Store Street is so much better

Victoria Warehouse was great while it lasted – the WHP team managed to create a place for us all to escape into the mad sphere of house, techno and drum and bass.

But for who knows what reasons, for one year only, the almost revolutionary season of ridiculous line ups has returned to it’s original venue: Store Street, and it’s so so much better.

First things first, you don’t have to embark on a stupidly long journey to get there. House keenos may have enjoyed the pilgrimage to the mecca of Trafford, but realistically getting the bus to Piccadilly is much more convenient for everyone. It also means we can all avoid the awkward argument with taxi drivers to negotiate prices and that dreaded taxi queue at the end of the night is no more.

Mind blowing

On all levels, the entrance to the venue has improved extraordinarily. There’s no more hugely intimidating members of security staring into your eyes to check if you’ve dropped a pill before going in, you don’t have to empty your pockets onto a very budget table and really, there’s not even a queue.

Instead of arriving at least half an hour before you want to see a DJ, you can pretty much rock up and walk straight in.

David Rodigan: “I think I’m gonna have a nose bleed” – it’s that great

You will see everyone. Your old flat mate, your friends from home – whoever. The exclusivity of the venue means that it’s pretty difficult to lose your friends, so the lack of phone signal is pretty irrelevant if you’re not eager to tweet about being on a “mad one”.

And it isn’t just an attempt to be exclusive, WHP seems to have outdone itself. Even at the back of Room one, you can see the stage pretty clearly because it’s so much smaller. Although this doesn’t lend itself to dancing too much – you have to find yourself a good spot if you want to have a proper boogie.

Room 2 scenes

As much as the sound is stupidly good, surprisingly, the lights are pretty shit. At Victoria Warehouse, the lighting was second to none, but it seems that this year they’re a bit all over the place and seem to face up to the the ceiling rather than over the crowd. And that makes for a pretty boring Instagram picture.

Unfortunately, Victoria Warehouse wins toilets too. In fairness, there’s no rowdy security banging on cubicle doors this year, but unless you enjoy running out of toilet roll and that strangely sweet smell of festival portaloos, they’re relatively grim.

But no-one really cares about that. Warehouse Project has every reason to be the obsession of freshers far and wide, it’s an outstanding night out and everyone loves it.