I can't remember the last time I saw all three DJs playing together in the Westcountry on the same night, so the "not played together for 30 years" promotion seemed like a fantastic opportunity with tickets selling out quickly after the launch. I've seen Sasha perform many times, from Miami WMC and Glastonbury to Creamfields, and even locally here in Devon at the Warehouse in Plymouth many years ago. Those Warehouse nights, especially during the Northern Exposure tours with Sasha & Digweed, are some of my fondest memories. I remember when Nick Warren played the Essential Mix live on Radio 1 in Plymouth with Pete Tong, and it was a special night as the clocks went back and we got an extra hour.
Fast forward to decades later, and the chance to see all three DJs under the same roof in the South West was mind-blowing. Motion, a club I've been to a few times before, is a fantastic venue. Any place that used to sell Buckfast Wine and Redbull promises a wild time! The sound system at Motion, a sweet Function 1 rig with rare discontinued Res9’s, were top-notch. These speakers were originally built for the Millennium Dome in 2000 and later used on Jamiroquai's Japan tour in 2002. The integration of Neodymium magnets and PWM (Class D) amplifiers for 3-way active operation within the classic Function 1 design aesthetic was finely tuned to complement opening DJ Milly On Air's diverse blend of progressive house and uptempo tracks. The Function 1 Res2 fills at the back of the main floor were strategically placed to ensure excellent sound coverage throughout the room.
Milly On Air played a great mix of progressive house and uptempo tracks, setting the perfect vibe for the night. A quick online search reveals that Milly is making a significant mark in Bristol's underground scene through her DJ sets, radio shows, guest lectures at Universities such as dBs Institute, and broadcasts on various community and niche platforms. Her performance at Motion marked her debut at the venue, presenting an authentic set that skillfully mixed various house genres at a steady 122 beats per minute, setting the perfect atmosphere for the evening ahead as the indeterminate crowd settled in.
Nick Warren, Bristol born played a homecoming gig and a lovely two hour set from Midnight to spin and warm things up. Nick did not disappoint opening with a Fluke tune, I’m not entirely sure if the sound was turned up when he came on but the solar plex of the Function 1 system really started to punch through with thundering sub bass and a blend of proggy, ambient and breakbeat tunes to follow. The visuals were a little lacklustre with the words ‘Nick Warren’ floating around in various 3D renders that wouldn’t have looked that out of place on a powerpoint slide. However, Everyone knew that Nick was on and the visuals were not important, it was most certainly the audio experience that was first and foremost the highlight here. A brilliantly crafted set.
Sasha & Digweed took over from Nick Warren at 2am and delivered a three-hour masterclass of pure joy. Their staple progressive style of unheard gems kept the crowd mesmerised. The breakdowns, kick drums, and overall production quality of the tracks were exceptional. I have no idea what they were playing, I think this is the beauty that lies within their sets over the years. One minute there would be a breakbeat laden with a triplet bass-line then unusual chord progressions, through to an AI style robotic voice then with huge 1/16th delays ricocheting and ratcheting around the punchy drums. The crowd's feedback reflected the duo's mastery of curation and why they remain at the top after 30 years in the game. It was an awesome experience, bringing together music lovers of different generations. An audible testament was the longest hi hat roll I’ve heard in a club set for a long time met with rapturous applause and whistling. The night came to a finale with a remix of the Chemical Brothers - Feels like I’m dreaming. This night was a tribal gathering if you like, like no other. A colossal masterpiece, beautifully mixed by great DJs and in an amazing club well worth a visit - Motion, Bristol. Brilliant! 9/10
Review by - Matt ‘Vinyl’ Ward
