Review : 33 at The Steel Yard 12.05.18

Fast becoming one of London's most promising parties

London born and bred party 33 has been making a fair amount of noise in the capital since their inaugural event, less than two years ago. Starting their story on a Thames boat party to an intimate capacity of 140, the brand has since become a firm figure in the underground house scene, with sell out shows across the city already on the books. 

Opting to keep a strong focus on fundamental elements of their party has been at the core of 33's ethos from the outset. Production, inclusivity and high calibre headliners has been their recipe for success, which has seen them stand out in London's busy scene.

To deliver their chosen style, 33 have constructed a carefully selected team of residents who share the same passion and vision for the party. Azaad, Karter, Late Replies and NinetyOne have all grown with the brand, becoming respected artists  both collectively as residents, and as individual artists. Alongside the in-house team has seen international DJs such as Simone Liberali, Hauswerks GW Harrison and PAX headlining their events. Their latest showcase saw a return to Central London's industrial playground; The Steel Yard. 

Venue

Fast becoming one of London's most respected spaces, The Steel Yard boasts a medium sized 800 capacity main room, with a separate bar and mezzanine area. Previously used as a maintenance area for the neighbouring Cannon Street railway station, the grade 2 listed building has been transformed into a versatile venue space, offering a gritty brick walled setting under the rail arches. Since it's recent license extension, The Steel yard has become the go-to for breakthrough parties and renowned artists, most recently playing host to the world famous Arcadia, for their official after party with Eats Everything and Dense & Pika. 33 made their return to the space, with industry heavyweights Wade and George Smeddles accompanying them. 

Drink Prices

Considering we were in Central London, drinks prices were more than reasonable. A single spirit and mixer was priced at £6, with a double only costing an extra £2. Water was a standard £3 and beer/cider £4.50. Soft drinks were also available for £2.50 (because we all love a refreshing O-J)

Staff

Upon arrival were we greeted by pleasant and polite door staff (turns out not all doormen are on a power trip). Bar Staff were friendly and efficient, making sure we were waiting no longer than a couple of minutes for a nice cold bottle of Sol.

Heat

During peak hours, the venue did unfortunately become uncomfortably hot, a fan system was in place at the venue, however left unused. This is definitely something we'd like to see managed better for future events. 

Crowd

Much of 33's following have been with them since the beginning, forming a positive atmosphere at their events, filled with energetic and lively ravers. From only our first visit, the inviting crowd left us feeling like part of the 33 family and was a joy to be a part of. With their latest party being set on a mid month weekend and a week after the bank holiday, it was evident that part of their usual crowd were absent, as the venue didn't reach capacity. However, the crowd that was present gave more than enough atmosphere to keep the vibes flowing.  

Production & Sound

Production

An area where 33 truly shows it's class, with no half measures chosen for their lighting and visual experience. The installation of three separate lasers, a medium sized visual screen doubling up as a strobe system, and an army of vertical sunstrips set the scene, filling the venue with vibrant colour. Two smoke machines were also found either side of the DJ booth, adding that extra bit of atmosphere. Alongside 33's stage set up, saw the venue's own production in play, with rotating beam lights utilising the arced ceiling and a row of par lights running the length of the room. 

Sound

Delivered by a recently upgraded system, sound was provided from dual line arrays which reverberated off the brick walled space. The festival grade speakers were emphatic, and a real highlight of the night. 

DJ Sets

Karter

As the crowd began to form with budding ravers, 33 resident Karter kicked off the midnight slot of 12-1. Keeping a steady flow in anticipation for the upcoming headliners, the London based DJ/producer selected Archie Hamilton's "Something Else", maintaining the room's atmosphere and slowly building the night's energy. A well thought out performance, which had us ready for the next resident. 

Azaad

Next to take to The Steel Yard stage was Azaad. With the blistering lasers now in full swing, the 33 resident demonstrated his fine track selection, dropping Octave One's vocal hit "Blackwater", drawing an instant reaction from the lively crowd. The groovy sections didn't stop there, with the London DJ delving deep into his musical knowledge, keeping the crowd locked to the dance floor. "Self control" by Subb-an left the place two-stepping away under the dizzying 33 production, as the night reached it's peak in preparation for Wade's headline slot. An intelligently constructed set from Azaad, playing credit to his 6 years in the game.

Wade

After witnessing Wade tear up The Source Bar for Habitat back in January, we couldn't wait to see what he had in store for The Steel Yard's powerful new sound system. From the word go, his signature hard-hitting tech house style gave an injection of pace into the night. The Spanish wizard on the decks made frequent use of his RMX-1000 remix station, adding suspense and energy to his already high tempo track selection. 

The additional drum rolls complemented his own production "Rowling" perfectly, leaving the crowd's spirits an an all time high as the drop blasted through the line arrays. Partnering his top draw track selection, Wade's technical ability makes him a cut above the rest. Towards the closing stages of his set saw a third CDJ used to loop a previous track, increasing the tempo before quickly bringing in the bassline of Hart & Neenan's new release "Control It". Mastery at it's finest!

George Smeddles

After Wade’s monster set, Resonance Records co-owner George Smeddles stepped up to the decks, ready to keep the crowd going until the early hours. George’s first weapon of choice came from Secondcity's 2017 release; “Kwelanga”. The tribal vocals mixed with a funky tech house beat, was just what the crowd needed to maintain those high energy levels. Now well into his stride, saw another Secondcity creation, this time co-produced by George himself titled "Groove Is In".

The summer feel-good track has been making waves in the scene since it's release on Solardo's label; Sola earlier this year. Vocal selections became a theme for George's funky set, with Rampa’s 2012 hit; “Everything”, leaving the crowd singing away. Nearer the end of his performance, George opted to switch up the mood, with Enzo Siragusa & Archie Hamilton’s dubby track “Ricochet", as the night began to reach it's final stages. 

Overall 

A strong showing from 33, their renowned production and well chosen headliners had us captivated throughout, amongst their welcoming following which continues to grow. A difficult weekend for any promoter, resulting in this particular night not reaching it's full potential. However, we're in no doubt there's plenty more to come from one of London's most promising parties. 7.5/10