In a coup for the city’s clubbing scene, a huge venue in Manchester has been shortlisted as one of the best of its kind in the UK by this year’s DJ Mag awards.
Depot Mayfield, the home of Manchester’s infamous party series The Warehouse Project, is the only club in the north of England to make the shortlist – sitting alongside London venues Fabric, KOKO and Printworks, and Glasgow nightclub SWG3.
First opened in 2019, the 10,000 capacity venue has been home to some huge events – including MIF and Skepta’s mind-blowing futurist rave DYSTOPIA987 and Manchester Pride’s inaugural music event Pride Live, as well as innumerable shows for WHP over the past few years.
With three separate stages – Depot, Concourse and Archive – it has been home to an eclectic run of Warehouse Project shows, attracting ravers and gig-goers of all musical persuasions.
Image: WHP MCR
Image: WHP MCR
Now it has been recognised as one of the best large venues in the UK as part of the annual DJ Mag awards, widely considered to be one of (if not the) biggest authorities on the UK dance music scene.
ADVERTISEMENT
The award ceremony takes place this December 15 in London’s The Steel Yard, in what is the first IRL award show since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
This year marks the 16th edition of the awards, an annual celebration of UK talent. Positioned as a counter-balance to the global Top 100 DJs poll, DJ Mag’s Best Of British awards are a chance to shine a spotlight on the homegrown talent that continues to place the UK scene at the forefront of electronic music.
The 2022 nominations are split across 22 categories, and the awards show in December will also see the return of three editorial choice categories, Outstanding Contribution, Innovation & Excellence and Game Changer.
Also shortlisted in this year’s awards is Manchester’s ‘Baddest of them all’ producer and DJ Interplanetary Criminal, whose BOTA remix with Eliza Rose went viral this year and hit number one in the UK singles charts this September.
Interplanetary Criminal is up for two awards this year – Best Producer and Best Track – showing that Manchester is still at the forefront of the UK music scene, decades after its Hacienda heydays.
You can see the full list of DJ Mag’s 2022 awards and nominations below.
Best DJ
Anz Djrum Palms Trax Patrick Topping Tiffany Calver
Congo Natty Dance System Interplanetary Criminal Loraine James M1onthebeat
ADVERTISEMENT
Breakthrough Producer
Breaka CeeBeaats Meg Ward Nia Archives Soul Mass Transit System
Best MC/Vocalist
Bandokay MC Chickaboo Ivorian Doll Knucks Novelist
Breakthrough MC/Vocalist
ADVERTISEMENT
Bemz Chinx (OS) Iceboy Violet Jim Legxacy ShaSimone
Best Label
AD 93 ec2a Phantasy Sound Trick XL Recordings
Breakthrough Label
All Centre Over/Shadow Pretty Weird Sondela Recordings Time Is Now [Shall Not Fade]
ADVERTISEMENT
Best Album
DJ Q ‘Est. 2003’ [Local Action] Hagan ‘Textures’ [Python Syndicate] Hudson Mohawke ‘Cry Sugar’ [Warp] Kelly Lee Owens ‘LP.8’ [Smalltown Supersound] TSHA ‘Capricorn Sun’ [Ninja Tune]
Best Compilation
PinkPantheress ‘to hell with it (Remixes)’ [Parlophone] V/A ”Club Entry’ Vol. 1′ [Borne Fruits] V/A ‘Hospital Mixtape: Lens’ [Hospital Records] V/A ‘Luke Una Presents É Soul Cultura’ [Mr Bongo] V/A ‘Touching Bass presents: Soon Come’ [Touching Bass]
Best Track
ADVERTISEMENT
Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)’ [Warner Records x One House] Hamdi ‘Skanka’ [DUPLOC] Joy O ‘pinky ring’ [XL Recordings] LF System ‘Afraid To Feel’ [Warner Music] Nia Archives ‘Baianá’ [HIJINXX / Island]
Best Remix/Edit
KH ‘Looking At Your Pager’ [Ministry of Sound/Three Six Zero] Michael Bibi ‘La Murga (Michael’s Midnight Mix)’ Nick León ‘Xtasis feat. DJ Babatr (Pearson Sound Remix)’ [TraTraTrax] Tessela ‘Hackney Parrot (Bailey’s Techno Tool)’ Tirzah ‘Tectonic (FAUZIA Remix)’ [Domino]
Best Rap Album/Mixtape
CB ‘A Drillers Perspective 2’ [mayowahd] FLOHIO ‘Out Of Heart’ [AWAL] Horrid1 x Sav’O ‘Violent Siblings’ [CGM Records] Jeshi ‘Universal Credit’ [Because Music] Loyle Carner ‘hugo’ [EMI]
ADVERTISEMENT
Best Rap Track
Darkoo ‘Always feat. Black Sherif’ (Prod. by Albert kweku Koranteng) [Atlantic Records UK] Giggs x Tiny Boost ‘The Family’ (Prod. by RichMadeRecords) [Self-released] Kojey Radical feat. Lex Amor ‘War Outside’ (Prod. by Swindle & Kztheproducer) [Asylum Records UK] LD x C1 ‘Hillside Demons’ (Prod. by JS OTP & Hilzz) [24 Hour Ent] Nemzzz ‘2MS’ (Prod. by Wydsonni) [Motown Records UK / EMI]
Best Radio Show
Emma Jean Thackray, Worldwide FM Ellie Prohan, KISS FM Felix Joy Breakfast Show, SWU Pure Spice with DJ Manara, BBC Asian Network Soup To Nuts, NTS
Best Large Club
ADVERTISEMENT
Depot Mayfield, Manchester fabric, London KOKO, London Printworks, London SWG3, Glasgow
Best Small Club
Colour Factory, London Night Tales, London Strange Brew, Bristol Sub Club, Glasgow Ulster Sports Club, Belfast
Best Club Event
Club Blanco Distant Planet PXSSY PALACE Teletech Small Talk
ADVERTISEMENT
Best Festival
Houghton Festival Naked City Festival Otherlands Music & Arts Festival Outlook Festival UK Queen’s Yard Summer Party
Best Boutique Festival
Field Maneuvers Freerotation KALLIDA Festival No Bounds Festival Watching Trees Festival
Underground Hero Recognising the champions of grassroots music communities
ADVERTISEMENT
Double O & Mantra Jeremy Sylvester Lo Shea Man Power Sarah McBriar
Feature image – WHP MCR
Audio
Ravyn Lenae at Gorilla Manchester – Our ‘One Wish’ was granted
Thomas Melia
This was Ravyn Lenae’s first rodeo at Gorilla and it’s safe to say she had the Manchester crowd hooked on her live set like ‘Candy’ (sorry).
Only two lines in and three puns deep but Ravyn’s performance was nothing to joke about, especially with her to-die-for vocals and killer live accompaniment.
Her most recent album and tour are both branded, Birds Eye, and while Gorilla may not be the most panoramic place in our beautiful city to overlook the Manchester skyline, the bubbly and engaging crowd sure painted a pretty well-rounded picture of the Mancunian hospitality.
The introduction to ‘Bad Idea’ feels like a spaceship descending to earth and it couldn’t be more fitting because let’s face it, an artist this good simply can’t be living on the same planet as us she’s simply out-of-this-world.
Similarly, the follow-up ‘1 of 1’ has an identical space-tech vibe with a static-filled opening and instrumental making it a perfect predecessor. These two tunes have impressive soundscapes with the live drums even more so helping to excite a sold-out venue.
Ravyn Lenae wasn’t shy on stage, commanding the Gorilla stage.Lenae appreciating the roars of the Manchester crowd.Credit: Audio North/The Manc Group
Seven tracks into the setlist, Lenae knows how to keep Gorilla at her fingertips performing hits ‘M.I.A’, ‘The Night Song’ and ‘Candy’ back-to-back-to-back – easily the holy trinity of track runs on this tour.
Taken from her debut outing Hypnos, the afrobeats and lo-fi inspired ‘M.I.A’ doubles as a dancefloor filler and an instant crowd pleaser, ironically we were lost in the music.
The middle of this three-track-run ‘The Night Song’ keeps spirits high and boosts our confidence as the 25-year-old has us singing, “Hair down, feeling alright/ Got my edges on tight, It’s a party tonight”.
Her sweet-named album track ‘Candy’ jet sets us to a tropical paradise with its reggae-fused rhythms, and after a full ten minutes of side-stepping and attempting to dance, the cold temperature outside didn’t even cross the crowd’s mind.
Besides being some of her best numbers, these three upbeat tunes take us through a small piece of her past three projects with each of the singles featuring on a different respective release from 2018 all the way up to present day.
Nothing but love from Ravyn Lenae and her crew for the Mancs.Lost in music, Lenae and band at Gorilla, Manchester.Credit: The Manc Group
Steve Lacy produced ‘Sticky’ was another standout, her rocker chic-esque vocal style flaunts all over the live band’s arrangement as she flaunts, ‘What did you do?/ Got me confused’.
‘One Wish’ was ethereal; I may have an unfair bias with this single being my personal favourite in the American star’s discography, but the vocal delivery and Lenae’s characterisation elevated this to new heights – even better than its original studio recording, maybe.
Manchester never misses the chance for an encore, especially not when it’s the plucky guitar bop ‘Love Me Not’. Up there with one of her best.
The crowd erupted as Lenae asked, “You want one more?”, before whistling, “See right now I need you, I’ll meet you somewhere now”, it was obvious concertgoers wanted this show wasn’t done.
The Manchester date marks the final show of the whole tour and Lenae was feeling very reflective during song breaks, telling the buzzy crowd, “I’m so grateful that I still get to tour this part of the world and I appreciate you all braving the cold for me”.
When you’re getting to witness someone as remarkable as Chicago-born singer Ravyn Lenae, a little bit of nippy Manchester weather is nothing!
The Pogues announce Manchester gig on first tour since death of frontman Shane MacGowan
Danny Jones
The Pogues have announced their first UK tour since the death of former frontman, Shane MacGowan, with Manchester one of just half a dozen cities chosen.
Nearly a full year on from his death at just 65, the Anglo-Irish favourites best known for their eternal Christmas classic, ‘Fairytale of New York’, are gearing up for their first outing since their iconic lead singer’s passing as a celebration of his life and their seminal second album.
It’s been 13 years since their last headline tour shortly before their split and it will be 40 years since the release of Rum Sodomy and the Lash by the time they hit the road along with special guests.
Safe to say it’ll be an emotional series of shows for everyone involved.
The Pogues return in 2025 for their first UK Tour since 2012 to celebrate 40 years of Rum Sodomy & the Lash Ft James Fearnley, Jem Finer, Spider Stacy & special guests. Tickets go on sale 9:30am Fri 22 Nov. Sign up at https://t.co/PxhZ8bnwBA by 5pm on 19 Nov for presale access ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/hFACjdf7yc
Revealing just six shows here in the UK, the long-standing band are set to play their sophomore release in full as well as a selection of their greatest hits.
The tour will feature remaining original members James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Peter Richard ‘Spider’ Stacy, as well as a series of support that are yet to be confirmed.
Speaking on the upcoming dates, The Pogues said: “After the uproarious bash which was the 40th anniversary of our first record, Red Roses for Me, in 2024, we wanted to do it again, but with Rum Sodomy & the Lash.”
The music veterans are remaining tight-lipped about who they’re bringing along but they have promised their selections have been “thoughtfully chosen”.
With MacGowan, lead guitarist Philip Chevron (2013), bassist Darryl Hunt (2022) and long-time collaborator Kirsty MacColl (2000) now having passed away, the band will be roping in plenty of help on vocals and instrumentation.
Even though the gigs themselves will be coming at the of next spring, you can rest assured you’ll get to hear your beloved festive ballad.
Kicking off the tour in Leeds, The Pogues will play their first Manchester show in over a decade – and without Shane MacGowan front and centre – at the O2 Apollo on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.
Georgina Pellant -
30th November 2022 
