I wasn’t looking forward to this event really and was quite reluctant to go I was doing a natural and had a huge decision to make regarding my raving future after the event. The night started with the meet up at Victoria station from where we went to the meet at Brixton and then on onto the venue. After arriving at the venue we were greeted by a short queue, which moved quickly once the venue, opened. When I got into the venue I took a good look around and was amazed at how nice the venue was the two rooms were both a good size not too big were you would get lost but not too intimate that you would be dancing on one and other. First up in the hardcore was Kev because Vibes was late, eventually Vibes showed up and took over from Kev, I didn’t notice until Kev sneaked up on me=). Vibes played his typical cheesy set and did not stick to the 95/96 set I believe he was asked to play, even dropped in some oldskool before moving on to the cheesier stuff. Not really to my liking so I went to the oldskool room to have a look and my word the laser in there was amazing. I went back in as Vibes ended and next was Sonic playing a nu style gabba set which was spot on really banging and really got the crowd stomping, the more I hear of this stuff the more I like it. I took a quick wander around to see who else had arrived that I knew, on my travels I bumped into DJ energy, the bloke is sound he always has time for the ravers and asked whether I’d be in for his set I jokingly said I’d be in the old skool room knowing full well I’d be there dancing away at the front. So then energy stepped up behind the decks with storm on the Mic he played some absolutely blinding freeform and storm was on top form even if you couldn’t hear him properly. I was loving it and am amazed at how much energy storm puts into his sets, he starts dancing, pointing and looks really enthusiastic with what he’s saying has the only MC I listen to in hardcore because of this. After Energy it was time for HB and also time for the Russian hat to be brought out to welcome the Russian massive to the decks, HB started with I think the helicopter tune before moving into some wicked hardcore. The hat was moving about between people joining in the Russian massive including the MC and everyone else. He played some 95 hardcore and also some new hardcore involving break beats loved this set and stomped away till the end. After HB was Hixxy again an incredible set by this man, playing his new raverbaby stuff again Storm really rocking the Mic got the place going mental, I really needed a sit down at this point but couldn’t because I was so wrapped up in the music, my legs were aching but the quality of the hardcore astounding. Once Hixxy finished I decided to go for a rest just as Robbie long and devastate stepped up. So of O trundled to the USH meet up booth where so many people were just crashed out lightweights, I rested for about 5 mins before returning and again the quality of the hardcore in this set was first class and had me dancing right the way through I am growing to love Robbie longs and Devastates style of hardcore more and more and this set did not disappoint. Ponder then stepped up and started with some banging tunes from Lab4, which no one noticed and danced away happily. After that he started playing some awesome hardcore to keep the place moving, it was during Ponders set that I got speaking to MC Casper (I think) and he started to MC next to me and he was good I would like to hear him out properly and am looking forward to the next Rain dance as I’m guessing he will be there supporting Jedi and stormtrooper. Then finally Kev stepped up again I was knackered by this point and didn’t dance through it all but what I was hearing I was liking and when I decided to dance I tried to have a good stomp but my feet were blistering by this point. I heard him play his own tune is it (high Voltage) can’t remember and then when he played his final tune I saw him jump down to have a good old stomp. Anyway the night was one of my bests all the hardcore was out of the top drawer and the atmosphere was astounding, I personally think better than Future dance, It has made my decision very hard now> I hope the night paid of for the guys behind it, the hardcore room was kicking all night shame about the oldskool room which never really got going as well as the hardcore room. Shouts to Kev, Sam, Tom U4EA, Kat, Nats, Androoo, Dodgee, MDMAsi, Jonathon Barking Boy, Icekold, Mikey B, Phick, and James with the adidas hat, Dok, HB, Ponder, Chedda, Random Cousin, Dimi, JexXy and Mc Casper and anyone else I talked to or met on the night.
