Listomania: The Top Ten Warehouse Project Sets According to Krysko

Manchester’s Warehouse Project has, since its birth in 2006, seen many changing faces and places on the road to its current incarnation.

However, with the release of their latest line-up for this year’s 2013 edition, they proved that one thing is still constant – an ability to draw together an absurdly jam-packed selection of the world’s greatest electronic acts in one place. If the Project were to have a face, however, you’d not be going far wrong with Krysko. Although part-German, part-Ukrainian by birth, this fully Yorkshire DJ has been wholeheartedly adopted by Manchester, not least due to his input into the Warehouse’s Project’s development. Their most long-standing resident, programming consultant and local darling, his input into the electronic institution we know today has been integral, and invaluable.

So who better to ask for a clued-up run-down of their favourite sets in the Project’s history? Read on for Krysko’s own words on his Top Ten…

10. Interstellar Fugitives Live Ft. ‘Mad’ Mike Banks – Store Street 2007

Blistering Detroit electronic funk from a great bunch of lads who pretty much invented it. With Mike Banks at the helm. They followed François K, and were then followed straight after by Jeff Mills, who hadn’t shared a bill with Underground Resistance for many years, and was introduced by UR themselves as “the greatest DJ on the planet and the reason why we are all here”. Very special night.

9. Andrew Weatherall – Room 2, Victoria Warehouse 2012

The Governor, bringing a masterful lesson in musical restraint and electronic tension through the first hour, then ending with his closing gambit, consisting of dark room arse-kicking of the highest order. An absolute gent and still one of the best DJ’s on the planet.

8. Spanky Wilson & Jamie Lidell Live – Boddingtons 2006

Two legends from each end of the spectrum that played room 2 straight after each other. I played before Spanky came on – it was an honour to play before a living soul legend. To then see Jamie do his loopy, live, almost techno performance was pretty special.

7. Los Hermanos Live – Boddingtons 2006

This was purely down to the raw organic rhythmic sound they produce live – like some super future samba band with Suburban Knight playing MPC. With the live drumming and DJ set from DJ 3000, they were amazing to watch.

6. DJ Harvey - Victoria Warehouse 2012

This was his well-documented return to the UK after a decade long exile, being the 2nd of only 2 UK gigs. I enjoyed this mainly because it was on a Thursday night, so the vibe was very different. He was the last of the greats that I still hadn’t seen play live, and he played the full 6 hours start to finish with an exhibition of skill that pretty much covered all genres – with a trajectory you’d expect from someone like him. Baby sitters all over Manchester were charging double time this night.

5. Nicolas Jaar Live – Victoria Warehouse 2012

On a personal level, I have enjoyed experiencing many DJ sets in the main room in our new venue, but the majority have been in Rooms 2 & 3 – especially room 2; one of the best DJ rooms I’ve ever played in. But Room 1 really comes into its own with live performances by truly great live performers, with this show from last year being one of them.

4. Dixon – Store Street 2010

I think we always struggled with Room 2 at Store Street. It was just one of those things – an awkward room acoustically and too far hidden out of the way – it never really took off, apart from on a select few nights – this Dixon 4 hour show being one of them. Proper master class in house.

3. Me (Krysko) – Store Street closing NYD party 2011

Maybe a bit selfishly I’ve added this, but it was a honour to play the second to last set at Store Street just before Laurent Garnier and on which is always the best night of the season – NYD. Closing Store Street for good after an amazing 5 years in the place that really solidified the WHP to where it is now.

2. Carl Craig presents 69 Live – Victoria Warehouse 2012

This was something I never thought I’d see, never mind in my own back garden. Everything you’d expect from this moniker of Carl’s, and with his vast array of masks as well.

1. Chic Ft. Nile Rodgers - Store Street 2011

Finally, my favourite. I know we’ve all had a huge amount of exposure to Nile Rodgers & Chic of late (and rightly so), but at this time they hadn’t played many places like the WHP and especially in this context and backdrop of new electronic music. Again, I had the honour of playing before they came on (finishing with Herbie Man – Hijack which inspired Nile & Bernard to start Chic – Nile kindly gave me a nod of acknowledgement for that). Then, in that Store Street main room, they performed one of the most memorable 90 minutes I’ve ever seen at WHP. To top it all off they encored with Johnny Marr, then (in homage to the Sonar > Jeff Mills performance a few years earlier, and as Jeff Mills didn’t turn up) Space Dimension Controller followed straight after. Literally, perfect. Disco. House. Techno. The holy trinity.

Krysko will be, as ever, appearing as a resident at this year’s series of events. For more information about the Warehouse Project’s stellar line-up, and for tickets, head to their website.