With both institutions celebrating a decade’s worth of work in Manchester this year, it makes more than a little sense for The Warehouse Project and Manchester International Festival to collaborate during the festival’s bi-annual run for 2015, beginning July 2. Rounding off the celebrations over two weeks later, the two 10x10 shows will take place at Mayfield Depot, a dramatic disused railway depot beside Piccadilly itself, and involve some of the world’s foremost electronic DJs, producers and bands.
The first show, taking place on Friday July 17, is Four Tet - Live in Concert, either ahead of or potentially coinciding with the release of his much awaited follow up to 2012’s anthemic yet understated ‘Beautiful Rewind’. Kieran Hebden may also be a prolific DJ, but his dynamic and unpredictable live set has always been a thing of beauty, skirting the fringes between experimental electronica and transcendent club moment. Joining him are ex-Battles frontman and precociously talented multi-instrumentalist Thayondia Braxton, as well as club favourite Koreless.
The following day sees a huge party beginning at 2pm and running for a whole twelve hours, featuring some of the most consistently popular and best respected DJs who’ve featured at The Warehouse Project since its beginnings, and a host of live acts, some performing at the event for the first time. Detroit legends Carl Craig and Mike Banks headline the suitably desolate space, and will be joined by the likes of Joy Orbison, DJ Koze, Midland, Kyle Hall, Maurice Fulton and a whole host of mind expanding, underground live favourites.
Adding some variety away from the decks, techno pioneers Octave One are scheduled to perform live, alongside new school UK bass sorts Dark Sky, while gritty, vinyl-only purists Paranoid London will showcase their analogue and somewhat sleazy aesthetic. Manchester itself is well represented, with Hoya Hoya’s Illum Sphere appearing, along with basement party pioneers The Unabombers, while WHP residents Krysko and Greg Lord will be putting in a doubtlessly crowd moving shift too.
Tickets for 10x10 go on sale to MIF members next Thursday (May 7), with the rest released on the following day, with both batches online at 10am. With a capped capacity and massive demand to witness such impressive lineups in such a unique space, clubbers are expected to act fast. As with all MIF events, concessions will be available, as will a limited number of £12 tickets available to Manchester residents on a lower wage.
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