Northwest Clubbing Highlights – May 2014

The sun is shining, and what better way to celebrate than to pack yourself into a dark room with hundreds of sweaty punters who are all clambering furiously for fresh air

Preview by Jack Burns | 29 Apr 2014

This month kicks off with Groove Kitchen at the Roadhouse, who welcome veteran plate spinner Nik Weston on 1 May. Weston has been supported by the likes of Gilles Peterson and Jazzanova, and has put out over 100 releases on labels in the US, Europe and Japan. His own imprint, Mukatsuku Records, is also going strong. A day later and there’s a big night at Kraak Gallery as Lost Control bring in some hot Northwest talent – including Perseus Traxx, Asok and Acre – for a night of sure-fire carnage just off Stevenson Square. Cop a ticket for a fiver!

There’s a bank holiday special on 3 May at Soup Kitchen, with two of the finest clubnights of recent years being represented. JG Wilkes, boss of Glaswegian powerhouse Optimo, joins Luke Unabomber of Electric Chair fame to curate a five-hour marathon of unadulterated revelry (£5). Over in Liverpool, bank holiday weekend gets going with mUmU on 4 May, who welcome the dynamic pairing of Marcel Dettmann and Ryan Elliott (£21). Avoiding all Star Wars puns, mUmU’s bank holiday parties have been legendary over the last few years, and the prospect of Elliott by day and Dettmann by night – over the course of 12 hours in two venues – is certainly an enticing one.

Same day at The Garage in Liverpool sees Catherine Britton, aka Cassy, return to her homeland for one night only (£15). Cassy left England for Austria with her father in the mid-70s, before moving to Berlin in 2003 to rub shoulders with Ricardo Villalobos, Steve Bug and the Perlon crew. If that wasn’t enough, 4 May is also the date that Motion host Liverpool’s own John Heckle at Fallout Factory. Heckle has been DJing around the city from the age of 15 and is revered for his technical ability and affinity for hardware.

Evian Christ and MssingNo are on offer in both cities this month, at The Shipping Forecast on 4 May (£7), and Joshua Brooks on 9 May (£6). Evian Christ first turned heads with his Kings & Them EP on Tri Angle, and since then he's been roped in by Kanye West to aid production of his Yeezus record. MssingNo makes his Manchester debut fresh off the back of the huge XE2 last year on the fantastically named label Goon Club Allstars. They’ll be joined by Georgia Girls, who brings his jersey/grime-infused club sounds to the table.

Back in Manny, Vice City appreciators Fever 105 provide shelter for Madrid groove-shark Rayko on 9 May (£6) at Odder. Rayko has been a leading light in the disco edit scene since 2008, the year he launched his magnificent Rare Wiri imprint. Expect an evening steeped in disco, funk and boogie. Over at Soup Kitchen on 10 May, the guys at meandyou. fly Dutch photographer and producer Nick Lapien over from the Netherlands to conduct his Metropolis live show. Lapien has steadily been gaining the attention of the underground with releases under various aliases, including Metropolis, Lapien and Napel, as well as in the group Artefakt. Atmospheric techno, electro and ambient are all on the menu for £5.

A week later, and across the M60, fledgling Scouse clubnight Shake A Leg welcomes Mancunian mainstay Will Tramp! to The Shipping Forecast on 17 May. A versatile individual, Tramp has graced nearly every stage in the Northwest over recent years with his eclectic mix of house, disco and the occasional bit of cheese. Crowd-friendly party vibes aplenty for £5. But, if you’re based in Manchester, you may choose an evening with Aesthetic Audio don Keith Worthy instead. The Bohemian Grove residents will also be on hand to rattle the foundations of Islington Mill ‘til the early morn (£10).

We’re very excited for Cutloose’s loft party on 24 May at The Roadhouse, which welcomes Idjut Boys for an intimate night of dub-heavy disco on a high-end system. All profits go to Pancreatic Cancer Research, so you’ll even feel good about giving away £10 for the ticket. Spaces are limited so it’s an RSVP-only affair – no tickets on door. The tail-end of the month also sees a huge lineup at Sankeys for the Selective Hearing x Dimensions launch party. Ostgut Ton collaborator and Berghain resident Ben Klock tops the bill, playing an extended three-hour set. Playing alongside the big man are Dystopian Records' Rødhåd, Dial's John Roberts with a live set, as well as Ukranian deep-house man of the moment Vakula (£10 adv).

Elsewhere, Lauren Lo Sung and Sable Sheep join forces for Carpe Diem (which should really be called Carpe Noctem) on 31 May at The Boutique, Liverpool. Sable Sheep is part of Matthias Tanzmann's Moon Harbour label and agency family following his recent debut Keep It Rough, which has garnered high profile support from tastemakers worldwide (£5). On the same day, Abandon Silence throw their fourth birthday party at the Kazimier, and it’s a big one. German duo Session Victim are to play a saliva-inducing live set, supported by the likes of Unkwn and the No Fakin’ DJs, all for less than a tenner (£9).

So, there you have it. Whatever you end up doing, don’t forget to plan ahead – there’s plenty to chew over.

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