It’s another busy week in Manchester’s clubs with musical selections ranging from returning legends such as the notorious DJ Harvey, and Daniel Wang, one of the world’s original nu-disco pioneers. As we approach the tail-end of the month, heavier sounds come courtesy of Mungos Hi-Fi and local system specialists Dub Smugglers. Enjoy.
Fri October 24
DJ Harvey - please note this event has been moved to Gorilla
One of dance music’s true legends, Harvey’s victory lap since being released from his unfortunate visa-based exile in the US continues with a headline performance. Originally scheduled to take place at The Albert Hall, this event has been moved to Gorilla. With support from his old pals The Unabombers, Harvey will be taking the reigns for the majority of the evening, working through an eclectic, far-reaching mix of classic cosmic disco, house, new wave, acid and more, all mixed and delivered in his own grinning and uniquely charismatic style. Whether you’re a convert already, or new to the modern day myth of Harvey, you’re guaranteed an evening of unfussy, old-school dancefloor pleasure. His recent LP, ‘Wildest Dreams’, is well worth checking out in advance too.
Hi Ku with Daniel Wang - Joshua Brooks, Princess Street
It’s certainly not a bad evening for disco aficionados, especially if Harvey sounds a little grandiose in price or performance, with another, albeit more low key legend taking control of Joshua Brooks for promoters Hi-Ku. Daniel Wang is a prolific selector and producer who has travelled over the course of his illustrious career from California to New York to Berlin. A keen master of melody, over the years he’s collaborated with Morgan Geist of Metro Area and Storm Queen, and built up a cult international following for his crate digging discourse, with a sound that melds the urban sounds of Chicago and Philadelphia with a more cinematic, Italo influenced side.
Mungos Hi-Fi meets Dub Smugglers Sound System - The Zoo, Grosvenor Street
Equally prolific at the heavier end of the scale, Mungos Hi-Fi and Dub Smugglers are two bona fide legends of the dub and reggae scene. A potted history of Mungos saw their inception by Tom Tatersall and Doug Payne in Glasgow in the early 2000s, and since, their ascent has seen the outfit become firm favourites at Glastonbury, Outlook and on the radio, having been championed by the likes of Mary Anne Hobbes and the late John Peel. This year’s ‘Serious Time’ LP saw collaborations with vocalists such as Warrior Queen and Soom T, but as selectors and engineers of their own phenomenal system, they remain peerless. Joining them to up the ante are Dub Smugglers, a crew based in Manchester, and already embraced into UK soundsystem culture, with further residencies at both Dimensions and Outlook festivals.
Words: John Thorp