Review: Zutekh and Construct with Craig Richards and Subb-an @ Sound Control

When: Friday 4th March 2011

Reviewed by: Katie Grange and Ben Plant

Manchester’s club scene has been rather invigorated in recent months, with the emergence of fresh, exciting, and underground nights showcasing original and up-and-coming artists and DJ’s; a formula that has created a serious buzz around the city.

Leading the pack in their pursuit has been a party called Zutekh, which has been fast making a name for itself as the go-to night of the town. With previous successes such as Dyed Soundorom, Lee Foss, and Slam to their name, the only way really is up for this pioneering night.

Started in Derry, Ireland just over two years ago, Zutekh’s first Manchester home was Saki Bar. However with their talents wasted in this small venue, they seized the opportunity to move forward and relocate again to the flourishing Sound Control venue – resulting in a whirlwind rise to the forefront of Manchester’s electronic music scene.

They have shown that a bit of hard work, a top notch crowd, a sprinkle of intelligence, and a policy for booking quality acts has resulted in the night being popular with 500+ clubbers every month. They grace the Sound Control basement for one reason and one reason only; to listen to quality electronic music.

Tonight they've teamed up with Construct to bring an impressive line-up to Sound Control that includes Below resident/hot cake producer Subb-an, and none other than Fabric legend Craig Richards, who are keen to demonstrate their ability to make a crowd hang on their every beat.

After a bit of a slow start the club was packed to capacity yet again come 1.00am, with a mixture of loyal regulars folded elegantly with a handful of student types, working professionals (young and old), and Timmy trendies. Collectively you have a crowd that beams smiles and oozes class, creating an invaluable atmosphere that Zutekh should be proud of.

Up first was local Eastern Bloc record head and Soup Kitchen resident Arnaldo, who was pre heating the crowd with some warm deep melodic house. He was exactly what the doctor ordered at that time of the night, and succeeded in getting the crowd shuffling in preparation for Subb-an.

The man of the moment was up next. His live set that has rocked so many parties in the last twelve months, and he certainly didn’t hold back tonight. Subb-an quickly picked up the pace from Arnaldo, and the crowd was absolutely loving his own unique twist on the term ‘house music’; dark drums combined with jackin’ house sounds and haunting live vocals gave the crowd exactly what they desired - music with balls! He also dropped the brilliant ‘Lover Night’, which absolutely tore off the roof. He also demonstrated that he knows how to bring the so often boring “live” laptop set to life, and the appearance of a live vocalist was a welcome added bonus. However, with the crowd absolutely going for it Subb-an started to bring the tempo down a bit (possibly to leave it at a nice stage for Richards to follow). The justification for this is understandable, however we can’t help feeling he lost a small part of the crowd - and the magic - with it.

To finish the night off was Craig Richards, the main man at London institute Fabric. Not only is it a rarity that Richards plays outside of London, but a booking on this scale - assisted no doubt by the worthy input of the Construct team on this event - underlines the ambition of Zutekh. This guy regularly supports the biggest names in the business, and as soon as he comes on he shows why he has been resident for the past ten years. He started his set off by strumming out some deep techno before taking the crowd on a ferocious journey through all things electronic. His incredible ability to surprise the crowd and play so many different styles of music and blend them together effortlessly, had everyone dancing freely right up until the lights came on.

On the whole, it was a top quality night with a delightful crowd in a simple yet highly effective location. Make no mistake, Zutekh mean business - and they have already made a mark on Manchester’s rich clubbing scene. With every knockout party they grow in stature and confidence, and already they have built up an army of support, helping them achieve fantastic success.

We seriously recommend that you get yourself down to one of these parties and see for yourself what all the fuss is about. And if rumours are to be believed about the quality of the upcoming guests and live acts, we really are in for a special treat!

Read our recent interview with Zutekh here

See upcoming Zutekh events

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