Zutekh presents Ricardo Villalobos review

Images: Gemma Parker

Reviewing clubbing events continuously poses the challenge of recognising repetitive loops, which, by nature of amplification, always sound different at an event compared with headphones or home hi-fi.

The fact Ricardo Villalobos was in charge of this particular shindig accentuated the problem - a chap known for carrying a box brimming with the kind of treasure most ears have no hope of name checking; obscure rarities from yesteryear, as-yet-unheard bombs. Something else entirely.

Walking through the doors to Gorilla and clearly the crew behind seven year old Zutekh, one of the north’s most successful parties, had everything in its right place. Strip lighting installed, ensuring the venue felt distinctly different from its usual gig guise - a lot more clubby, for want of a better word- with an additional sound rig present and correct, making kicks and low end pleasingly punchy right back to the bar. 

Arriving for the closing minutes of Umho, another Chilean currently on the international up and up, it’s obvious why he’s currently commanding serious bookings. Draped in atmosphere, there was a tangible build to his broken, knife-edge tech that made for the kind of warm-up closer headliners respond positively to. 

Such was the case here, as the evening’s main attraction appeared, receiving the kind of hollers, applause and whistles you’d expect considering the circumstances. A global star playing a 700 capacity room, one that has managed to retain genuine credibility whilst topping major festival bills, and avoided (or simply missed) any Manchester bashes for almost four years. 

With cloakroom full to bursting - indicative of how busy things are - it was a jacket in hand situation where the number of drinks being spilled by dancers mid-hypnosis, on every item of clothing in your repertoire, had to be ignored.

Familiar vocal loops began to repeat “Stay- Stay -Stay Chicago” as the fours became more muscular, jacking even. Perhaps it was something we’d heard before, maybe not. A few mixes later it was obvious that probably wasn’t a singular track at all, given how much seemed to be going on behind the booth Villalobos was holding down. 

If there’s a certainty, though, it could be found in the constant forward momentum that typified the next three and a half hours, which bounced, drove and skipped percussively to the tone of truly varied techno (whilst stopping short of anything that ferocious).

At some point Josh Wink’s 'Higher State of Consciousness' landed in its original form, as the guy on our left burst into a series of expletives leaving nobody guessing as to whether he appreciated the set.

His ear-to-ear grin seemed to be spread across the faces of everyone in the crowd. And rightly so. Quite the return of a legend to a city currently flying higher than it has been for years in the clubbing stakes, disheveled, damp and definitely impressed, we suddenly found ourselves in the cold outside, disappointed that home time had come so quickly.

Fancy seeing Villalobos soon? Check out System Leeds' terrace parties

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