This month’s Bitch brought the return of Michael Woods, and if his set was anything to go by last time he was at Venus, we were all in for a massive treat. Kicking off the night was 1/3 of B3AST, Lempo. Bass Jockeys were up next as the swarms of people started to enter the club and fill the dance floor, where James and Daz dropped some old school classics and Bitch house favorites.

Next up was the return of Mark Kovich who hadn’t played at Bitch since January. Everybody seemed excited to see him back, and he did not disappoint, dropping Cedric Gervais’ huge mix of ‘Summertime Sadness’ that got the crowd into full on party mode.

Lempo then joined the other 2/3 of B3AST, Martyn Russo and Pete Mobey with Ashley Taylor Dawson supporting the boys as he features on their awesome new track ‘True’. They showed exactly why they are one of the Venus crowds’ favorite acts who pulled off yet another classic performance.

It was now time for the headlining act, Michael Woods, who brought a blinding set to this sold out venue. Michael’s involvement with the crowd was also admirable as he gave out tons of signature shades and even poured patron down some lucky ravers’ necks as DMM partied on in the booth with him. When ‘Warrior’ dropped the floor shook as everybody, including the staff, went crazy for Michael’s huge hit and made it another memorable moment at Venus.

Paul Nags then got his opportunity to light up the front room, followed by John Steward and Andy Clarke, wrapping up this massive night.

Next month at Bitch brings the highly anticipated Ibiza Warm Up Party with Oliver Lang, let’s get ready for summer bitches!

Photography credit

Big thanks to Eddy Gosht of Oh My Gosht Photography for the use of his photos from the night! View the full album here.

Kicking off Evolution on the night were Venus residents, Frater and Stent, doing a back to back style performance. Birthday boy Ryan (Stent) was up first, shaking the floor with the Mark Knight remix of ‘Submotion’ followed by an endless array of pure house tunes that had the crowd hooked. As the venue started to attract more and more people to the dance floor, Chris (Frater) joined his partner on the decks as they dropped their brilliant version of Duke Dumont’s number 1 smasher, ‘Need U (100%)’, which got Evolution absolutely bouncing.

By this time the night was in full swing and up next was the talented ESQUIRE, who brought his own unique style to Venus while dropping some top vocal house classics to a packed crowd. With this line-up being similar to last year’s Evolution, which was one of DMM’s first ever nights, the crowd showed their excitement on the return of ESQUIRE who seemed to love the reaction and the buzzing atmosphere surrounding him. Venus also gave away bags of free lollies which went down well – everyone loves a freebie!

We were now well into the night and the hardcore ravers were left to see a top performance by Sick Eleckrik‘s Ben and Jon. These guys are no strangers to the venue or the Venus crowd and they got totally involved on the dance floor before there set, knocking out some shapes and getting involved in the banter. The duo brought more top tunes and funky mixes which makes Evolution one of the best vocal house nights Manchester has to offer.

Closing the night was the young Lewis Grundy putting his own stamp on the night and finishing off in style.

Evolution brought us another great night and with Venus’s 14th birthday bash this Saturday with the likes of K-Klass and Michael Woods headlining Bitch Events at the end of the month, things are only gonna get bigger and better for Venus – see you on the dance floor!

After ‘Need U (100%)’ became the official UK number 1, the hype building around Duke Dumont‘s appearance at Joshua Brooks on Thursday for Bump‘s 1st birthday hit a massive peak and became the most talked about event of the week. Joining forces with Tiga’s label, Turbo Records, Bump certainly had a brilliant booking for their celebrations with the added bonus of Dumont’s soaring popularity. After playing out his Essential Mix more than enough times, we couldn’t wait to see this one of Radio 1′s ‘Future Stars’ in action at one of our favourite venues.

When we arrived, the Joshua Brooks basement was packed and founder of Bump, Tom Mallas, was treating the crowd to a varied house set, infusing his cool, deep mix with elements of jazz, saxophone melodies and bass, played on vinyl for extra points. With a huge, proud smile on his face, Tom looked more than happy to be up there and certainly got the night off to a cracking start.

As midnight approached, it was time for the main guy to take over the decks. For the next two hours Duke Dumont had the crowd under his spell with his incredible house/dance fuelled sounds which  set the underground space completely alight. We hadn’t seen Joshua Brooks bounce around like that for a while. The crowd’s reaction when he smashed out his most well-known tracks ‘The Giver’ and of course his number one, was what can only be described as insane. The buzz was electric and everyone was really enjoying themselves; Jimmy’s “Higgy Wiggle” was in full force and the whole venue seemed to be getting their house groove on.

Dumont certainly proved to everyone just how passionate he is about his music and how much talent he has to offer in the music world.  With a smile on his face as he took in the crowd’s response, seeing him live really allowed us appreciate him even more as a DJ and producer. We didn’t want his set to end but it was time for him to pass the control over to SEI A, who changed the direction slightly and showcased his dark, grungy vibes while still keeping the house/techno vibes, to a certainly well-suited underground environment.

We’d like to thank Joshua Brooks and Bump for hosting such as great night. It really was a 1st birthday celebration to remember and everyone we spoke to had nothing but excitable praise. Here’s to another brilliant year!

Big thanks to…

Shout to Chris Balmer Photography / @_Balmer for his awesome photos – check out the full album right here. Also thanks to Manchester Music Live for the use of the SEI A video, which was streamed live on the night. Duke Dumont’s set will be online soon – check out their website / @MancMusicLive / Facebook.

We’ve always been a fan of the sophisticated, chilled, New York-inspired Black Dog Ballroom venues in Manchester, whether it’s for a cocktail / beer at the Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street bars or the underground atmospheric space of Underdog. The news of the group opening a bowling alley over the Easter Weekend at a formerly disused buidling down Whitworth Street West certainly excited us, so we thought it was about time we head down to check it out.

When we approached the amusingly named Dog Bowl after midnight on Friday we were greeted with the same laid-back vibe we’re used to from the bars, which provided the perfect atmosphere for groups of mates and couples to enjoy a chilled drink whilst listening to the house/electro sounds of Keiran Sharples in the upper DJ booth above the doors. What stood out immediately though was the vibrant, modern bowling alley ahead, complete with five ten-pin bowling lanes and ball dispensers inspired by the brand’s distinguishable black dog, Bruce the Patterdale Terrier. We had a game with a few mates and it was a great laugh, the staff were nice enough to let the girls have the barriers up (NOT cheating, may I add, although the boys would beg to differ!) and the whole vibe was really chilled.

Offering fantastic food with a focus on local produce plus a great range of cocktails and drinks, the Dog Bowl really is somewhere you go can during the day with mates or family or if you’re wanting an alternative to a full-on rave night but still have a laugh with friends and a few drinks, we definitely recommend you head down. We don’t know anywhere else where you can go bowling without the neon, cheesey 90s surroundings, so this modern, trendy venue is a fun, unique addition to Manchester’s offerings.

More info

Opening times:
Dog Bowl is open 12pm – 3am Monday through Thursday, 12pm – 4am Fridays, 10am – 4am on Saturdays and from 10am – 3am on Sundays.

One game of bowling costs £6 off peak (until 6pm Monday – Friday and after midnight every day) or £8 on peak (from 6pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday). £5 for children and students with an NUS card.

Website: www.blackdogballroom.co.uk/dogbowl
Twitter: @BlackDogBowl
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlackDogBowl

Easter weekend was so huge, we’ve only just recovered. Catching up this weekend,  Kurt-Lee, SpamellaB and James have tried to capture the highlights in one article, so you can relive your Easter with DMM!

EASTER SATURDAY

Bitch Presents Will Gold & Kryder @ Venus Manchester

Bitch commenced with Reworked Robot, kicking off the night and getting the crowd rowdy for another sold-out Bitch night at Venus. As always, he warmed the crowd up well, and when B3ast took to the decks at 12, the atmosphere was already buzzing. Keeping the bar high, the B3ast trio of Lempo, Pedro and Russo had the club’s hands up in the air, improving their performances every time we see them.

We spoke to Will Gold prior to playing his debut Bitch set and tried to describe the passion and enthusiasm that make Venus unique. Dropping ‘Sweet Harmony’, his collaboration with Bitch resident Reworked Robot, proved to be a huge crowd pleaser, the Venus faithful bouncing to every beat. Will said how shocked he was at how much a small club could make such a huge impact on a DJ.

Next up was this months headline act and Bitch favourite, Kryder. The man behind the visor received a huge reception from the crowd, playing an explosive, progressive house set, dropping his newest tracks ‘Vyper’ and ‘Scorpio’ alongside releases from Alesso, the Swedish House Mafia and other huge names in the prog-house scene. A little bit of variety from the DJ we know to play heavy, filthy bass-lines but cool to see that whatever he plays, it goes down well.

As a huge favourite of the Bitch regulars, a fair amount of the crowd got involved in slightly different and quirky ways, bringing Kryder masks and Bitch sunglasses, ready for the huge drops, purely to show their love for the Manchester DJ, returning after travelling the world on tour.

As always, the Bitch residents kept the party going past 6am, wrapping up another cracking, sell-out event. Expect more of the same for Michael Woods next month!

Words by @KurtLee_DMM - Photos by Oh My Gosht Photography

EASTER SUNDAY

Cassini Boat Party / Sound Control

As the aftermath of the hangovers from the night before were only just subsiding, by 3pm it was time to get back on it all over again for round two of the Easter Weekend. James and I headed down to Sound Control to meet the rest of the Cassini boat party crew then ventured over to Dukes 92 where the sun was shining and the Dry Barge boat was waiting for us to jump on board.

We weren’t sure what to expect as we stepped down into the spacious area, complete with a DJ area and decks plus a fully-stocked bar and outside undercover smoking area. A crowd of about 50 were all smiling from ear to ear as the boat set sail down the canal and the music kicked in, a great 3 hours set of tech house.

Seeing the delights of Manchester on such a gorgeous day by boat, with drinks flowing and a fun, chilled atmosphere, we couldn’t have wanted anything else to soothe our heads and get us in the party mood for another heavy night later. While some were dancing around others were enjoying the views, chatting with their mates and getting the drinks in, everyone was having a great time and the novelty of partying on a boat definitely added to the experience.

By 7pm we returned to our starting point, the boat anchored up and we all got off slightly merrier and keen for the party to continue back at Sound Control, where the likes of Gemma Furbank, Hew Williams, Epic Noise Guy, Kreso and loads more were to treat party-goers to hours’ more of tech house sounds. We headed home to freshen up, grab some food to keep us going, back to Sound Control for a couple of hours before heading to our next party; Jaymo & Andy George over at Underdog / Black Dog Ballroom.

Words by @SpamellaB

Underdog Presents Moda Black’s Jaymo & Andy George @ Black Dog Ballroom

James and I hit one of our favourite venues, Black Dog Ballroom, for a few chilled drinks before heading down to its basement area, Underdog, where Radio One In New DJs We Trust pioneers and the names behind Moda Black, Jaymo & Andy George, were to perform a live set. Being huge fans of the label and hyped for their Moda Black Vol. II compilation, the guys filled the underground space with their recognisable deep bass/house sounds which gradually had the dance floor moving and progressing from the shuffle/two-step!

We must mention Underdog’s fantastic Funktion One sound system which really added to the experience and allowed us to enjoy and appreciate the music even more; more clubs and venues should certainly invest in this. Both Jaymo and Andy George are not only insanely talented at what they do, but both were incredibly friendly and approachable, happy to talk to fans who came up to their booth and get photos taken with them. We caught them for a quick chat about being in Manchester and the anticipation of the new compilation; both lads were buzzing and could not be more excited for their next release.

We had to cut the night short so could catch the second half of Pirupa‘s set at Gorilla so we said goodbye to the guys and promoter of the night, Keiran Sharples, and agreed that we had to return to this New Wakefield venue in the near future.

Words by @SpamellaB

Gorilla & mute! Present Pirupa

To conclude our evening of madness, SpamellaB and I mooched around the corner to Gorilla to catch the second half of Pirupa’s set. A name we talked about a lot throughout 2012 but one we had yet to see in person, we were intrigued to see and hear how he would perform. Arriving to a packed club, the bass-heavy, minimal tech was pounding out of the speakers to a captive audience of drunken revellers, lost in their own worlds of simple but addictive beats.

As our first trip to the new(ish) venue, we commented on how impressed we both were with the distinctive, “under-the-arches” / “somewhere between a club and a live-performance stage” room. The high ceilings provide for a different (but welcomed) sound, in comparison to the usually low, basement rooms that we are more familiar with across town. The relatively large stage proved to be a focal point which had more in comparison with the smaller rooms at the Warehouse Project than most clubs, whilst keeping the slightly more intimate club vibes we know and love.

A huge shame we couldn’t see Thick As Thieves, Bump and the mute! DJs as there were just too many acts this weekend but we’re all really looking forward to the next opportunity to seeing them live in our awesome city of Manchester.

Words by @dmm_james.

Warehouse Project Presents Alesso & Friends

After an already amazing weekend, we decided to end it with a bang at The Warehouse Project. Heading to room 2 to check out local lad Nick Coulson, dropping some bombers including a massive mix of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’ to a huge crowd. Up next was Otto Knows, who needs no introduction with his huge success in the charts with ‘Million Voices’ and generally being huge  in the dance scene.

The WHP crowd was in the palm of his hand as he dropped some big house hits. It was great to meet Otto after his set, complimenting him on his performance, to which he explained how much he enjoyed playing his first ever set in the UK with such an awesome crowd reaction.

Next up was the hugely talented DMM favourite, Alesso. From start to finish, he went all out in his set, showing his enthusiasm and passion for the music throughout. His own track, Years, sent the crowd into a state of euphoria as part of one of the biggest and best sets I have ever seen. Hugely popular within the Victoria Warehouse venue this Easter Sunday.

Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano finished off this already amazing night with a B2B set to the more hardcore ravers who were partying until the end. This was another huge WHP night and with DMM going to virtually all the gigs last year,  the Summer will feel empty without a regular gig down in Trafford Park. We cannot wait for the finished renovations to room 1 and to see who the WHP team will be brining to Manchester from September.

Words by @KurtLee_DMM