Tucked away above an It's A Scream pub in an inauspicious part of Manchester University's student shopping precinct is The Phoenix, a Manchester clubbing institution. Last time I was in the Phoenix (admittedly several years ago) the evening's revelry was rather brutally cut short by eight policemen piling in at 1am and beating the crap out of some black people, but a second chance is always due and Tangled on Saturday night at the Phoenix does come highly recommended.
At about half past ten every Saturday night, the two storey club fills up with Manchester's hard house and trance loving citizens. We strolled down on October 28th to join in the Eve Records party, which promised DJ Pablo in the main room playing some Euro house which luckily I didn't know before I went or wild horses wouldn't have dragged me in.
Once the very nice bouncers had let us jump the not inconsiderable queue we trotted up the stairs and into the main room. The Phoenix is not large by any stretch of the imagination and within about five minutes the place was packed with cheerful looking dancers.
There weren't many students in there and plenty of scary looking blokes, but despite that Tangled had a remarkably un-menacing atmosphere. With the music definitely bending towards the popular and cheesy - Bullet in the Gun, Welcome To The Pleasuredome and Zombie Nation made more than one appearance during the evening - we found ourselves dancing despite our better instincts.
And once we started we just couldn't stop. Overwhelmed by the seriously loved up atmosphere and the smiley happy people everywhere we succumbed to the music and just let ourselves enjoy the groove. Apparently Pablo's choons were quite a departure for Tangled which normally has a strictly 'hands in the air' musical policy, or at least that's what the fanatical regulars kept telling me.
Tangled aficionados are unimpressed by big name guest DJs, such is their quite scary adoration of residents and promoters Phil Morse and Terry Pointon. The popular consensus seemed to be that the best nights are always homegrown.
We didn't feel the need to check out the upstairs room and the moment when Tangled resident and promoter Terry Pointon span the last platter arrived far too soon. And you can't say fairer than that really.
Tangled must be one of the most attitude free and friendly nights I've been to for a long time and if the music makes you dance why argue? Manchester students get down there and make your presence felt.
ROSIE WILD