Circus Christmas Special at Camp and Furnace review

Images: Gary Brown

Knowing full well that we would all be sick and tired of turkey and cracker jokes, Yousef and the team at Circus knew exactly how to give the post-Christmas blues a kick by throwing a phenomenal festive shindig at Liverpool's Camp and Furnace.  

With a line-up rivalling most that were curated anywhere in the UK over the past 12 months, we were spoiled for choice, with each of the three arenas featuring an equally tempting array of DJs to excite our ears and motivate our moves on the dancefloor.

Entering the party amongst a crew of eager partygoers we headed straight into to The Blade Factory, the smallest arena of the three, which was already bustling with beats – exactly the welcome we needed having braced the gale-force winds outside. 

Whitewashed stone walls glowing under flashing neon strips provided an alternative surrounding to your usual Christmas party, adorned with pop art-esque graffiti, this space had dark but refreshing edge. 

Lauren Lo Sung was already executing a full-on set that encompassed her trademark sound of deep beats and soul-shaking drops. The Liverpool-based DJ's talents are renowned when it comes to showcasing the very best of modern techno, her skills behind the decks enable the sounds to be twisted, the highs enhanced and beats dropped with power.   

We moved on from Lauren's set into The Camp where Jamie Jones was eager to display his party tricks – and they were impressive. The atmosphere surrounding this enormous space was unreal, filled with an enthusiastic crowd who were ready to give Jamie their devoted attention.

The Hot Creations head honcho provided the heat from the off, providing a soundtrack of relentless, dirty techno sprinkled with bright, warm, melodic sections.

There were countless moments where our eyes were transfixed on the stage as we watched in awe of his work behind the decks, providing us with our very own slice of the ambiance he created during his summer residency at Paradise Ibiza. 

The Welshman can be hailed for inspiring a new generation of techno lovers, and this was apparent in The Camp as they bounced with hands in the air in response to the rip-roaring beats emitted from the sound system, the delicate array of fairy lights adorning the industrial ceiling swinging frantically due to the vibrations filling the air.  

Jamie's energy didn't dwindle, and neither did the crowd's. We evolved into an acid house inspired half hour of piano fuelled tracks, which was the perfect way to hand over the headphones to the world's most experienced and well respected DJ's. 

By now, the floor was well trodden and shoes covered in rave mud, however we knew the journey was not over as the room erupted in appreciation of Sasha, a legend of the electronic scene and an absolute genius when it comes to taking the crowd on an adventure. 

Sasha knows no boundaries, we had no idea what genre to expect or whether we'd be treated to current or classic sounds. In fact, we were delighted by both, with a set that spanned across a wealth of styles, largely inspired by the tracks championed on his Last Night On Earth label. 

A truly beautiful experience began to unfold as Sasha started with a progressive, melodic affair which ascended into some classic ‘big room’ moments as things took a classic slant with undertones of acid and early naughties progressive house. Sasha, always the innovator, made the sound current, his expert crowd skills tapping in to exactly what we were feeling on the dance floor.

By now it was clear that only the experienced partygoers remained -  those who could still manage to respond with an abundance of energy, positivity and enthusiasm despite being on their feet for a whole day’s dancing. We received a real treat, as we continued to be enthralled by Sasha’s ecstatic set, which evolved in the way only his could. 

The mood elevated continuously, everyone was smiling, strangers were hugging and a family feel filled the dancefloor as people gathered with their arms around each other for the final track that left us on an absolute high from a night of pure decadence due to the sheer talent we had witnessed.

Leaving the twinkling fairy lights of The Camp behind, revellers chatted enthusiastically about the quality of the night. Circus left us reminiscing about the amazing music we had witnessed throughout the year and how we felt thoroughly satisfied by our most indulgent treat of the festive season – the amazing Christmas Special.

Read more: Sasha Interview: Old school manners, new school techniques