Here’s our guide for Manchester Warehouse Project virgins

Picture this: A former air-raid shelter transformed into a portal away from the monotony of daily life, where the only rule is to lose oneself in a sea of sweaty bodies and pulsating techno beats.

A night at Warehouse Project isn’t easily forgettable. You might leave with your ears ringing and your feet sore, but also with great memories of questionable decisions, unexpected encounters and dancing among loons and Portaloos.

So, here are our tips for Warehouse Project virgins from some self-proclaimed WHP veterans.

Which one should I book?  

Choose one with the music type and artists you know or are desperate to see, obviously. For example, Fatboy Slim is a classic and hadn’t been to Warehouse Project since NYE 2021, which was a key factor in our decision making. Also – consider what time the events are, as some will span from afternoon to late night, but others could start later and still be going at 4am.

We sampled the 22^nd November 2024 line-up which included:

• Armand Van Helden
• Eats Everything
• Paul Woolford
• LF System
• Oden & Fatzo – Live
• KILIMANJARO
• Sarah Story
• Chloé Robinson
• Sasha Gigi
• What She Said
• Do As You Please

La Discothéque Archive Takeover:

• Artwork
• CC:DISCO!
• Melé
• DJ Paulette
• Siggy b2b Mix-Stress

Who should I go with?

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We’d recommend you bring people who ACTUALLY likes to rave and get messy – this is not a place for the clean. Do not drag someone who hates loud environments – or someone likely to start a fight with the idiot in front who swings his arms around and knocks your drinks to the floor. Bring people who are up for an intense but fun event who won’t dip or get you kicked out half-way through.

What should I wear?

The guidelines state “casual not scruffy,” so there’s a lot of flexibility there.

One second year MMU student told The Manchester Tab: “I wore my waterproof black On Cloud trainers as there can be large puddles, dirt and other unidentified objects that are out to ruin your brand-new clean trainers. I also wore a PrettyLittleThing pink and gold denim bandeau and low-rise straight jeans coord. I paired this outfit with a faux leather bum-bag, a pair of wrap around cheap sunnies and a leather jacket… which my boyfriend lost, sadly!”

One thing we think should be made clear: don’t wear heels; we saw a lot of people struggling, toppling and overheating in stiletto heels, bandage dresses and fur coats. Wear something you’re comfortable in. At this time of year, definitely bring a jacket or hoodie you can tie around your waist to wear in the queue and when leaving, as it was freezing outside.

We would recommend simply throwing something together from your wardrobe like cargos and a corset top; be as fun and unique as you like, as this is the one place you can look cute and ratty at the same time, and somehow manage to really pull it off.

Getting in

We do recommend going in earlier, as we got there at the time the gates were closing and it did take quite a while to get in, and this meant many of the popular lineups had finished.

Also, if you go earlier you’ll be able to see and support some of the smaller potentially local DJs who are always on earlier, and who doesn’t love a bit of support for the local community?

Security

Warehouse Project has a few restrictions to be wary of, which include bringing no make-up or chewing gum.

You also can’t bring liquids in. Now, a bottle of wine is around £30 and you could easily spend half the night queuing for the bar and loos if you’re not careful, so pre-drinking is essential if you’re drinking (but in moderation – not too much as you won’t be let in.)

Bring in an empty plastic water bottle, as they only sell cans of water which are a little pricey; they have free water filling stations dotted around inside, so this is a must. Stay hydrated.

Don’t Get Lost.

Get the WiFi code (it’s “warehouse” all lowercase) before you enter and connect to it the second you get in so you don’t lose your mates. Put it in the group chat before you go in.

Try to resist making requests:

Show the DJ one of these and at best they’ll either smile and nod and you’ll stand there for half an hour waiting… or you’ll be ignored.

And a few of our bonus tips to get the most out of your experience:

• Get on someone’s shoulders (safely, and with consent) if you can. It’s a great feeling looking over the crowd and getting a full view of the DJ and the busy surroundings.
• There is a strict no-drugs policy at WHP, and police and sniffer dogs (yes real dogs!) are present at the entrance, as well as security inside with torches etc, occasionally storming through the crowd.
• Go to the second lot of Portaloos when you get in as the first lot are more likely to be rammed.
• Get as close to the front as possible, especially if you’re short. You might have to be a bit pushy, but what’s the worst that’s going to happen? You might annoy some people temporarily but it’s better than not seeing anything at all.

• Take a few photos and videos, but remember to be present in the moment. Oh, and take your group photos earlier rather than later. Trust us on that.
• Leave slightly early to avoid the stampede of people leaving.
• Have a groovy time!