We do not profess to know all, widely cover or even embrace all manner of the subject, far from it. We’re an inclusive selection of individuals with a likeness in mind when it comes to what we enjoy about the scene(s) where we live, and similarly, what we identify as being superfluous extremities, vapid cash-cows hindering the possibilities of a city that was once recognised internationally as a b
astion of hedonistic pleasures and non-conformity. ACB is an initialism for Année du Cheval de Bois or Year of the Wooden Horse - the Chinese zodiac for 2014. That’s not to say that we are wholeheartedly satisfied with the state of our scene right now, but a nod of the head to the lost art of genuine hedonism, living in the here and now. Our goal is to provide an altruistic view of the clubs, nights, house-parties, releases and acts of all kinds. We have not intended to start this blog as an ego-boost for the already dominant names in Manchester’s dance music scene, nor are we here to diminish the efforts and achievements of those who contribute positively and deserve them. Our accounts and photographs are all from first-hand experiences, we won’t cast an opinion on anything that we haven’t acknowledged ourselves, although that’s not to say we won’t sometimes recall things through a slightly jarred perspective. After all, we’re hedonists at heart, and sometimes things find their way into our systems that might skew our recollections and enhance our emotional capacity. There’s an obvious paradigm in our mindset towards what makes a good atmosphere for a night. Dance music has traditionally been a warped, idealistic reflection of society’s neglect for certain groups of people, a gathering of many tribes to forget about their woes and the mundane. Scenes were born out of socioeconomic hardships in the post-industrial metropolises of western society, and continued to breathe life in the spaces that those hardships created. The warehouses, lofts and any other concrete hollows were the churches of those that were in the know. Dance music has a rich, vivid history that warrants the respect of those that claim to benefit what will eventually become another stitch in this intricate tapestry. We welcome and encourage organic progression within our community so as to better it for ourselves, but our attitudes, broadly speaking, are distinctly retrospective, and that is our comparative basis for our opinions. If there is a genuine respect in the room for those that have carved out the path for our scene then it will not go unnoticed. This is a homage to those that have gone before us and what we can only hope will be a legacy for those to follow us. See you in the darns,
ACB
