Back in the day, nightclubs used to be a places of freedom, hedonism, and total abandon. These days, it’s a different story, as it’s not unusual to see punters whipping out their phones throughout the night to get that all-too-coveted Insta stories moment.
But some clubs have said enough is enough. These institutions want revellers to enjoy the music instead of experiencing the night through their phone screens. Now one of the UK’s biggest nightclubs, the Warehouse Project (WHP) in Manchester has announced a new no phones policy for its upcoming season.
WHP joins the likes of London’s Fold, fabric and Manchester’s Amber’s in its phone-free dancefloor. The new rule was announced alongside the line-up for the venue’s 2025 season, which starts on September 6 and takes place in Depot Mayfield.
Take note: not every WHP event will be phones-free. The no phones policy will only apply to specific events held in the venue’s smaller room, Concourse.
According to WHP, these Concourse-only shows will aim to build a ‘deeper audience connection’ by ‘encouraging fans to stay in the moment, immerse themselves in the music, and connect with those around them and the artists, without the filter of a screen’. WHP also promises to share official photos and videos with attendees at the end of the event, meaning they can still have a few snaps in their camera roll of the night.
Sam Kandel, founder of Warehouse Project, said: ‘We want to take the clubbing experience back to its core, which is being in a room with like-minded people feeling connected through music. We also want people to have a piece of the night to remember it by and share with friends, which is why we are sharing our amazing content with everyone at the end of the evening.’
The club’s Concourse-only shows will feature headline sets from Annie Mac, DJ Heartstring, D.O.D, &ME and ANOTR. Other events will see the likes of Fisher, Sammy Virji, Dom Dolla, Overmono and Confidence Man behind the decks.
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