Hacienda Classical – Mayfield Depot

There’s not much left to say about Manchester’s legendary Hacienda venue that hasn’t been said, so let’s cut to the chase. This one’s all about taking things back to where they began, when the acid house revolution spread across Britain. Led by the critically-acclaimed Hacienda Classical, a full orchestra delivering timeless unifying anthems, and the extremely rare sight of iconic outfit Sub Sub playing a DJ set, words like ‘seminal’ and ‘educational’ aren’t too far off the mark.

Post-punk and new wave pioneers A Certain Ratio are also involved, a band that emerged from Factory Records, the imprint that birthed The Hacienda. It’s there the likes of Mike Pickering and Graeme Park established enviable reputations for sharp selections. Aside from those guys, decade-spanning North London sound system Soul II Soul will show why they continue to inspire, bombs like ‘Back To Life’ and ‘Keep on Movin’ still grab ears and feet. Legendary producer Arthur Baker flexes his muscles, and homage is paid to the American house that first kicked off the UK’s love affair via king spinners Louie Vega and David Morales, and undisputed genre originator Marshall Jefferson.