A 1930's art deco theatre, Manchester's O2 Apollo isn't the first place you'd think of for a rave. But then, Moby probably isn't the first artist you'd associate with rave culture either. But when he released Play in 1999, EDM was cresting a wave in the UK, the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy, rising from clandestine gatherings in warehouses, clubs and fields to a chart-topping, Glastonbury headlining phenomenon. Play added Moby to that illustrious pantheon and also helped shift the perception of the music from ultra-intense techno beats to something that could be elegiac... and still fill dancefloors.
But in the Apollo, it's not just the dancefloor that's filled; every inch of available space is packed, the 3,500 capacity venue feeling quaint compared to the other show on this tour, at London's 20,000-cap O2 Arena. The grandiose surroundings also provide a perfect backdrop for the more grandiose stylings Moby indulges in across an expansive 22-song set.
