Future Dance now into their fifth big event and also hosting their first birthday celebration, so I didn’t want to miss this for anything. I arrived at Castle Studios just after 8.00pm to join the short queue and could hear the bassline reverberating from the inside. After a short wait, I finally got inside where I had a reasonable search from the bouncers. Security on the night were firm but fair, and seemed to do their jobs in an efficient manner. When walking into the venue, I noticed the funfair was missing which was a bit disappointing. But at least there were signs dotted around the venue apologising for the lack of funfair, which I thought was good to see. Some promoters don’t even bother to put any apology signs up, if a certain main attraction is missing. First stop for me was the main arena, which was looking wicked as usual. The sound system was nice and loud, a lot more clarity this time around. The lighting was also good, with a big green laser gyrating over the dancefloor. There was also a video screen above the DJ. Which instead of projecting trippy visuals like usual, it was showing the movie Stephen King’s ‘It’, which was certainly something different to gawp at while dancing. Special mention has to go to the very nice stage dancers, they certainly kept me and a lot of ravers entertained for most of the night, more of them please :) The first DJ on the decks was Smart-E who was okay in my opinion, nothing special though. Played mainly anthems like ‘Elysium’, but does its job of getting the dancefloor going. Next up was Robbie Long + Devastate, two of my favourite DJs. They played a wicked set with their slight breakbeaty influenced selection. Dropping tunes such as ‘Mother fucking psycho’ by DNA and ‘Trauma’ remix, got everyone going mad on the dancefloor. I then decided to go for a bit of wonder around the whole venue. Outside was really cold, so nobody really decided to stay outside very long. The production in the all the other arenas was top quality as well. They all had drapings + backdrops scattered around and had good sound + lighting to match. As soon as you step inside the venue, you can really sense and appreciate that a lot of effort has gone into putting on the best show for the ravers. Also nice to see the third arena has now got a full on dancefloor space. The irritating bar in the middle has been moved to the side and all the ravers can really have it in there properly. I certainly was popping in there a fair few times during the night, to catch the mainly old skool + hard house sets. It was now 11.00, so I headed back to the main arena to catch the sounds of Druid b2b Sharkey, a set I’d be looking forward to a long time. Well it turned out to be just Druid on the decks with Sharkey on the mic, which was just as magic, just like the old days. Druid played a exhilarating set, playing mainly old tunes in his trademark bouncy style. He dropped tunes such as ‘6 days’ remix and ‘Panic attack’ remix, which got the whole dancefloor stomping crazy. Definitely my set of the night and wicked to see Druid back to doing what he does best. By now the main arena was pretty much full up, which was wicked and heartening to see for the scene. The overall turnout on the night was very good, a lot better then I was expecting beforehand. There must have been at least 2000 people there, which just shows how far Future Dance have come over the last year. I then decided to properly check out the techno arena next door. It wasn’t full up in there, but everyone was going mental on the dancefloor and loving it. M-Zone was on the decks, who I thought was outstanding. Playing his usual hard trancey / nrg style selection got the whole arena going mad. Ribbz was on the mic, who at one point was actually dancing in the middle on the dancefloor next to the ravers, while MCing at the same time. Ribbz is more then just a techno MC you know, he’s a techno institution !! Anyway I stayed for a bit more in the techno arena to catch Dolphin’s set, who was quality as well. He played a lot of nu skool gabba, which I’ve got into a lot recently. And then he slowly built up the bpms, finally finishing with some very banging raw hard techno. Its so good to hear hard techno back at raves again :) The best aspect of the night was the atmosphere in my opinion, reminded me of the wicked atmospheres I’ve experienced in the past. Everyone was very friendly and there were happy smiley people everywhere. Some of these other big events tend to get gangs of pissed up troublemakers giving strife. But at Future Dance you don’t see that sort of thing at all, just pure ravers in effect. It was also nice to see a few more ladies coming out raving this time as well, lets hope they don’t go back into hiding :) Just pass 2.00 so I headed back to main arena to catch Squirrel who was playing an old skool set. He played his normal predictable selection, dropping the usual tunes such as ‘Bombscare’ by 2 bad mice and ‘Way in my Brain’ by SL2. The packed crowd were loving it and with the one and only MC MC on the mic as well, made a wicked set. Brisk stepped up next to crank up the bpms once again. I thought it was an average set by Brisk, nothing really that special. He play some new stuff at the start, but in the last half he started playing the same old tunes such as ‘Set me free’ remix. But I was told afterwards, that he was unable to play lots of new tunes he had on CD, as his CD deck was unable to be plugged in. The clock struck 4.00 and time for the last hour. I decided to split the last hour up. The first half I spent in the techno arena for Loftgroover, a nice calm relaxing way for the techno ravers to finish off the night :) Lofty was playing his trademark full on mental speedcore selection, which brought back some old Technodrome memories for me. The last half hour I went back in the hardcore arena to catch Kaos, who was playing a pretty good set. Full on dark banging selection by him, showcasing his new Go Mental Dark tunes, made sure everyone was stomping mad to the very end. The music on the night in the hardcore arena was structured right. There were no stale repetition of tunes and all the sets were different in their own right, as each DJ just stuck to his own thing….the way it should be. Overall it was a truly excellent night, I certainly thoroughly enjoyed it. Its night like this, which make raving seem so special. Castle Studios makes venues such as Bagleys look like complete holes. Future Dance seem now to have an ever increasing following of loyal supporters. They put a lot of time + effort into their events and the ravers know it. Its because of this, their events will become more recognised and just keep on getting bigger and bigger. Big Shouts to: Paul, Kev, Peter, ‘The Russian Brockster’ HB, Ponder, Emma, Carol, ‘The Dapper Don’ Chedda, Andy Plu Raver, Dodgee, Minx, Jexxy, Steve Uplift, Chrissy, Adidas Matt, Beth, Tom U4EA, Andy T, Velocity, Scottie, Charlotte + James (cheers for the lift !!), Becki, Jonathan, Mupster, Phick, Twigg, Potfish, SD, ‘The London Thug’ Swaver, Simon Mdma, Padz, Snow, Dimi, Gaz, Raver Jo, Billybass, Misdee, Andy M, Lloyd, Stargazer, Ward-E, Dave Mentalist, Androo, Peachy, Icekold Pete, Stix, Tony Resonance, Bedford Caine, Tina, ‘The Northern Heavyweight’ Alarm, Banksy, Jay Kay, Rich-E, Jo, Nemes1s, Viking, Lee UHF, Espio, Madman, Grand Master Bibbwood, Baron Von Bibbwood, MC Casper, Tom Latchem, B.A Battenburg, Crack Baby, Smile-E, Crazy Chris, E-Caholic Aidan….…hugs to the girls, handshakes to the boys…….hope you all had a good one !!!! Over and Out Slammin’ Sam
