Wax Format in April and May

Vinyl purists Wax Format celebrate two years this Spring, heading off to Ireland alongside a party in their native Manchester. Find out more here.

Jimmy Coultas

Last updated: 28th Mar 2014

Photo: The Thrillseekers

There's no doubting that technological advances have significantly changed the face of DJing in recent years, with endless possibilities now open with integration of laptops, controllers, CDJs and FX units. However, nothing can quite match the aesthetic of playing with vinyl, as the DJ fights to keep to slabs of wax in time, requiring immense concentration and delicate physical skill.

It's this that Wax Format specialize in, with their vinyl only parties going down a storm in the North of England as some of the biggest name in trance, hard house and hard dance dig out their favourite cuts, pack their record bags and descend on the club ready for some good old vinyl action.

They celebrate their second birthday this April, one month before hooking in with Irish trancers Filth for their sixth, so we've taken a look at what to expect from both events below.

Wax Format + Speeka Freeka // 20th April

Heading up proceedings at South in Manchester will be long serving trance jock Guy Ornadel, whose regular slots at Cream, Godskitchen, Homelands, Gatecrasher, Creamfields and Global Gathering helped shape the face of trance in the UK. His extensive touring everywhere from Australia to Japan, America to Canada cemented his status as a great of the genre, and a perfect talisman to lead the charge at the Birthday.

He will be joined by German producer Ronski Speed (hear a set of his above), Finnish sound engineer Orkidea, Ferry Tayle, Oliver Smith, Sam Mitcham and James Alexander for a full on journey through some of progressive house and trance most defiing moments.

SpeekaFreeka take over the courtyard with some of the biggest names in hard house and hard trance taking centre stage. The hugely influential Andy Farley, in demand Ben Stevens, Sam Townend and NRG queen Little Miss Natalie are among some of the DJs in charge of upping the ante.

Get your Wax Format + Speeka Freeka tickets here.

Filth 6th Birthday vs Wax Format // 3rd May

Wax Format up sticks from their Manchester home and head to Dublin's Voodoo Lounge to join forces with Filth. German hard trance aficionado Scot Project leads the vinyl charge, with trance stalwart The Thrillseekers (we couldn't resist revisiting his classic 'Synaesthesia' above) joining him at the top of the bill. Italian innovator Mario Piu too joins the line up, with Fred Baker and Sam Mitcham making his Irish debut.

Upstairs, Filth get the birthday celebrations underway with ever rising star Jordan Suckley at the helm. A series of high octane back to backs complete the line up, featuring Mark Leanings vs Maria Healy, Alex Ryan vs Paul Denton, Aaron Cullen vs Project 8 and loads more.