I went to the Warehouse Project in Manchester, England last month. This is a night in England which welcomed the likes of Cashmere Cat, Captain Murphy, and Flying Lotus to name a few. We carpooled up with others going to this night. We ran around getting out cash and finally parking and pouring in to a cab which would take us to the abandoned ground floor of an old factory, I can’t for the life of me remember what the side of the building set although I tried to burn it in my brain. They estimated thousands were in attendance. Once we arrived we entered a sea of people all eagerly pushing through security to get in. All of them sweating and shaking in the cold filling up on their personal cocktails, energy bouncing between people, eyes catching and then parting. Kids hold their breath as they past the drug dogs and security like you would as a child passing a graveyard, trying to make it past and keep the bad out.
We entered and found ourselves pounding doubles and skipping from room to room, each playing different music with different vibes and different dancers and lovers. From the moment we entered I wrapped my arms around his and melted in to him. Becoming an extension to him, tossing our bodies together only releasing to find more booze or exit for a some air and cigarettes. One of the big rooms we entered was thick and hazy, even though you can’t smoke inside. Sweaty bodies grinding against one another to the heavy base. You can feel the boom in your chest making each drink, each toke hit harder. I loved it. My only mistake was wearing a soft shirt as I have never been touched by more people in my life. At the same time, there is something about the human connectivity you feel when you walk through a wall of bodies and feel all of their fingertips grazing your sides, our arms. But this is the Warehouse Project and personal space and mental boundaries seem to be as nonexistent as the drug policy.
We were gliding around and landed in the room where Cashmere Cat was playing. I remember the room alternating from neon pink to blue, although his music may be some other color, but this is what it looked like to me. I was just happy to be there with him. My man. It is strange when you are in a room with thousands of people and can only see one. Music wove around us making it impossible to hold still, all you can do writhe in the music and breath in the scene and look at one another. A night like this can only promise an comparable comedown.
I just wanted to be with you and you with me.
