Soulwax Turn O2 Victoria Warehouse Into a Precision-Engineered Electronic Furnace
- Desh Kapur
- Jan 16
- 3 min read
O2 VICTORIA WAREHOUSE - 14th January 2026
WORDS / IMAGES GOSIA CZYZNIEWSKA
It was a cold, cold night down by Salford Quays, the kind that cuts straight through your coat, as people funnelled towards the hulking red-brick shell of O2 Victoria Warehouse. Stark, industrial and slightly unforgiving, the former cotton warehouse remains one of Manchester’s most characterful venues — a concrete cathedral perfectly suited to electronic music with teeth. On nights like this, it doesn’t just host shows; it amplifies them.
Warming the room — both figuratively and literally — were Sworn Virgins, the critically acclaimed, enigmatic London-based DJ and production duo known for their boundary-pushing take on disco, house and electronic music. Closely aligned with Soulwax through the DEEWEE label, Sworn Virgins felt less like a traditional support act and more like a prologue to the main event. They walked on stage without saying a word, delivered a hypnotic, locked-in house set that slowly thawed the crowd, then left in the same silent fashion. No banter, no fuss — just total commitment to the groove.
By the time Soulwax appeared, anticipation had tipped into outright excitement. Few acts in electronic music boast a CV quite like the Dewaele brothers: a band (Soulwax), DJs (2manydjs), a record label (DEEWEE), a high-fidelity sound system project (Despacio), and even their own app and radio platform (Radio Soulwax). Above all else, they remain one of the most innovative and influential remix and production teams of the past two decades. Opening the UK leg of their tour in Manchester, this felt like a statement show.
They came on stage in silence, but the crowd made up for it. The drummers took their podiums first — a visual cue that rhythm, not ego, would dominate the night — before Stephen and David Dewaele emerged to a huge cheer. Skipping pleasantries entirely, they launched straight into the set, immediately locking the room into their mechanical, muscular pulse.
The performance flowed seamlessly, track bleeding into track with barely a breath in between. The focus was firmly on their latest album, All Systems Are Lying, with much of the set built around its sharp, confrontational energy. Rather than pausing for applause, Soulwax treated the show as a single, evolving organism — motifs reappearing, rhythms mutating, electronics snapping and reforming in real time.
A brief mid-set interlude saw a slick, almost parody-level posh male voiceover explaining the dizzying array of knobs and controls on the band’s custom-built consoles, complete with demonstrations of various effects. It was equal parts technical flex and self-aware humour — a reminder that Soulwax are obsessive about sound design, but never precious about it.
An obligatory hello to Manchester followed, along with introductions to the band, before each drummer took a moment in the spotlight. With Iggor Cavalera, Aurora Bennett (centre), and Blake Davies forming the percussive backbone, the show’s physical power was undeniable. Drums drove everything — relentless, precise, and thrilling — while Laima Leyton’s vocals cut through the noise and Stefaan Van Leuven’s bass anchored the chaos.
As the end approached, the unmistakable notes of “Miserable Girl” sent the crowd into a frenzy, followed swiftly by “E-Talking”. Both appeared in shortened, almost cameo-like versions — respectful nods rather than full throwbacks — before the set surged forward again into newer material. Nostalgia, it seemed, was optional.
Soulwax rarely stood still, moving swiftly from song to song, blending themes and ideas with clinical precision. The energy in the room was exquisite: intense but controlled, cerebral but physical. After a brief exit, the band returned for a two-song encore, before offering swift goodbyes, thanking the band, waving to the crowd, and disappearing just as efficiently as they’d arrived — Manchester conquered, London next.
On a freezing January night, Soulwax proved once again that they’re not interested in looking back. This was a forward-facing, uncompromising live show — sharp, heavy, and meticulously engineered — perfectly matched to the brutal beauty of Victoria Warehouse.
SET LIST
Intro
Hot Like Sahara
Krack
Coronet
Trouble / Essential
EMS
Takutakutaku
Binary
Rapraprap
Polaris
Chloe / The Manual
I <3 Techno
Run Free
What You Got / Idiots In Love
Pills And People Gone
New Earth Time
Meanwhile on the Continent
Mary Wetleg
Another Excuse
All Systems Are Lying
Gimme A Reason
Miserable Girl
E-Talking
Telex
Toktoktok
NY Excuse
False Economy
Conversation Intercom
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