When we entered the Ritz, the almost iconic Manchester venue that boasts the debut gig of that unheard band The Smiths, we were greeted by a crowd not too dissimilar to a cheap nightclub. One girl of dubious age was already beefing up in the car-park round the side; all this would be initially enough to put one off. After entering, it was clear that the electronic duo’s 2014 hit ‘Ready For Your Love’ has brought them mainstream recognition, and rightly so.

First support was Anushka, a duo consisting of producer Max Wheeler and singer/songwriter Victoria Port. Victoria’s saccharine melodies combined with Wheeler’s house and garage references create a musical collaboration that is more complementary than it is boy-meets-girl, as male/female partnerships often tend to become.

Next up was Klose One, a DJ who has well and truly mastered the art of mixing; what ensued was dense sets, showcasing his impressive talent of completely owning a club environment as opposed to many house DJs whose main capacity lies in production alone.

Gorgon City were everything we expected of them; polished, crowd pleasing and pop-house perfection.  They essentially sound-tracked the entire of summer 2014, so set themselves the mission of maintaining and hopefully outdoing themselves. Producers Kye Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott were part of the 2014 moment that (evidently) made house more accessible and they know exactly how to hold the crowd. They also somehow had the ability to make the crowd really enjoy the taste of inside of their cheeks as well! Very impressive. This combined with an impressive visual show made for a great night of no strings attached pop-house energy.

Amelia Ward