Barry Can’t Swim in Liverpool review: Beaming smiles all around

A stone’s throw from Liverpool City Centre lies Blackstone Street Warehouse. Situated on Liverpool’s cold and blustery North Dock, the venue hosted an exceptional lineup on Saturday, featuring three firm favourites: Barry Can’t Swim, Skin On Skin, and Kettama. 

With many having faced failed attempts to witness these artists at The Warehouse Project in Manchester, the decision was made to seek out a new and exciting rave venue for three of the hottest names on the scene right now. Enter Blackstone Street Warehouse, offering a fresh perspective and a promising day-rave experience. 

Photo: ENRG / Instagram.com 

With it being a day rave, getting there and back from Manchester was super easy and cost a tenner with a railcard. If you live in Manchester and fancy a bit of a change of scenery for a rave, going to Liverpool for a day event should definitely be something on your radar. 

Going to a new rave venue is always exhilarating - the thrill of approaching the doors and taking the first step inside a mammoth disused warehouse filled with heavy bass and dancing strobes is an unbeatable feeling. 

Photo: ENRG / Instagram.com 

La La was playing the earlier afternoon slot, and the crowd went wild when they heard her drop the bootleg of U sure do - the video of her dropping this tune went viral on TikTok over the summer. Standing by the barrier, it was almost unbelievable that Barry Can’t Swim would be on next, and that it was relatively easy to get so close to the front. It had been nearly impossible to even get close to the front for his sets this year, with the stage at capacity for him both at El Dorado and WHP, to name just a few. 

While he provided the soundtracks to summer 2023, it was interesting to see how his set fared against the four walls of a warehouse whilst it was snowing outside. However, his upbeat, bright selection of tunes, weaving in his classics, transported everyone back to those summer months with beaming smiles on their faces. 

Photo: ENRG / Instagram.com 

Skin On Skin’s Burn Dem Bridges was a highlight tune of the night, with the thumping drums on the track encouraging the crowd to throw their fists in the air and belt ‘IF IT AIN’T GANG, I’LL BURN THEM BRIDGES’.  

Blackstone Street Warehouse embodied the essence of a rave. Plenty of space, reasonable drink prices, and an insane selection of acts for the lineup. It was a breath of fresh air and demonstrated that the Liverpool rave scene shouldn’t be overlooked.  

Abi White 

With upcoming events featuring huge brands like Cream and WAH, and artists like blk., Bou, Hannah Laing, and more, click or tap here to find upcoming events at Blackstone Street Warehouse. Or click or tap here to follow ENRG events and stay updated with their events. 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

Header image credit: ENRG / Instagram.com