Homobloc 2025
Homobloc, the proudly queer block party born from Manchester’s beloved Homoelectric club night firmly plants its flag in Warehouse Project territory once again. Shifted from its usual November slot to early December, raising the question: is this an early gay Christmas or a late queer Thanksgiving? Whatever holiday it resembles, I’m thankful I went.
Opening the Depot main stage was Forbid, a DJ and producer with serious talent. We arrived to catch “Didn’t I know (divas to the dancefloor)” a promising sign of the night ahead of us. Opening sets can be tricky things, but this was confident, high energy and filled with sass. We were divas, and he absolutely had us dancing.
Harrsnnn followed, joined by House Gospel Choir. A fusion of house and gospel music is usually a guaranteed uplift, though early in the set the big beats overwhelmed the vocals making for an uncomfortable listening experience. Thankfully the mix was quickly corrected and by “Most Precious Love” it all clicked into place. The vocals came through on this soulful track, merging together with Harrsnnn’s layers lifting it to a new place. By their cover of “free yourself” by Jessie Ware we were dancing and maybe feeling a sense of freedom.
Homobloc isn’t limited to the WHP main rooms, wandering off is essential for your Homobloc experience. One easily overlooked detour tucked away outside is the Star and Garter pub. It’s an old school Mancunian boozer (complete with cheaper pints and a proper bar) and it’s here we find Lil Miss Jackie.
A newer face on Manchester’s party scene, Lil Miss Jackie brand themselves the “certified party starters”. If the night hadn’t already started it was well underway by the time their hour was up. You know you’re at a proper rave in the north of England when there’s a drag queen passing round platters of Party Rings and prawn cocktail crisps in the snug. Their mix of house, disco and pop paired with relentless energy had the whole room bouncing. I couldn’t get a single non blurry photo of them; they simply wouldn’t stay still long enough.
Other acts in the star and garter are all part of Manchester’s booming queer party scene, including Chipped Polish (rowdy choons for angry queers) and The Fat Britney. All making their own case for why grassroots parties matter. Homobloc is actively choosing to platform local talent, it’s a statement of intent that doesn’t go unnoticed.
We tried to catch Joshua James but couldn’t as the venue was full to the brim. No matter. At what party can you also go to a pop up market? Homobloc of course. Local LGBTQ+ charities were raising funds and sharing info, including for Sparkle’s national trans pride weekend. There were even clothing stalls offering last-minute outfit upgrades for the underdressed, or the overclothed.
In the Plant room, Pxssy Palace had taken over celebrating 10 years as a London based collective uplifting queer people of colour. It’s a room with a mix of all ages and the music mixes pop and chart with heavier beats to create a soundscape reflective of the full range of queer nightlife. I’m normally against DJs being on the microphone, but here it really worked. The blend of genres created an incredible atmosphere and it wasn’t just the music. It’s impossible to ignore the sheer amount of talent beyond the artists and DJs. Dancers performed on platforms, drag artists seemingly everywhere, regular bursts of sparklers and showers of confetti even screens cheekily saying “cunt”. It gave the whole night an energy that revealed the heart of Homobloc: pure joy and dancing spilling over in basically every corner.
The energy of the smaller rooms had been incredible and we moved into the main space for the bigger name acts. Hercules and Love Affair took to the archive and delivered dreamy, delicate vocals to a relatively sparse crowd. It gave it a strangely intimate quality, particularly for “Someone Else is Calling”, and those who were there were fully invested.
The sparse crowd had a reason of course, everyone was at the main event. The headliner, the Sugababes, drew a vast crowd as expected and catching the end wasn’t a decision I regret. They reminded everyone why they’re pop heavy weights. The vocals were crisp and all around excellent, notable for a venue where people often complain about sound. We were swept along with the crowd for “Round Round” and “Push the Button” before “About you now” became the explosive crowd sing along you absolutely would expect it to be.
Back in the archive we find Beth Ditto on stage with “the fvck pigs” (A Manchester based group I genuinely cannot even begin to explain). She proudly proclaimed she “didn’t do that electronic stuff” before diving into a remix of “Standing in the Way of Control” with Joshua James. The crowd response was seismic.
Peaches and Erol Alkan followed, opening with Rosalia’s “Berghain,” hearing that dreamy blend of classic and operatic vocals on proper speakers for the first time was everything I hoped it might be. It set us up to carry on through the final stretch, dancing the night away on a cloud of queer joy, love, and pure euphoria.
This night felt like we were all part of something much bigger, celebrating the joy, diversity and pride of being queer. Whilst pride in this city is traditionally held in August, with that organisation’s well documented financial problems, this night of celebration and charitable giving felt especially significant. By supporting artists and communities who deserve platforms and payment, Homobloc quietly reminded us that Pride isn’t fixed to a date but it lives in this city year round.
As Homobloc’s socials told us the next day: “Community doesn’t fade when the music stops, it’s the reminder that you’re still part of something much bigger.”
Exactly that. A joyful, meaningful queer triumph.