For the first time in ages I wasn't really looking forward to Slammin as much as I usually do. No idea why, maybe it was how the last UD failed to over impress me. Well after a few swift lunch time pints I met up with Kev and had another crafty lager. Back to Jacaranda where I swear time is on fast forward mode all the time. W entered Kev's house at 3.30ish and ten minutes later time had sped round to 7.00. Time for Slammin'! We met with the usual suspects at Kings X then made our way to Bagleys up for it and ready for a good night. Did the usual Credit card blag and got in to the venue before 10.00 after the usual pleasant greeting by the lovely Bagleys security, grope of the bollocks and all!! The first time I have ever been inside Bagleys before it starts! Quickly got shot of the coats and then off to find some music. Nowhere had started yet so we hung around in arena 1 waiting for "What does that say?? Kaos? I thought it was s'posed to be rip off??" But no Kaos, instead Scott Brown was rushed to the decks for the first set. This was a welcome surprise, well not for the people yet to get in but it was for me. He played all his Evolution classics which is fair enough but this is what made Force and Styles sets soo similar so come on Scotty! His mixing was okay, didn't leave both tunes playing for too long so it was somewhat safe mixing;-) Went down to the smaller hardcore cupboard to catch some Hixxy who was playing harder than normal but nothing that new appart from an Out Of Space remix and a Sky High remix which I hadn't heard before. Back to the end of Scot Brown and then Sy up at 11.15. By now the hardcore room was packed, no joke! Something told me it was going to be another crush at Bagleys judging by the masive queue still outside. Anyway Sy played it okay with Heart of Gold (again) and Shooting Star remix. Maybe Sy too is getting a bit predictable?? Outside for the first meet-up and Me and Jonathan sneaked off for cheesey glow stick purchasing (him not me). When we returned the meet-up had vanished so we wandered back into the hardcore arena where Johnathan gave me his horn (ooeerrr) for the rest of the night just for cheesing it up with;-) By now the place was heading to the dangerously overfull stage. Had they not listened to us after UD?? Apparently not! After Sy it was the turn of Mark EG and M Zone so it was time for old skool. Well a very pleasant surprise greeted me as Vibes was up playing one of the nights best sets of 1994 old skool all well mixed and alongside MC Smiley and Livelee!! They ripped it up and the room was rammed to the rafters. Brilliant set including all the classics like Take Me Away, SMD3, Ravers Choice 2 etc etc. Time for another meet-up but they didn't seem to have their usual crowd showing up that night. Outside the loveable security (four of them) were marching someone away from the venue giving him the occasional punch to the ribs quite happy to let everyone see. Also the usual suspects were giving a couple of beatings outside in the chill out area to anyone who dared to say anything to them. Aside from that they were well behaved on the dance floor this time:-) Time for some hard house with Sarge who was playing it very hard (165 bpm) and banging but even this arena was rammed to the rafters. There must have been at least 5,000 people there. It was approaching the ridiculous, you could sit outside in the chill out area which was just as packed as it was inside and see the steam bellowing out of the exits like smoke from a fire. Brisk was up next in the main arena and yes it was still packed out. He played in my eyes the best set of the night, Set Me Free, Sky High Remix, Caffiene Rush (one of my fave BB tunes) and fast and banging from start to finish. After his set time to cool off from the ridiculous heat inside. It really was dangerous, with loads of people visibly burning up. Down stairs for the end of Vibes hadcore set where Livelee was again getting the crowd going nicely. Alot of people were starting to get pissed off now due to the sheer number of people they had crammed into the venue. It took forever to walk between arenas and at one point Ponder, Sam and I were stood outside not knowing which arena to head for such was the hassle level to actually get into the arena. Why they have no indoor chill out facility I don't know. Okay they have the bit at the end of the garage room but that was rammed too so it was a choice of going inside and roasting or going outside and freezing! In then end we headed back for the old skool and were faced with a Rat Pack induced crush of ravers, we found a little space by the side of the stage but that was it. Had a final stomp to the end of their set and then to Nicky Blackmarkets old skool jungle and then it was flyer time. Thank fuck! So my overall view on the night?? Well it was definately my worst ever Slammin' due to too many people (scorchingly hot and no room to dance), the security which are getting worse by the event. Actually they are getting worse for Slammin' but they were no where near this bad for UD. Yeah people danced to the hard house but they had no choice due to the whole venue being rammed solid. I certainly didn't as I wanted hardcore:-P The whole night just had the feel of making money any way possible at the expense of the ravers having a pretty dross time. Farewell Slammin' if you want to drop hardcore either by putting off the ravers off with the security or by over selling the event you are certainly going to succeed. There was no need to put hard house in the main arena unless you wanted to plug a certain Substance event, good motive;-) There must have been 1,500 hardcore ravers there which was brilliant for hardcore but it was such a shame they had to be treated to such an event. I am now an ex Bagleys raver. It is no longer the place it used to be. With events like Future Dance springing up I will have no desire to go to Bagleys anyway. Well they certainly made a mint at our expense. Cheers! Oh an Slipmatt definately playing hardcore? My fat hairy arse, lucky I was outside dishing out flyers eh:-) Shouts to: Sam, Kev, Conrad, Ponder, Sonic, Chrissy, Uplift, Ruth, Happy J, Justin, Bridie, John, Jonathan, Andrew and Jo, Cheesey Chedda, DJ Scottie, Mikey B, Snow, Peachy, Sandy, Lukozade, Joe Retro, anyone else I met and MC Storm for telling me to fuck off twice, cheers mate;-) Boingety boing boing boing
