Adam Beyer’s incredible career is an unapologetic testament to the power of sticking to your guns and ignoring trends elsewhere. Whether he’s playing his renowned blend of militant, stripped down underground techno or catering for a bigger crowd as a festival headliner, putting his own spin on famous tracks guaranteed to ignite the audience, Beyer constantly manages to surprise and elate.

Adam Beyer presents Drumcode, his label’s offering to 2017’s The Warehouse Project eclectic calendar, promised the typical night of Beyer-and-friends fuelled mayhem and it sure did deliver. The Warehouse Project, with its almost mythical popularity and reputation, is one of the few electronic music events in the UK that can sell tickets without almost anyone complaining or questioning the somewhat colossal ticket prices. The grimy spaces of Store Street provide a short but sweet escape from the depressing cold following a summer in Ibiza, at festivals or other European party destinations.

I was lucky enough to catch the sets of a range of DJs at Drumcode, the crowded, heaving audience, not managing to deter myself or others from forcing our way to the front of the packed-out Room One. Here, Scuba’s hectic techno brought the crowd alive, pulsing and vibrating to his hybrid mix of slow and trippy and big-hitting, fast-paced tracks. Beyer’s own set, as the event’s curator and Sweden’s techno king, always promised to be the highlight of the night and again he managed to deliver. He proved once again why he’s so well-respected in the industry – his shows are never repetitive, or boring.

It could be the first, fifth or tenth time you’ve witnessed him spin this year, and it’s still as electrifying, for each set changes with Beyer’s own mood. His set at drumcode was a relative middle-ground for Beyer, neither too erratic and urgent nor minimal; a techno masterclass showcasing both new and old Drumcode signed releases.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpL4EVnzCHM

One of my personal highlights was Beyer’s drop of one of Drumcode’s recent releases, a Bart Skills remix of the classic ‘Moby – Go’. The track brought a few minutes of stillness to the crowd, a display of Beyer’s power as a DJ who is constantly unafraid to drop slow and calm beats even at an event as raucous as WHP. I was initially disappointed to lose Green Velvet from the Drumcode line-up as his sets always deliver the perfect dose of hedonism and fun, but Alan Fitzpatrick’s set made me forget about any trepidations I’d felt previously. His closing set was the ideal end to such a crazily diverse night of music, his drop of ‘Spektre & Chicago Loop – Shoot From The Hip’ uniting the crowd in a euphoric dance that I’ve scarcely witnessed at other events.

My feet may have been rendered redundant on the 6:30am train back to Leeds, my voice hoarse and eardrums destroyed, but I never for a second regretted any part of the night. The Warehouse Project continues to reign supreme on the UK club scene, a titan amongst lesser mortals, its stellar line-ups and perfectly befitting venue a guarantee of a great and memorable night. Until next year?

Poppie Platt

Image credits: Mixmag