Fortunately Flashback have managed to get round the closure problems inflicted by the police and Birmingham council to bring back a serious old skool night - and judging by the number of people queuing, the demand is stronger than ever! We started the night by going to a pre-club drink at The Gallery - where Mistress Mo was supposed to be spinning - when we got there it was pretty empty, but some classic hardcore was being played and people were turning up regularly. Pretty soon the place was pretty much packed - so at around 9:30 we made a move to get into the Que Club. Doors were scheduled to open at 9:30 - and this time they did so right on time....the queue was something else, with the non-guest list queue wrapping round the side of the building and down a side street - much more people than before (we still got in before the guestlist people though). We also noticed that a lot of people were without tickets - and there were no ticket touts - so it was true, the event had totally sold out. Because of the warnings imposed by the council, security was strict on the door, thorough searches etc. Once we got inside it was on to the main arena. First up we caught Easygroove who started well enough, but after raising the tempo again and again didn't seem to settle into a flow, so we moved on. The back room has changed shape since I was last at the Que club, with the bar occupying a different wall covered in UV murals etc. Wicked decor. Seems like the prices we were so pleased at last time have changed though - £2.50 for a bottle of water is simply a rip off, beer and spirits were cheaper! So we took to taking refills from the drinking fountains near the toilets which were turned on all night. For this event there was also a hard house and trance room featuring Mark EG and M-Zone (although we didn't catch them). First off we tried the drum and bass room - and managed to catch Nexus (Quest). What a set! Seriously hard and stepping drum and bass - on a sound system which was arguably better than the main arena in a room 1/4 of the size. Everyone was going mad with every track being dropped - I can't describe it. After an hour of hard paced action, we grabbed Mistress Mo's hard house set in the opposite room - and the place was jumping...literally! The whole floor in the room was bouncing in rhythmn, with a happy and packed crowd dancing for all they were worth. Back to the main arena - absolutely packed and baying for Pilgrim and MC Lenni. The set of the night has to go to Pilgrim in my opinion - superb mixing, wicked track selection and the fact that he moved between loads of styles of hardcore without settling on one. Even the rewinds didn't get boring like they usually do - one was rewound 3 times in succession but nobody minded. When Bukem's "Music" was dropped the place went wild only to be picked up even further by "The Helicopter Tune" and numerous other Moving Shadow releases - a superb set. Back to the drum and bass room to catch Nicky Blackmarket playing in typically hard and dark style, it was so full in there that you just couldn't move so we bowed out and grabbed some food while waiting for Ellis Dee. Ellis Dee also did a superb job - lifting us all even though we could barely move by this point! At 5am, Top Buzz came on and played a varied and dark set - but we only held out for half an hour before deciding to drag ourselves home. Once again - excellent selection of DJ's, friendly crowd - the place was PACKED to capacity - finding anywhere to dance - let alone sit down was difficult - but an excellent vibe! Downers - prices of water - SORT IT OUT - £2.50 for a bottle is just scandalous. Security were polite at all times, but not particularly friendly, moving you on as soon as you stepped out of a room, but once we found the chill out area it wasn't quite so bad. Overall: An expensive but good quality night I could thoroughly recommend - here's to the next one in April! Shouts to: the oldskool geezers - who vanished very effectively, Lee Richardson, Neil, Steve and Jim!
