It’s now just a week until The Warehouse Project Rotterdam and knowing how good a weekend is at Depot Mayfield, we can’t wait to see what a full bank holiday is like on tour in the Netherlands.
The Warehouse Project was recently voted the best club night in the world (yes, the world), so you know for a fact that their first foray into hosting abroad is going to be just as impressive.
Now, if you’re anything like us then you need to plan ahead of any festival, let alone one overseas, so we thought we’d put together a little gig guide for anyone attending or even those of you who are still on the fence.
Let’s start with the easy stuff: The Warehouse Project Rotterdam kicks off on Friday, 28 April and runs until Sunday, meaning you still have the bank holiday Monday to recover and make your way back home.
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Situated over at RDM Rotterdam, an old shipbuilding facility located on the docks of the city’s canal system, this warehouse of choice can cram in around 5,000 people, so it’s going to be quite the atmosphere in there.
The party kicks off at 8pm on the Friday with curfew at 4am and it’s the same closing time on Saturday only you can get there from 6pm; Sunday is even earlier start at 2pm with a midnight curfew, but you’ll probably be thankful for it in the morning.
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Are there still tickets left?
Yes, lucky for you there are still tickets for WHP Rotterdam and depending on your plans for the weekend you can either grab a single general admission day ticket for £60 for Friday/Saturday and just £45 for Sunday, or secure yourself a full weekend pass for £150 that will cover you for all three days.
Better still, as well as the full WHP Rotterdam weekender pass, if you’re interested in any of the boat and after parties, they’ll only set you back £20 plus booking fee.
Lastly, if you really fancy treating yourself for the weekend, there is the option to upgrade to VIP after booking for £49 per person, which includes Fastlane entry, VIP Toilets and a private bar. Boujee.
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WHP Rotterdam Lineup
As for who you’ll be seeing, in case you haven’t peeped it already, the lineup for WHP Rotterdam is absolutely insane — well up there with any night you could hope for back in 0161 — with big names across all three nights.
With the likes of Bicep, Peggy Gou, Overmono, Seth Troxler, DJ EZ and many more on the bill, it’s easy to see why WHP Rotterdam is set to be one of the biggest nights of the year.
As if this wasn’t enough, you’ve also got boat parties and after-parties once the sets are said and done, and you can also download the official WHP app for a full list of set times to make sure you manage your clashes and don’t miss a second. Here’s who you’ll be seeing:
When it comes to where you can stay for the Rotterdam weekender, there are still a handful of rooms left at the main WHP accommodation hub, King Kong Hostel, which will also be featuring exclusive pre-parties in their in-house bar. Here’s what it has to offer:
King Kong Hotel & Hostel
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Award-winning hostel and hotel in Witte de Withstraat (cool district)
Movie lounge, live entertainment and bar
Mixture of dorms and stylish private rooms from just £50 per person
You can add any available rooms that are left to the rest of your booking and even if choose to simply book an Airbnb as well, RDM Rotterdam isn’t far from the city centre anyway, so getting back and forth won’t involve the usual stress that often follows going to a festival.
Travel
Speaking of travel, there will be shuttle services running from a few key locations in Rotterdam to RDM, including the after-parties after the event.
There are also water taxis which can help ferry you around to and from the venue, not to mention around the city, with more than 50 mooring points available.
As for how you get to Rotterdam itself, well that’s up to you; you can get a Eurostar train from London, a ferry from either Hull, Newcastle or Harwich, or even get WHP coach pick-up from around £90.
You can find out plenty more about travel on the ‘routes’ section of the website and if you want all the logistics sorted for you, you can always just book a full accommodation and travel package.
If that lineup alone doesn’t convince you, Rotterdam is a gorgeous destination and has plenty to offer throughout the day and The Warehouse Project has also put together a helpful city guide so never have to wonder what to get up to in the hours before the party starts.
WHP RDM is the legendary music event’s first-ever international date and it’s set to be a night you’ll never forget — or three, to be precise.
You can grab your tickets HERE and we’ll hopefully see you there!
The legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse has been reborn
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme and the surrounding university district area; the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue lives on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, has now been carefully and lovingly restored ahead of its big relaunch, which will start in true Manc vision with an exclusive opening night gig.
The Abbey is reborn. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’s also affordable, hearty pub grub, including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
Bringing The Abbey back to life are a core team of four: Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth.
Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manc venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year.
As for Gareth, he’s the founder of the multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest, meaning that all of them have plenty of hospitality, late-night, live music and events experience between them.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch are part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth from the new Abbey team commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area.
“We’re honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Gig review | Lola Young’s Manchester comeback – A joyous return to stage at the O2 Apollo Manchester
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
The excitement in the air is palpable in the O2 Apollo Manchester, the crowd is itching for her to make her way onto stage and is chanting her name – Manchester has missed you, Lola Young.
After an extended hiatus since she collapsed at the All Things Go festival in New York last September, Lola is back on a short tour to find her feet again. Whilst Manchester isn’t officially the first show, it is the headline performance for her comeback.
Lola’s break had come at a pivotal moment, with her third studio album, I’m Only F***ing Myself (2025), earning huge acclaim, performances across the globe, and endorsements from the likes of Elton John for her talent.
After cancelling all of her shows ‘for the foreseeable future’, Lola asked fans for their forgiveness, writing in an emotional statement: “I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger.”
Tough to handle for anyone, let alone a young rising artist.
It was clear to everyone that her hard work on herself had paid off, as this was a different Lola Young from the one I saw at Glastonbury last year: there was a calmness to her – she seemed more centred and more confident.
That calmness, however, did not mean a lacklustre performance: she is still a powerhouse; her stage presence is just magnetic, and it is clear to see how loved she is by her fans. The energy in the room didn’t falter the entire time she was on stage.
She kicked things off with ‘Sad Sob Story’, a song about moving on from a toxic relationship, which seemed fitting as she steps away from the drama and difficulties of last year into a fresh start. A wall-shaking opening number that set the scene for what was to follow with the rest of the show.
As part of her healing journey, Young stated that she has decided to write something special and specific for each show to tell herself if she’s worried or doubting her ability.
She shared her Manchester mantra with us: “When you are connected, when you express what you feel is true to you, when you open yourself up and share your very unique experience, remember you are electric… Those who want to listen will lean in, no matter your volume.”
Although she was clearly introspecting, she was also speaking to her audience, her fans, and expressing gratitude for them still being there. Shouts of support echoed out through the venue, her fans truly loving and supporting her as they have since day one, perhaps more so than ever.
Her performances of songs like ‘Big Brown Eyes’, ‘Not Like That Anymore’ and ‘Conceited’, showed just how much fun Lola was having on stage, being back and being surrounded by people who truly loved her.
At times, the crowd were singing along so loudly and passionately that she laughed and told the audience, “I can’t even hear myself in my own ears.” She had to occasionally take moments to step back and take it all in, seemingly overwhelmed with joy at the outpouring of love being reflected back to her.
Her band were also a stand-out, sharing in her energy and passion. It is clear that Young and her band could easily fill huge arenas with their talent and fervour, but this more intimate venue just seemed correct.
Lola continued to prove throughout the night why she was so deserving of her BRIT Award for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’, and her Grammy nominations for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Pop Solo Performance’.
Her vocal talent, emotional depth and electric stage presence were showcased in songs like ‘why do i feel better when i hurt you?’, ‘Post Sex Clarity’ and the incredible ‘You Noticed’, showing an extremely vulnerable side to her that had many audience members tearing up.
We saw all sides of Young during this show, with her iconic songs ‘One Thing’, ‘d£aler’ and ‘Messy’ practically blasting the roof off of the O2 Apollo Manchester.
The fans could hardly contain themselves, screaming the lyrics back at her – it was truly a night to remember for everyone.
With another night in Manchester due to popular demand, Lola promised to be back soon. Could it be a bigger tour, bigger venues, new music?
Who knows, but for now we’re just glad to see her healthy and have her back in our lives again.
Danny Jones -
24th April 2023 
