Review - Ape's 4th Birthday Bash @ Warehouse Project

If anyone can hold a Birthday bash to remember, it’s the guys from Ape. The Warehouse Project played host to yet another successful bass heavy night last Saturday, as the ever faithful Manchester crowd bounced and skanked through to the early hours. The Ape crew, making their first return to Manchester since the legendary Apollo gig in June, provided the eagerly awaiting revellers with yet another great multi genre mash up.  

Starting the night off with a bang, resident DJ and one of Manchester’s finest drum and bass mavericks, Rich Reason, took to the decks. He was shortly followed by two-time UK Beatbox Champion, Beardyman, who entranced the crowd with his supernatural talent in oral manipulation. David ‘ram jam’ Rodigan, top dog in the bass-heavy atmosphere of Britain's reggae dance-halls, threw down a few crowd pleasers teasing the crowd with countless rewinds.  

Meanwhile, in room two, Japan's most famous turntabilist DJ Krush, along with the talented Mark Prichard and DJ Chef provided calming trip hop, chilled techno and low key dubstep. A relaxing cinema viewing area was also set up close by, along with a Smirnoff Vodka bar and 3D viewing experience for revellers to escape the madness of the main rooms.  

The night progressed with the infamous Bug, entertaining the crammed in mob with some phat dubstep tunes. But it has to be said, the night didn’t truly get started until the award winning drum and bass legend, Roni Size took to the stage at 2am. Smashing down some of the best d n b tracks around through the Warehouse Projects mighty sound system, the crowd flew into a frenzy of frantic flailing and roars of approval. Manchester’s best loved MC, Tonn Piper, provided lyrics for the first part of the act before handing over the mike to the renowned Dynamite MC, making this set the highlight of the night.  

Congo Natty, aka the notorious Rebel MC, followed, eventually calming the excitable mass with some truly classic jungle and reggae beats. Friction then topped off and finished up the night with a storming drum and bass set, as the remainder of the dedicated crowd powered through to 5am.  

The only notable disappointment of the night was a drop out from the boundary breaking Freq Nasty, especially after the release of his pounding Fabric Live album earlier this year. This has personally been an issue with the Warehouse before, acts drop out last minute, and the sheer mass of the ticket holders means you don’t find out your favourite DJ isn’t playing until your there, eagerly waiting.  

Overall, Ape stayed true to its form of providing a wide variation of genre spanning acts, all proving more than worthy of their collective multitude of awards and accolades. If the standard of Birthday Beatdowns from the Ape gang carries on rising in this way, I say bring on next year’s cake and candles!