Leeds had mourned the loss of mono_cult after their Last Dance on NYD 2016, however they did not stay away for long as the event returned to its birth city to celebrate 10 years of parties, bringing along an almighty line-up. Many had travelled from all around the United Kingdom for the hotly anticipated event – and the enthusiasm of the crowd could be felt by half eleven when Canal Mills had already almost reached capacity.
When Tale of Us came on it was obvious why they had been chosen to headline. They played an enticing and captivating set with ‘North Star’ at its heart. The crowd became a slave to its beat, making it clear that everyone shared the same passion towards electro-techno.
Soundstream did a good job at getting the crowd up for all that was to come, dropping the classic ‘Blue Monday’, which is always guaranteed to get the crowd raving. And even though they weren’t headlining, my main attraction to the night was undoubtedly Bicep, who managed to keep everyone energised till the very end with their typical bouncy tunes such as ‘Only Love Will Set You Free’. Everyone was in high spirits, before they all raced to Wire for the after party.
The lighting and displays, including mono_cult’s somewhat iconic red neon sign, were emphatic and helped to transform Canal Mills into the haven it was meant to be. Overall, the event exceeded all my expectations, it was not only a celebration of mono_cult but also celebration of Leeds’ musical culture.
Happy 10th birthday mono_cult and here’s to plenty more!
Sally Galula
(Image: Wisdom Makubile)