Returning to Leeds for another all-night-long debacle at Wire, Daniel Avery delivered the goods, showcasing some of the finest deep techno and drone music. The Londoner’s rise has been impressive, boasting several strong releases, including his highly-lauded EP Drone Logic in 2013. Having just finished his tour of Australia and Asia, Avery made his way to one of Leeds’ favourite clubs with a record collection brimming with dark, emotive techno.
After beginning proceedings with several bass-heavy tracks, Avery began to command the show with more atmospheric tinges, namely the use of Simulrec to pull the crowd into blissful trance. The set started to move up through the gears, as Avery ramped up the intensity whilst managing to hold the attention of his audience. The night was packed to the rafters due to the sale of tickets on the door, which somewhat undermined the normally intimate feel. But, the Wire crowd was both energetic and zestful throughout the evening, heightened by Avery’s choice of hard-hitting techno rollers such as Levon Vincent’s Man or Mistress.
As the night drove on, Avery’s status as the pioneer of an idiosyncratic brand of dance music was clear to see. By dropping tracks like LV-426 by Far Out Radio and his own Native Response from his aforementioned album, Avery’s genius was highlighted. Spiralling acid cuts and belting kick-drums boomed out on Wire’s ever-impressive sound system. Avery’s thudding rhythms rendered ear plugs a necessity, so I purchased a pair of Alpine Audio earplugs as part of their collaboration with Wire. This addition made the audio more comfortable without sacrificing quality.
Daniel Avery’s ability as both a selector and a mixer of tracks was undoubtedly demonstrated by this 6-hour long set. Seamless transitions meant Avery could slip in and out of tracks whenever required, manipulating both the crowd and music. His talent is not to be understated, and we can only hope that the booking crew at Wire secure his services in 2018 for a 3rd successive year in the One Night With series, though hopefully with a revised number of people in the venue.
George Mason
Image: Wire