The Times (well, their pop person) is already calling it International Chase & Status Day on Twitter. It’s the day that the video for Blind Faith appeared, sent the Twitterati abuzz, and triggered a wave of blissful nostalgia for the halcyon days of yesteryear. The people are really feeling it – and no wonder.

Its all because of this ‘home video’ of a bunch of Manchester lads and their big night out – in 1990. It starts with their preparations, and climaxes at an illegal rave in a warehouse somewhere in the north of England – and the aftermath. At ten minutes, its much more than a video. But in there is C&S’s Blind Faith (featuring Liam Bailey) – just about the biggest clue that this isn’t truly authentic, but actually a stunning recreation of a very evocative moment of British music and social history.

It’s the new video by Daniel Wolfe, who after a year of working with Ben Drew aka Plan B making his brilliant, epic Strickland Banks story jigsaw – and picking up several MVAs, including Best Director in the process – has taken the gripping storytelling style he has developed with Drew into a more realistic setting. And key members of the team that have worked on the Plan B series are present and correct here too: producer Tim Francis, cinematographer Lol Crawley, costume designer Hannah Edwards, editor Dom Leung.

This was done right after the latest B video, Love Goes Down. “Daniel spent five days in Manchester street-casting himself, going to night spots where he’d find the right people,” explains Tim Francis. “Everyone there at the rave was invited.” In fact, the production put on their own rave at a Manchester warehouse that was quite an event in itself, featuring legendary DJs who made their names at the time – including Slip Mat, Crowhead and Matt Ward – as well as Chase & Status. “It was like a proper revival night,” says Tim. “And the response we got was that it was the best party that Manchester had seen in a while.”

But its really the performances of the leading cast members, the focus on their camaraderie, and shared experience, which are key. Two of the lads in this also featured in Daniel’s short film 93 Til Infinity. “They were just perfect for this,” says Tim Francis. “Daniel’s not about staging set-ups, his approach is to create an event and film it. The magic is to get the right guys in the right environment, and let things happen. It’s been a big part of his work from The Horrors onwards.”

To say Daniel Wolfe is on a roll is a bit of an understatement – The Times‘ Caitlin Moran has called him a “fucking genius”. He’s certainly bringing a tear to the eye of many an old raver on International Chase & Status Day.

• Tim Nash on the Chase & Status video

Chase & Status ft. Liam Bailey
Blind Faith (Mercury)
Dir: Daniel Wolfe
Producer: Tim Francis
Production Company: Somesuch & Co
Executive Producers: Tim Nash and Sally Campbell
Production Assistant: Lee Groombridge
Director’s Assistant: George Belfield
2nd Unit Director: Colin O’Toole
Director of Photography: Lol Crawley
Production Designer: Sami Khan
Costume Designer: Hannah Edwards
Hair & Make Up: Almut Gramer
Location Manager: Luke Marshall
1st AD: Nickie Sault
Lead Cast: Tom Garside, Nicky Bell, Joe Marsden, Ciaran Clancey, Jamie Shelton
Editor: Dominic Leung @ Trim
Commissioner: Dan Curwin
(*Indebted thanks to the Donnellys: Tracey, Arthur, and Chris. Who pulled out all the stops to make the video happen. And to Gio Goi for their brand involvement, and for re-creating original 1990′s designs exclusively for the shoot.)
Watch six minute version: Quicktime movie

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