Manchester Made Me Funky Carnival

A canopy of paper-maiche tropical birds and reeds descend from the ceiling of Bowlers Exhibition Centre- home of many a 90s rave for people a decade or so older than me- but tonight we celebrate the decade after, and classic house music pumps from the massive overhead speakers. 

Tonight’s party has been in the works since the start of Lockdown, brewing away in an online community of funky house fans. Before I detail the colours and sounds of the night, let’s rewind to July 2020, towards the end of the first lockdown. I find I’m added to a private Facebook group, Manchester Made Me Funky, set up by Monopoly Events boss Andy Kleek and Galaxy 102’s Mike Anthony. The group is to bring together all the ageing party people, the funky house fans who frequented the now-lost joints like Ampersand, Venus, North, Ohm, and the nights ran for those that loved House: Naked at Smokies Park, Plush, 2Risque, Twisted Elegance and countless others. We’re reminiscing, sharing photos and tunes, finding old friends. The group quickly burgeons to 6 thousand members, and it isn’t long before the idea is floated of a reunion. Kleek and Anthony, behind the scenes, start turning the cogs. A public page follows this. After all the COVID delays, a date is set: Saturday, 20th November 2021. 

That’s where we find ourselves, walking into the venue at 7pm. 

 

 

Tonight is the Manchester Made Me Funky Carnival, a celebration of 2000s-era house music packed with singers and DJs. The organisers chose a Rio-style carnival theme, with dancers, aerial performers and percussionists. Designers Visual Architects provided the décor, bringing in a rainforest canopy over the main room, a plants and plinths dotting the stage and dancefloor, and streamers descending from the ceiling. Meanwhile, the stage welcomed some of the biggest names in house music from days gone by. First up, Julie McKnight sings us Home. 

 

 Then Diamond Life 

 

 And finally, Finally.

 

House Music Royalty Jocelyn Brown takes to the stage next. The 70-year old can still hit the notes, although as you can see, it’s important that she takes it easy. Fair play. We’re a few hours into the night by now (as you can hear by my voice, sorry about that) but Ms Brown makes sure we Keep on Jumpin’.

 Here’s Believe: 

 

 Somebody Else’s Guy:

  

Next up Abigail Bailey sang Herd’n’Fitz’s I Just Can’t Get Enough: 

 

And rounding off the stage performances: Steve Edwards, vocalist on many a classic house music track. Until the promo info for the event came out, I had no idea the same guy sang these three. His set starts with Cassius’ Sounds of Violence.

 

Axwell’s Watch the Sunrise

 

 

Lastly, Bob Sinclair’s World Hold On 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowlers offers more than just one giant soundstage: The venue has smaller rooms allowing for other themes, functions, and, in this case, DJs. This Neon Jungle room was electively alternative; both rural and a little cyberpunk. 

 

 

 

The night rounded off with a few househeads testing their stamina in this smaller room, watching veteran DJ Jenny Harrison spin. 

 

 

I wanted to keep the videos short during the night so I could ‘get into the zone’ and dance, (and dancing and filming makes for a headache when you play it back) so I wasn’t on my phone long. As a result I have very few notes in my phone (tapping in details helps me flesh out events posts), but the night was spent mostly dancing, catching up with old friends, and enjoying the music, just like the old days. Brilliant fun. We left the venue right at closing time, just after 5am. Feet, legs and back were battered by the end of the night after what I reckon was a 10-hour stomp, but no regrets (except perhaps my choice of footwear). An incredibly well-organised event, hugely enjoyed by everyone there. Carnival 2 is already in the works for early March.