here can take it any longer, luckily the beat drops and every single person in the place loses their mind.

The roof has been well and truly taken off, SMD’s live show is so much more engaging and apt for a venue like The Warehouse, the lightshow is literally out of this world.James and Jas know just how to work a crowd, leaving you hanging on a looping note just long enough before dropping a bomb that’ll keep your head nodding long into the taxi ride home.

Unfortunately, the mass surge during ‘Synthesise’ caused my brand new camera to be crushed into little pieces, thus meaning my night had to be cut short. One of my main intentions tonight was to get some quality shots of the lights show so everyone reading this could get a taste of what it’s like. Apologies for that and apologies to Boys Noize & Jesse Rose who I was dying to catch after SMD.

Once again The Warehouse didn’t disappoint and I STRONGLY suggest you get out and see Simian on their short UK tour. They’re touring the UK until 10th October with their live show, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for reading, until next time………

Warehouse Project Opening Weekend

By: tom

29 September 2009

In: News & Leaks

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Lights

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since I stood almost exactly in this position waiting to be let into Sasha and Locodice at the opening weekend of last year’s Warehouse Project. The Warehouse Project once again returns to Manchester with a point to prove. The line-ups boast a mouth-watering range of talent which well represents the current state of dance music, just glancing at the headliners on the events page is enough to send shivers up your spine – Swedish House Mafia, Deadmau5, Hawtin & Magda, Tiga, Dubfire, La Roux, the list goes on. Not only are the headliners impressive, but there’s a huge array of talent further down the bill – Jamie Jones, Fake Blood, Breakbot, Autokratz and Seth Troxler to name but a few.

Walking round the corner onto Store Street brings back that familiar feeling of excitement and anticipation. Two of the three founders of The Warehouse Project, Sasha and Kirsty are stood at the door overseeing the evening’s proceedings what a great feeling it must be to have people flocking to your events from all over the country. Guys – I salute you.
As we edge closer to the door that familiar brain-mangling bass can be heard pumping through the walls, people are everywhere, clambering to get in. It seems commonplace tonight to try and gain access without a ticket or guest list place – props to Kirsty on the door who put up a great fight against tens of lads trying to sweet talk their way in.

As we walk in it’s easy to see the changes that have been made since last year– Ice Cannons line the walls of the main dance floor, piercing green lasers shoot across the room from all angles but even better it seems the sound system has been upgraded, now enough to fill every cavern, keeping everyone dancing maniacally by the furthest speaker stack as though there it was the centre of the dance floor. After queuing at the bar for what seemed like eternity it was nearly time for headliners Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso to take to the stage, from the ever increasing crowd it seems I was not the only one that has seen the set times. We managed to squeeze in under one of the caverns stage-right, a perfect little viewing spot it would appear. Now SHM aren’t usually my cup of tea but from what I’ve heard, seeing them perform is a different story. People all around me are amped like I’ve never seen before, and as the sweet brassy intro of ‘Valodja’ kicks in my doubts were soon blown away, the crowd surge and it appears to be go-time. Banging through their set with seemingly no mercy, they pump out crowd pleasers like ‘Bonkers’, Temper Trap (Axwell remix& Dirty South Remix) and an inspiring remix of Coldplay’s ‘Clocks’. The intro to Temper Traps – ‘Sweet Disposition’ (Axwell & Dirty South Remix) sends the crowd into hyperspace, arms were firmly in the air and I doubt there was a single person in the place who wasn’t dancing. The Ice Cannons shoot much needed cool air onto the crowd along with reams of confetti. It’s moments like this that make me realise why The Warehouse is such a great party and make me thankful for the fact it’s in Manchester, it couldn’t be anywhere else. By now Angello & Ingrosso are well into their set and by my watch it’s 03:15 and they were meant to finish at 3, I didn’t see anyone complaining.

As their set drew to a close the crowd don’t seem to want to let them go, and with that familiar ‘Show me Love’ intro filtering through the speakers it seems they’re not ready to go just yet. They give it their last 5 minutes, the crowd go wild and 2/3 of Swedish House Mafia call it a night, making way for Toolroom’s Mark Knight who takes the decks like a duck to water keeping the crowd dancing seamlessly to Skream’s ‘Lets Get Ravey Remix’ of La Roux. It’s time for me to call it a night, but from what I’ve heard from numerous sources, Mark Knight continued to keep the crowd dancing well into the early hours.

If this is only the opening week then I am well and truly unable to wait for what The Warehouse Project has in store for me over the coming months. Watch this space because there’s plenty more to come………

Metric Interview – 11.05.2009 @ Manchester Academy

By: tom

13 May 2009

In: News & Leaks

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For those of you who don’t know, Metric is a Canadian New Wave/Rock band. They formed in 1998 in NYC and are currently based in NY, LA, Montreal, Quebec & Ontario.

The band are: Vocalist Emily Haines, guitarist James Shaw, bassist Josh Winstead and drummer Joules Scott-Key. Their first full-length album, Old World Underground, Where are you now?, was released in 2003 and won a Juno Award nomination for Best Alternative Album. Live it Out was released on October 4, 2005 and was nominated for the several awards including Polaris Award for Canadian Album of the Year.

Haines and Shaw also perform with Broken Social Scene, and Haines has been a guest on several albums, notably by Stars and The Stills. Scott-Key and Winstead have their own side project called Bang Lime, and Haines has released a solo album and companion EP, Knives Don’t have your back and What is free to a good home? under the name Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton.

Their songs “Monster Hospital”, “Police and the Private” and “Front Row” have been used on the television show Greys Anatomy ”Monster Hospital” has also been used in CSI:Miami

Their fourth studio album Fantasies was released in the UK on 29^th March 2009.

On Monday night I was lucky enough to have an interview with Josh Winstead from Metric. Here’s what he had to say……..

So let’s talk about home for you guys. What are your favourite things from the cities you call home?

My favourite thing about the cities I call home (which is a funny thing, since I finally have one for the first time in years) is my friends and community. Now that I travel between several of the same cities often, it has been easier to keep in touch with people. Also the diversity of the types of people in those cities is enjoyable.

Which country in the world are you most well received in? Where do you most like playing?

We have a warm reception all of the places we play. If you are talking about numbers of people the largest crowds we play to are in the United States and Canada.
Again, I don’t really make those types of comparisons. One time you may play for example Istanbul and love it, the next time you may not. It isn’t helpful to hold on to an ideal of which place is better, because the experience constantly changes.

What’s your relationship with whoever chooses the music from Grey’s Anatomy, they seem to love you!?

None, I guess they like us. I personally have never seen the show.

How do you guys decide what to do with Metric v Broken Social Scene and other side projects with overlaps and the like? Do you ever write a song for one and then it makes its way onto the record of another?

We all look at Metric as our main focus. There has never been a moment when one the other projects puts pressure on Metric. We use those other times as a way to re-energize ourselves to come back stronger to Metric.

So what does a typical Metric fan look like?! When I arrived at the show last night I though how would you spot a Metric fan and it’s hard to say!

Luckily it seems that we are appealing to a wide range of people instead of a specific genre. We don’t need people to be boxed in to certain lifestyles and maybe they are sensing that we are open to them all.

What are your thoughts on using Twitter for secret promos – how useful do you find new technologies in connecting with fans?

We have come to completely embrace the use of new technologies. The one reason why the record labels find themselves in the predicament that they are in is because they wanted to stifle or ignore what was happening around them. On the other hand if you look, you will realize how these new technologies help with your goals what ever they may be. Instead of seeing these avenues as taking away some stupid profit margin, you can realize that you now have thousands of new ways of getting your music or what ever to an ever increasing audience.

Are you glad you went down the route of releasing everything on your own label? Has it been a lot more hard work for you guys?

The band is extremely excited and proud of our decision to self release Fantasies. The work was in the initial setting up of the operation, besides that we have continued to focus on the music.

What’s your plan for the rest of the year once this tour is over?

The rest of the year will be dedicated to touring the world, as will next year. We will try and take a few breaks here and there, for sanity and such, but now that Fantasies is released it our turn to come and visit the people.

What’s your recording process, how does it work? Does Emily start with lyrics and work from there or what?

In general Emily will come to the band with a song that she has written on piano or guitar. The band then works it into a Metric song, changing tempos or working on arrangements. Jimmy will also write in his studio and send tracks to Emily to work on vocals. Other times I will write on keyboard or guitar and then work with Jimmy and / or Emily.

What music do you guys listen to?

We listen to all types of music, the only thing I haven’t heard played so far is country. Maybe I should get into some Hank Williams soon.

Next time you come to Manchester, please can we do a face to face interview?!

Absolutely, looking forward to it :-)

Metric’s album ‘Fantasies’ is out now on Metric Productions, go pick it up –you’ll love it.

Show Review to follow