First and foremost I feel I really need to apologise for being so late, especially to the ice cold Lukeozade. I'm sure it was a wicked set despite the Whistla situation. Same to the big HB. Brisk played good. A lot of new tracks, and I'm happy to say there good. Really nice to see the return of the excessive bassline on that new Ham track and many others. And how nice to top it up with Ruff Muff. And who heard his scratch? WOW! Honest he is baaaaad. His scratch kicks Sy's scratch in the mouth. I'm saying the gezza has flaring. I had a word with Ham as it goes. It’s seems that he devoting more of his time to Stimulant than Next Gen and that’s why he don’t appear that busy. But he also said that they’ve got a whole years worth of releases lined up on Next Gen, so no worries there. Then came a set that I'll be remembering for a long long time. Yes, up stepped MAJESTIC! He commenced attack with the amazing (first time I've ever heard it played out) Product Of Society. Respect to him for stepping up on an experimental flavour. It's just a shame that all the stoopid ravers couldn't appreciate that. He then just went from strength to strength. Now Control, Take It From The Groove remix and the baad baad Unda Ground. A stunning representation of freeform Hardcore. Majestic, I salute you. Breeze. Emmmmm? I'm usually a fan of his sets and yeah he started of really good. Hardcore Vibes 2K is a chooooooon! Loads of wicked hard Techno hoovers and loads of battering breaks and mad good 4/4. Best choon I've heard all year. But I aint buying it for the simple fact it's on the flipside to an Oasis track and I refuse to by junk like that. A real shame. Breeze also played a wicked ragga flavoured mix of Sincerely Yours as well but the sadly moved into remix anthemsvile. Yes all though choons you’ve heard one million times before got yet another caining at the hand of Breeze. To be fair he did fill the dance floor but I think that more reflects the stoopidity of ravers more than it does the quality of his set. I mean you have to be gone in the head to get excited by Shooting Star after hearing it every rave for 2 years solid. Sonic was good. Once again hitting the crowd with all the best dancefloor business like the wicked wicked Rock This Place and working his way into the freeform like the amazing bass ripper that is Gods Broth. And who heard his drop Burn Mutha Fucka! Most respect G. I really feel for Sonic cause his set came just as all the first comedowns were kicking in but it was wicked all the same. Really love the way he plays from light to dark. Yo he baad. I actually ducked into the Hard House arena for a bit to laugh at Caine. But he was playing some fucking amazing stuff. Honest what I was listening to was essentially slow Hard Hardcore. NRG by king Jon Doe blew me away. Were talking all the best Hardcore drums, bangin 4/4, Breaks, Long Rings, Subs and ripping Hard Synths. Gob Smacking. I think Hard House sounds just as much Hardcore as Happy or Freeform or Nu Skool. More people should open their minds and give it a chance. Up next was the man himself. Yes Ponder. Honest, he really is a personal favourite. I absolutely love what he plays. That was so cool when he stepped up with Piano Progression by the baad baad Luna C. And when the breaks dropped the whole place went all explodey. Honest the geeza knows how to scratch, mix and exactly what choons will ram a dancefloor in a second. I’m talking Incognito, Higher Love, Air Head and all the rest. Yes, he is a don. Who ever played the next set had their work cut out. Not only was Ponder a really hard act to follow but also the final set of the first ever Elation. Can’t really remember who played next? Oh yes I can, twas none other than the queen of Hardcore herself (no not Sharkey) yesss CRIS E MANIC! I often wonder, did Jesus get nervous before he performed miracles cause Chrissy don’t half get the jitters maaan. And for the life of me I cant imagine why? Has she ever done a bad set? Has she ever finished a set to an atmosphere anything short of electric? Never. Not once has she ever failed to get a rave properly raving. Honest at the mention of her name the dance floor just fills out. And she gets nervous? Anyway her set. What can I say, it was her usually high standard of wickedness. Kicking in with All I Need, which got everyone in full dance mode for the last hour. Continued with a steady flow of absolute killers. I was really really impressed when I heard her mixing in Dj Phobias Earthquake on GBT. Not the easiest mix by far but Manic pulled it off perfectly. I swear that has to be the quickest hour ever, but time move faster when your having fun don’t it. So many fresh and fierce tracks it was unreal. Sail Away (hard as fook mix), Elysium, I Don’t Need Nobody, Rapido’s Insomniac and the wicked Triple J mix of Freedom 2 Dance. And that nice yet very underrated man Dj Uplift even made a special appearance and played So In Love. All in all yet another miracle by Albert Squares finest. I mean to generate an atmosphere like that at the end of a night takes something a bit special. Nice one. An absolutely amazing launch party. Wicked sound, decor and cooling fan (nice touch that only a raver would consider). I sincerely believe this is the start of something special. Most respect to the men who are Sonic, Happy Bounce and Ponder.
