Saturday night at Wire welcomed two heavyweights from Amsterdam’s thriving underground dance scene. Susanne Kraft and the young Dekmantel regular Interstellar Funk took to the booth for the opening night of Leeds party promoters Pleasure Connection’s residency.

The club’s credibility in leading the way for electronic music in Leeds has only been reinforced in recent weeks, with notable sets from the likes of Jane Fitz, Detroit master DJ Bone and an upcoming all-nighter with the legendary Nicholas Lutz for Butter Side Up.  This night was no exception, as the two Amsterdam-based producers laid bare their credentials for selecting some of the finest House & Techno cuts.

After a warm up from the new residents it was the turn of Suzanne Kraft, a moniker for the American-born producer Diego Herrera, to take the decks, impressing with his eclectic selection. As the near two hours went by, he effortlessly moved from acid to disco and house, and then onto to more ambient and abstract electro, a trait by which his sets have come to be recognised.

However, as Kraft drew to a close there was an overwhelming sense that it was Mr. Funk that the small but dedicated crowd had come to see. Returning from taking photos with excitable fans, the Dutchman stepped up to the booth with a Marcel Dettman-like aura, and it was at this point the club truly came alive.

This was a set characterised by an acerbically sharp selection of hammering techno, and was one that clearly paid testament to experience gained from his regular sets at infamous techno haven, De School. Any divergence came in the form of rare glimpses of unfamiliar, hard disco records, welcomed by cheers from the avid crowd.

As the night ended I was left with the feeling that, despite Wire not being at its busiest, the night was nonetheless an incredibly refreshing and exciting opener from Pleasure Connection. Expectations will now be high for the residency to deliver once again, and hopefully draw in a bigger crowd.

James Dewar

Image credits: Groove.de