Planet Notion - AREA51 Launch Night

There was a definite buzz surrounding Manchester club AREA51 as the crowd grew outside. But then, who wouldn’t be excited about an evening with club giants Kissdafunk? Especially at the launch-night of a brand spanking new club…

The Manchester clubbing scene has always thrived; from the formidable emergence of The Warehouse Project (attracting the biggest DJ’s in the world) through to Sankeys; from dirty underground techno-dens to plush ‘super-clubs’; AREA51 fits snugly in-between – a venue people can visit every week to hear quality music – no mucking about!

The venue was formally known as the Emporia and has since had a massive regeneration and re-fit… From a first glance they’ve done an amazing job, giving the whole club an underground warehouse feel with two excellent sized rooms; not too big and not too small. This allows both rooms to generate a quality atmosphere at peak times. The best thing about the club though, is the sound system. I could immediately feel the base reverberating through my chest as I queued outside, and couldn’t wait to experience the full impact. Frankly, AREA51 didn’t disappoint.

The ground floor was rammed to capacity as soon as I entered, with resident Adam ‘Dangerous DJ’ Guy playing funked-up twisted-electro; whilst glamorous, fresh-faced punters, were drinking, dancing and getting down to the thumping beats within.

The first floor, a fair-sized room with the DJ to the right, was the first you enter; the atmosphere and buzz hitting in an instant. The back area held a well stocked bar, including top-quality cocktails and very helpful barstaff. As the music thumped-up through the massive speakers overlooking the dance floor, this was a perfect spot to catch your breath and take-in the full impact of AREA51.

The main room featured Rob Tissera playing sexy electro, house, and tech-tinged beats; the low ceilings creating a fantastic, intimate feel. On entering, the dancefloor was already rammed with punters ‘standing and pointing’ fingers in the air, creating the electric vibe we’ve come to know and love from Kissdafunk parties.

When the Trophy Twins graced the decks they didn’t disappoint. Playing right across the board, the lads effortlessly mixed house and electro beats seamlessly into techno, with Dubfires ‘Roadkill’ and a heavy dose of twisted-house thrown in for good measure. Their enthusiasm was infectious; genuinely creating an atmosphere to which the crowd fervently responded.