Live Review: Hacienda 40 at Warehouse Project

As someone who was born in 1999 and brought up on a steady diet of guitar music, my only knowledge of the Hacienda days was sculpted through what my parents told me and videos I had seen on YouTube. In a nutshell, I didn’t know much about it at all, but the one thing I did know is that it was simply legendary. 

So when it was time to set off to see some of the Hacienda’s most legendary artists, I left with an open mind, eager to soak in as much history through each set as possible. Here’s what I got up to.

Arriving a little later than planned (typical), we squeezed into The Plant Room at around 16:30 to check out what Mark XTC was spinning. Firstly, what a room! As the name suggests, the room (that’s part of Escape To Freight Island) is covered in foliage. Once we settled, we weaved our way closer to the front to enjoy Mark XTC’s euphoric classic Hacienda vibes. The crowd was mixed between ex-ravers reliving their youth without a care in the world and youngsters who probably wished they were born a few decades earlier.

After Mark XTC, we wandered for a bit to check out the food stalls, the venue, soak up the atmosphere and settle in. We stopped by Tom Wainwright’s and Graeme Park’s sets, the crowds looking much fuller and a bit livelier at this point. One regret we had at the end of the night was not sticking around longer for Tom and Graeme's sets. We were just so caught up in the other brilliant sets that we lost track of time. But even in the short time we were at Graeme’s sets, it was an honour to witness how much he loves what he does and the crowds he plays for. 

At 17:55, it was time to see 808 State. Again, I had  no idea what to expect, but they blew me away. They played live and used drums, keyboards, and a saxophone which was absolutely unreal when they performed Pacific State, a staple Ibiza and Hacienda tune that will simply never get old. 808’s set had the perfect mix of uptempo dancey tunes and those afterparty tracks. This was definitely the highlight of the night so far. 

We then stopped by Bobby Langley’s set at the sweat box Star and Garter. He spun timeless classics, such as Street Player (Dance Remix), got everyone in the mood for a proper party, and even came down from the stage to hug a couple of passionate audience members. What a guy. 

At this point, the reality of realising we had quite a few set clashes to navigate was kicking in. As was the alcohol. But we decided to see what kind of party the House Gospel Choir were hosting. And let me say, it did not disappoint at all. Once we somehow squeezed into the overflowing Archive, the choir dropped banger after banger, blessing the crowd with their infectious energy, leading us in chants, and even teaching us a simple dance. Their stage presence was unparalleled and, in my opinion, they easily could’ve been on a bigger stage. 

Back at the Depot after the choirs set, Happy Mondays were fashionably late for their set. Despite their age, Bez seems to have as much energy as ever, wearing audience members' bucket hats, posing for pictures, and lifting his maracas in the air. The Mondays filled their set with all the tunes you’d expect, including Kinky Afro, Step On, Loose Fit, Twenty Four Hour Party People, and Hallelujah (Club Mix). While their set was good, the sound wasn’t the best. The venue is amazing for DJ sets, but it seems live bands fall flat with the guitar and keys buried under bass.

After a break for some salt and pepper chips, we checked out Marshall Jefferson. While he spun plenty of bangers, his set wasn’t what we’d hoped. It seemed to lack any build in tension and any “drops”. Instead, he played song after song, which got a bit monotonous. So we went back to the Depot for Orbital. The visuals at the Depot were amazing throughout, especially during 808 State. But at Orbital - they were something else. 

Almost the entire stage was taken over by huge screens playing images that ranged from lava-lamp-like blobs to geometric lasers and scenery. Another amazing set, Orbital balanced hard-hitting thumping tunes with cinematic tracks that make you feel like you’re in a movie. And the bass was deep enough that the hairs on my arm were vibrating - the perfect volume, if you ask me. 

Photo: Orbital / Facebook.com 

Finally, Kerri Chandler closed the night in the Concourse. Similar to Marshall Jefferson, we were a bit disappointed here. It felt like he was just playing song after song without building much tension between them or creating “drops”. But the tracks he was playing we brilliant, as were the stage and lighting. 

All in all, it was a fantastic night that saw multiple generations come together to appreciate the legendary, era-defining sounds of yesteryear's rave scene. If you enjoy a welcoming, relaxed, carefree atmosphere and crowds dancing like it’s their last chance, Hacienda 40 at Warehouse Project would have been your dream.  

If you missed out on Hacienda 40, you can still catch one of the other stunning Warehouse Project events before its season ends for the year. Click or tap here to discover all upcoming Warehouse Project events.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even 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: Orbital / Facebook.com