For generations of Manchester students, there are certain milestones that define the early months of uni life: Freshers’ week, the first all-nighter in the library, and, inevitably, the first time you walk through the doors of The Warehouse Project. For many new arrivals, The Warehouse Project provides the final initiation into the city, and Josh Baker‘s ten-year celebration of You&Me only reaffirmed its place as the beating heart of Manchester’s nightlife.
The Warehouse Project’s identity is defined not only by its scale and star-studded line-ups, but by the way it nurtures homegrown talent. Born and raised in Manchester, Josh Baker is a product of this culture. Over the past decade, Baker has built You&Me into a respected brand, and hosting a tenth anniversary at Depot Mayfield represents both personal achievement and a collective milestone for the community itself.
Baker first got involved in the house scene as a teenager. Visiting Manchester clubs for the first time, he absorbed the sounds that would later define his career. The You&Me brand was eventually born in 2015, following a formative summer in Ibiza where Baker and friends developed a vision for a certain style of house music. Eager to bring that energy home, they launched their own nights in Manchester to reflect that sound.
It started small: a Thai-beach themed student bar in Fallowfield in the venue now known as Nest, intimate and low-capacity but buzzing with the promise of something new. Over the years, You&Me has become a strong, recognisable name that commands international attention but remains connected and grounded to its roots.
It was this growth that was on full display during the celebrations, with a marathon twelve-hour party spanning from 4pm to 4am. The event used all six spaces of Depot Mayfield, each offering a different soundscape and atmosphere. While the roof and the Plant Room served as the sunlit sanctuaries of the daytime, the night unfolded inside as a true journey of dance music, with fresh talent in one corner and world-renowned names in another. Alongside the likes of Max Dean, Gaskin, and Seth Troxler, artists such as Marsolo and JWAVE not only delivered memorable performances but also showcased the vibrant future of the house scene.
This year also marked a new chapter for The Warehouse Project itself, with the organisers investing heavily into refining the experience. Fresh entrances have been designed to cut down queues, which proved to work remarkably well, but perhaps the most striking shift is cultural.
Under the banner of WHP25, the brand is pushing for a unique and refreshing ethos: less time on phones, more time dancing. Instead of endless filming, the focus is on pure presence and audience connection, with professional photos and videos provided afterwards so attendees can relive the night without missing it in the moment. The move is a conscious one, towards a more real collective type of rave that embraces the community feel that makes Manchester so special.
Baker’s beginnings in Fallowfield highlight in particular the deep connection that The Warehouse Project has formed with Manchester’s student population. This time of year sees students from across the country and the globe arriving to begin their time at university, eager to connect with the roots of the city they now call home. For many, experiencing the famous music scene is high up on the bucket list, and it is often none other than The Warehouse Project’s nights that become their first taste of the true scale and energy that has made Manchester famous worldwide.
There’s a sense of tradition in it. Just as past generations of students flocked to the Haçienda, which is now being given a renaissance by The Warehouse Project, today’s new arrivals mark their time in Manchester with a trip to the vast industrial space that is Depot Mayfield. By choosing the Saturday of Freshers’ week for this event, The Warehouse Project only underscored this connection by allowing thousands of students to experience its chaotic and euphoric energy early in the year, making its mark on the new cohort.
As uni life continues on, full of ups and downs, The Warehouse Project cements itself as a constant to students from September to December, there to provide that weekend reset so desperately needed.
Josh Baker’s celebration shows why The Warehouse Project isn’t just another club night. For Manchester students, it’s a rite of passage. A trip that must be done at least once in the years spent at university.
And, while Baker’s night has drawn to a close, the party continues in the days ahead as Dom Dolla takes over, delivering another eagerly anticipated night. Fans can also look forward to the return of Defected & Glitterbox and The Warehouse Halloween Banger, promising a variety of talent and moments that last long after the music ends.
