Abandon Silence – Four Tet & Pearson Sound / Joy Orbison – Liverpool

Liverpool has been spoilt for choice in recent times when it comes to forward-thinking promoters. From the juggernaut line-ups put on by Chibuku to cosier shows from Madnice Marauders, the city’s never had it so good, and it is fast becoming a hotspot for up-and-comers who aren’t snatched up by The Warehouse Project down the road. Perhaps the most consistent of these line ups come from Abandon Silence, who in recent years have hosted Disclosure, James Blake, Mount Kimbie and SBTRKT on their rise to the top, always ably supported by a growing roster of UK regulars. This season has already seen Four Tet, Joy Orbison and Pearson Sound come to town, and the upcoming appearance of Bicep is one not to be missed.

It was Four Tet’s second appearance of the year which really whetted my appetite; after a massive set in February, it was no surprise that tickets for this flew out on the day of release. So I was thrilled to find out we’d be watching him in one of Liverpool’s most intimate (read: sweaty) venues – The Shipping Forecast. ‘The Hold’, as the basement is aptly named, is a dark dingy space, with low ceilings and nothing but a few pillars to separate the heaving, gurning masses. Four Tet, on the verge of dropping his newest record, is on blistering form in the enclosed arena, playing all night long and keeping things moving as only he can.

This was not a traditional Four Tet show, built on shimmering builds and loops, instead it seems Hebden was keen to integrate with his grimy surroundings. His latest record, Beautiful Rewind, is a world apart from the more organic There is Love in You or the wealth of singles collated on Pink a year ago. Intense and at times aggressive, …Rewind is rooted in Jungle and pirate radio, and Hebden seemed happy to drop lots of new material across his mammoth five hour set. The cheap Red Stripe may have set it apart, but to all intents and purposes this was a night rooted in London, circa 2005. Having said that, as we descend the staircase, the final strains of Janet Jackson’s ‘If’ are reverberating around the cellar, and later on we are treated to a number of guilty pleasures and oldskool classics. A personal highlight for me is the imperious ‘Kool FM’ – spun out for what feels like fifteen minutes. By the time the night winds up with some old favourites, his five hour set comes to an end all too quickly as the throngs burst blinking out into the cold Thursday night. All in all, booking one of the country’s best acts on the eve of his new record in one of the most intimate venues around is a triumph for the AS team!

A fortnight later and Abandon Silence have taken over the attic of the East Village Arts Club. Formerly known as The Masque, the venue has undergone extensive redevelopment, and while it would have been nice to get down in the larger main room, the vibe upstairs was celebratory. Things take a little while to get going, as the room takes time to fill up, but once co-headliner Pearson Sound took to the stage, the crowd finally started to move. He rushed through a technical set at a blistering pace; shuffling beats giving way to pounding drums and the crowd react accordingly. For me, the Hessle Audio man is one of the top acts on the circuit at the moment, and it was refreshing to see him get the reception he deserves from a crowd who appreciated his ability, despite him not being the biggest name on the bill tonight.

While a co-headline bill is apt for both producers, in reality it’s the show’s final act, Joy Orbison that many were here to see. The last time he was booked by Abandon Silence, trains conspired to curtail his set, so when he takes to the stage he is met with rapturous cheers from the assembled crowd – packing in as close to the stage as they can. His set begins as an extension of Pearson Sound’s beforehand, touching on some deeper house cuts and while the night lulls a little for us at this point, by the time he hits his stride with some relentless and (fairly) minimalist techno, we are all thankful for the more spacious surroundings allowing us room to breathe. Wrapping things up with ‘Sicko Cell’, it’s another resounding success for one of the North’s most consistent promoters, proving that they can host parties in big rooms as well as cellars.