Yousef presents Circus at The Warehouse Project review

The Warehouse Project marks the clubbing transition from summer to autumn, festivals to raves. The sun-drenched open air stages are no more, and now it’s getting cold and we want warehouses filled with writhing bodies - and no one better than the Manchester powerhouse.

The dance music institution serves ridiculously brilliant line ups year after year, and if you manage to make a decision between them, and get them before they sell out (some tickets – like the elrow night, were like gold dust) you’ll experience one of the best nights of your life. Guaranteed. 

The Circus night was amongst the most in demand for this series. The brand, which was developed by Liverpool-based DJ Yousef, conquered Parklife this year and has become as renowned in Manchester as it is at the neighbouring city. Yousef's prestige spans the globe, unsurprisingly therefore he managed to organise one of the stand out line-ups in an already flawless WHP season which included big names like The Martinez Brothers and Loco Dice. 

You have to be prepared for a marathon when you go to WHP. Circus began at 8:00pm and finished at 5:30am, with last entry at 9:30. So make sure you’re wearing suitable foot wear cause that’s a lot of dancing. The line-up doesn’t save the best till last either, but spreads them out across the hours.

The night kicked off with Lewis Boardman on the decks who masterfully warmed up the crowd, teasing us with techno beats. Next came Yousef himself, who sent the warehouse wild with a thumping remix of Notorious B.I.G's 'Hypnotize'.

After his incredible set we took a trip to the slightly smaller second room to watch Circus’ less renowned but very talented duo Acid Mondays. Their ‘hallucinogenic house’, as they like to call it, went together perfectly with the pulsing lights that turn the second room into a trippy tunnel. 

There was a third room also on offer, with a chill out area in between that had wooden crates to sit on and rest those weary raving legs. This room was unusually spacious and allowed for some serious dancing to be done. Especially when DJ Theo Kottis was playing feel-good groovy tunes like Salif Keita’s 'Madan' (Exotic Disco Mix). 

Other stand out moments included B-Traits' intense techno set and new phenomenon Solardo; a couple of local Manchester lads whose career has massively blown up this year. They didn’t disappoint, playing belters like Ninetoes 'Finder' which pulled people up from their seats, suddenly re-energised. Their set was lapped up by all that danced in a sweaty euphoria into the early hours of the morning. 

Tickets are still on offer for some incredible nights at WHP, so pick a party and get ready to rave, you won't regret it. 

Find upcoming WHP events and tickets.

Read more: Solardo Interview: It takes two