Northwest Clubbing Highlights – November 2013

Remember, remember, the fifth of November? With our guide to the month's top appearances, from Patrice Scott to Ben Pearce via Amir, we're afraid you probably won't

Feature by Daniel Jones | 29 Oct 2013

Guy Fawkes: nice plan, shame about the execution. Seriously though, being set ablaze on top of a big pile of sticks every year for 400 years is a pretty raw deal for anybody to take. Anyway, here’s a selection of nights that you’ll probably struggle to remember, remember.

Pinch, punch, first real night of the month comes at Islington Mill on 1 Nov, when the guys at Bohemian Grove bring in one of the true rulers of the deep, Patrice Scott (£10). Head of Sistrum Records, Scott has worked closely with the likes of Efdemin, Fred P and Levon Vincent in recent years and will no doubt deliver a set of high-grade hypnotic substance when he rolls into Salford, beanie hat and all. The night runs from 10pm to 8am; encouraging news for any morning larks hoping to catch the first train home. If that’s not for you, there's Wet Play's Supernatural Showbiz Jamboree with Johnny Abstract at The Dancehouse (£5), or you can go see Dauwd play 2022NQ under the Coded Rhythm banner on the same night (£5 early birds). He’s what Burial would sound like if he spent less time moping around abandoned car parks.

The second part of a quickfire double at 2022NQ sees So Flute team up with Kat and No Fakin on 2 Nov to present the musical fountain of knowledge that is Amir. One for all the boogie freaks out there, he’ll be connecting the dots between funk, soul and R&B while laying down timeless disco cuts from Boston, NYC and beyond (£6 early birds, £8 advance). Your other choice is to head over to Soup Kitchen to catch Bleak and South London Ordnance causing havoc below Spear Street. If you somehow manage to get your hands on the last bowl of soup of the day, then expect Jurassic Park-style ripples minus the T-Rex (2 Nov, £6 early birds, £10 advance).

Early action in Liverpool includes a fairly fresher-friendly Chibuku lineup: Redlight, Breach and DJ Fresh all play the East Village Arts Club on 2 Nov (£16), while the following weekend (9 Nov) gets into gear with Medlar in the Shipping Forecast basement. One of three resident producers for WOLF Music, Medlar has been on fire for the past two years churning out a string of EPs and quality edits for the likes of Steffi, Noodleman and James Welsh. The first batch of tickets sold out, but get down early enough and we’re sure the boys from Hustle will squeeze you in for less than a tenner.

Fast-forward to 16 Nov and Chibuku flex their promoting-fund muscles again by hosting another load of household names on one night: Dusky, T Williams, Cyril Hahn and Klangkarussell all feature at East Village Arts Club, as does Manchester’s own Ben Pearce (£16). Five days later, and Abandon Silence round off the autumn season by delivering Bicep for three hours straight. The Belfast duo have catapulted themselves even closer to superstardom this year, having hooked up with Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford on cheeky 12” single Sacrifice. Support comes in the form of LA-based wonderboy Urulu (21 Nov, £10).

Back in Manchester, and it’s a big one as Joshua Brooks opens its doors to Parisian funkateer and all-round badman Arnaud Bernard – aka Onra – on 8 Nov (£10). Expect therapeutic hip-hop flecked with R&B and Vietnamese pop of the highest calibre. Props to Hi Ku for securing both DJ and live sets too; the prospect of witnessing this guy’s dual MPC skills firsthand is a very rare treat indeed.

A week later at Soup Kitchen and it’s a welcome return to the Northwest for Night Slugs’ prize jockey Jam City (15 Nov, £5). With only his name on the bill, it’s shaping up to be a one-man, five-hour slugfest of epic proportions. Elsewhere on 15 Nov, 2022NQ provides shelter for Ghosting Season with Cloud Boat, Oli Byrne and former Sankeys mainstay Jozef K (£5); alternatively, get the talc out for Black Bee Soul Club at Kraak Gallery, where residents Paul Bailey and Sam McEwen will be exhibiting proof that you don’t need a thumping 4/4 kick in order to get down with your bad self. They’re joined on the night by Brent Howarth and Brian ‘45’ Phillips – great value for £3 advance.

Now, if we told you that Dave Seaman was DJing down a series of labyrinthine underground tunnels somewhere in Edge Hill then you’d be forgiven for thinking that we at The Skinny are a few sarnies short of a picnic. In fact, the Dave Seaman in question is former editor of Mixmag and current head of Selador Records, and has never sported a ponytail in his life. It’s worth heading down on 23 Nov just to check out how Liverpool's Williamson Tunnels fare as a venue (£10); while on the same night at HAUS Warehouse there’s a night of psytrance courtesy of Soma Sonic. It’s their eighth birthday party, featuring Kasatka and Orchid Star (23 Nov, £10).

Young gun Lauren Lo Sung and dubmaster general Benny Page are both in Manchester on 22 Nov at Kraak and Sound Control respectively (both £5). Decisions, decisions. There are even more choices to make the following weekend, as Santé rocks up to South on 29 Nov alongside floppy-haired honey magnet Sidney Charles (£10 early bird, £12 advance), and Dry Bar welcomes the prolific Belgian producer Kolombo for the Symmetry launch party (£15). On that Friday in Liverpool, you can also catch former Haçienda DJ Greg Wilson going back-to-back with longtime school friend Derek Kaye at Fallout Factory (29 Nov, £13.50).

The Warehouse Project draws the month to a close on 30 Nov with Movement Detroit: it’s a mixed bag as Chez Damier and Levon Vincent are joined by Loco Dice, Scuba, Marcel Dettmann and headliner Sven Väth. The only two guys who are actually from the D are best mates Kyle Hall and Jay Daniel, the latter being the latest bright DJ talent to emerge from the Motor City. Oh, and Andrew Weatherall will surely shake things up as well, like the proverbial cat among pigeons that he is. It’s sold out, but keep your eyes out. Me-ow.

Ticket prices are advance unless otherwise specified; some events may be more on the door