Even 22 years after closing its doors for the last time, the Haçienda brand still holds relevance within the history books of dance music. A pioneering club for Manchester music throughout the ’80s & ’90s, it helped define the acid house and ‘Madchester’ eras of music – a sound continually attributed to the city.

It was great to see an inter-generational mix at this night: fans of the sound who would’ve attended events back in the day danced alongside twenty-somethings who might only just be discovering Rob Gretton and Tony Wilson’s renowned legacy.

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Split across two rooms for the night, the Depot felt a different kind of atmosphere on Saturday than it has in previous weeks. The orchestral sounds of Haçienda Classical and Soul II Soul filled the space with violins, cellos and live vocals of some of the most infamous clubbing tunes of all time.

The concourse was still centred around the DJ, with sets by Haçienda icons Graham Park and Mike Pickering, Justin Robertson, and Chicago’s very own Marshall Jefferson.

Keep an eye on the blog this week to see our exclusive interviews with David Morales, Jazzie B of Soul II Soul and Justin Robertson, where we found out how they first discovered music, their relationship with The Haçienda over the years, and of course, what they like to wear on their feet.

As part of our size? sponsorship of this season of Warehouse Project, each week we’ll be reporting from the Depot. We’ll be speaking to many of the artists on each eclectic line-up, seeing what everyone’s wearing on foot, and showcasing the spectacle that is the Mayfield Depot.

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