This was my first time at the venue 794 Bathurst, since the closure of Footwork Nightclub. In fact, this was the first time I’d stepped into the venue in a year! It was previously called The Annex Wreckroom, and has gone through a big renovation throughout the year. Upon entering, I was greeted with the pounding bass and beats of the Union crew who were already started on their B2B ’til 6 in the morning! This event was already headed to be a treat for a techno lover like myself!
The event was being streamed live on the Way of Acting website, which in itself was like an early Christmas present to those who couldn’t be physically present at this amazing techno event. The crew started the night off with some deep house/deep tech, but by the time I arrived they had shifted to the groovy tech house and techno beats that they are most known for. One of the first things I noticed was that even though it was Sunday night, the club was halfway packed, and it wasn’t even midnight yet! Second, the ambience and lighting seemed deep and dark, just the way techno is. Third, they were handing out free stick-on tattoos of the Union Crew logo!
Photo Credit: Nusrat Kamal
I couldn’t help but dance and bop my head as I walked over closer to the stage to get a better view. I found Carlo Lio standing at a corner, chatting with fans, and I managed to get a picture taken with him. He is an absolute top-notch guy, with tonnes of love for his fans. Within minutes, I found myself dancing. The crew was doing a great job at putting out some amazing bass-pumping tracks to keep the crowd energized. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves.
Two sides to the were stage open so fans could go up and interact with the crew. The four of them took turns on the equipment. As the night progressed, the crowd got more intense, and the venue started filling up. It was as if the bad weather, and the fact that it was a Sunday, wouldn’t keep the fans away for such a phenomenal event! I was definitely working up a sweat from the vigorous dancing caused by the groovy deep techno and tech house being played. With every beat drop, it seemed as though the crowd was getting more and more energized and excited. It was going to be a long, techy night. Throughout the event the Way of Acting crew did an amazing job focusing the camera on the crowd, the DJs, and everything in between, to keep the people tuned at home connected to the show.
One highlight of the night for me was when the track Bring by Randomer pumped thought the speakers. The atmosphere and lights seemed to go perfectly with that particular track, because of the deep, dark, tech factor. Also on the set list was Harry Romero‘s Solo Man (a personal favorite), a deep house remix of Moderat‘s Bad Kingdom and CO2 Vapour (Nathan Barato remix) by Cajmere and Sonny Fodera.
At 2 am my body decided to retire from the constant, aggressive dancing (thanks to the killer set!) and with a frown, I headed home. The very moment I got in my door, I turned on the live stream and continued to listen to the genius that is Carlo Lio, The Junkies and Nathan Barato. I felt very thankful to WOA for the stream, as I am sure all the others watching, felt the same. I had experienced Carlo Lio live before and I knew he would deliver. But I was heavily impressed by Mr Barato and The Junkies, both of whom I had not seen live, and I look forward to their future shows.
This event was one of the best shows I had been to in 2013. The crowd, atmosphere, music, and of course the DJs, exceeded my expectation. A huge thanks to the Footwork team for such a fantastic event. I am so glad that I was a part of one of the best year-end shows of 2013.
Nusrat Kamal – EDM TOR
