Live Review: Ben UFO - Secret Warehouse

The only information that was given about the location of Ben UFO's show was that it was to be situated in an “inner city warehouse” and that the “location (will be) passed to you by telepathy and social networks on the day”. It turned out that two of these facts were dead wrong, as the actual location isn't typically considered central CBD, and telepathy… well yeah, let's not go there. But misconstrued details aside, the combination of secrecy and the actual setting of the event proved a real winner.

A dimly lit warehouse set up with its own communal fridge and scattered couches gave the place a feeling of warmth and a real sense of an EDM community. Keep following the wall around this cosy little set-up and you'd find a host of DJs, including the likes of Clunk, Sleepyhead and Rok Riley, who all refused to hold anything back for the entire night. This is where the madness lived, and it didn't retreat until the early hours of the next morning. One third of Hessle Audio and with a regular Rinsefm timeslot to his name, Ben UFO is a respected name in the world of EDM and a monstrous set riddled with old and new Hessle gems, including the likes of techno revivalists Objekt and Blawan, set the crowd in to a bass-induced frenzy.

Ben stuck to Hessle's guns throughout, even finishing up with James Blake's only entry for the record label, Buzzard & Kestrel, to conclude a set to remember. Some minor audio difficulties scathed an otherwise near flawless performance, but were cleared up with enough subtlety and speed that it didn't seem to matter one bit. DYP then took the reins, opening with Mike Q's Let It All (2011 mix), sparking a new found level of energy within the crowd.

There's something that is undeniably special about dance events being held in a warehouse that clubs can't seem to emulate, and this one was certainly no exception. Here's hoping that the success of this event sparks a revolution of I.C.S.S.C warehouse parties to come.