Well I've said it about Raindance for years, they know how to party, and tonight was no exception. I felt it was a brave move to take hardcore to a "super club" but after the HUGE success of the last 2 old skool, drum and bass nights there I could see it working. The crowd was a lot small than at the last 2 events with probably some 200 or so less people and it did clear out pretty quick after 2am but on the plus side it was the hardcore room that had the biggest crowd. I arrived just after 10pm to find Uplift & Cris E Manic on in the hardcore room and I felt it was the best set I have ever heard them play. More ruffness than normal and definitely one to get ravers and clubbers united as one on the dance floor. It was also nice to hear a lot of tunes I aint heard before, which I always like. 11:30 - 12:30 the co-promotor and hardhouse innovator Billy Bunter was to play a 94 - 95 set and I dont think any of us were surprised by either his tune selection, or his superb mixing, a guy who has always had immense talent and is sadly missed I feel in the upfront hardcore world. Again it wasn't only the ravers who loved this set but the clubbers too who made up at least half the crowd. Storm stepped up at 12:30 and he wasn't a very happy chappie as the set up was wrong for his equipment and he was forced to use far inferior equipment, but apart from this changing his tune selection slightly I dont think it caused any major problems. In the first 15 minutes of storms set I will have to concede he did manage to scare of a lot of clubbers by playing far harder and faster than Bunter, yet he played a lot slower than his usual frantic speed. A set full of Raindance records, Next Gen tunes and many exclusives soon had the room filling back up again to the fullest it got. Absolute class, best set of the night, just betting Uplift & Cris E. Incidentally, during storms set I was asked FIVE TIMES (by different people) if I would get him to play Shooting Star so you can see what clubbers like, this maybe while his set had the biggest following, as it was the most uplifting vocal set. Also a giant, beast of a man (club security) kept asking for Heart Of Gold and a cd of Storms he said it was the best set he'd heard in years. Maybe trance aint the way to go ? 2 - 3 presenting Elation Recordings was the dj formally known as Happy Bounce. I found HB's set way to slow for my liking but it did go down well. I enjoyed it but its more the sort of thing I'd listen to at home or in me car. I thought the new Elation recordings tracks sounded better than stuff like And Im Back by Ham at the speed Mark was playing at, as they just didn't sound right slow. Dougal played the last hour and I think he also played the worst set. It was ok, but again too slow, Raver baby and essential platinum tunes probably not much faster than 170bpm. Not how I like it but that's the way life is. Overall a top night, I think all the DJ's played slower than usual but I think that's due to the large number of clubbers. I do feel that most of them were surprised by how much things have changed in a short period of time and now if you listen to hardcore you are no longer listening to the greatest cheese selection of the eighty's. With a bit of luck we may have a few more peoples among our side and I'm sure there will be more events at this luxury club. Wicked club, superb sound, lovely lighting, safe, strict security, amazing atmosphere. WICKED! Shouts to: Storm, AndyM, Potfish, Luke, Uplift, Cris E, Karl, Rachal, Hattrixx, Sweetstar, Ponder, HB, Charlie, James, Desire, Elmo, Caine, Kev, Phick, Richard, Billy, and everyone else.
