Review: Hustle Boxing Night with Danny Krivit

Image: Samantha Milligan

For years Hustle have strived (and succeeded) to bring music of the past to revellers of the present, along with welcoming some of dance music’s true greats to the city of Liverpool. It takes a certain type of artist to spark the kind of excitement we experienced first-hand on Boxing Night when Hustle prepared for a colossal 12 hour event with Danny Krivit at the helm. 

House music has taken over. Everywhere you look there’s a new or already established night promising the best in the genre, with the same bookings cropping up over and over again. That’s why it’s so incredibly refreshing when a night brings something different to the cards and unveils a headline artist with an unprecedented and unique influence on the scene we see today. 

The genuine focus on quality over quantity sets Hustle apart from the rest. They strive to bring their favourite artists to the city and by no means do they cut corners in the process. They pride themselves on catering to a more mature musical palette, and we quickly got to grips with why they are hailed as one of the city’s main groove peddlers. 

The Boxing Day event took place in Hustle's spiritual home, The Magnet. When making your way downstairs to the basement area of the venue, you are greeted with an abundance of vintage details that make you feel like you've stepped straight into a speakeasy. 

There's an undeniable warmth within every room in The Magnet; the mesmerising blend of vibrant oranges and dusky reds, burnt ambers and rich maroons. Seventies themed throughout, the red leather padded seating booths make for the ultimate place to sit before the night kicks off properly and illuminated signs, one reading ‘Relax, you’re at Magnet’, encouraged us to do exactly that. 

The dancefloor filled up as Danny Krivit took his spec behind the decks. A dab hand at reworking the sounds of classic funk, soul and disco into club-ready tracks, the New York DJing legend bounced between delectable classics and harder house tracks, taking the crowd down and then jerking them back up with a track with a bit more bite. 

The crowd were at either end of the age spectrum, some youngsters and a host of rave veterans. The intimate and ultimately close-knit set up, welcomed both generations. Everyone was there for the music, resulting in feel good vibes from start to finish.  

Krivit's set oozed sexiness, the dreamy vocals in tracks like Dennis Ferrer's 'How Do I Let Go' (listen above) left the crowd craving more of the same.  He seamlessly fluttered between hip-shaking grooves and soulful house, taking the Hustle crowd on a musical journey from start to finish. 

Krivit dropping Masters At Work's track 'Work' was a particular highlight, as the crowd chanted the lyrics back to him both the DJ and the room sported infectious smiles as they two-stepped and twirled around the dancefloor. 

Everything about The Magnet as a venue suits Hustle, and everything about Hustle suits Danny Krivit's signature style. It was a mega booking that pushed against the grain and gave us a much needed breath of clubbing fresh air.   

Hustle bring in the New Year with Jimpster tonight at The Magnet. Head here for your Jimpster tickets.

Check out our complete New Year's Eve guide here.

Tickets are no longer available for this event