Knowing I was finishing work quite late this day, I was shitting it thinking I was not going to have time to get home, Get my records sorted and get the train in time. Luckily I managed it with less than 10 minutes to spare. Met up with my travelling companions, Andy Freestyle, Banksy and Kenno. And we were off on the train to London. After the usual shenanigans of Drink, Take piss out of Banksy, Drink, Take piss out of Banksy and drink again. We arrived at the station at 9:50pm, met up with Chedda and made our way to the club.

When we got there, the queue was all the way around the building. (Good sign) With people blowing horns and whistles from every angle. I checked myself and my guests in at the guest list. And made our way to the club doors. Reaching the top of the stairs I saw DJ Sharkey, so I went up for a chat and asked him about his decision tonight to retire forever from MCing. He said it was a very hard decision to make, but was doing it to concentrate more on his music production. Well If that is not a good enough reason then I don't know what is.

Entering we went straight to the Main Hardcore room to look at the line-ups and see what was being played. In the Hardcore room for the first hour was the first of quite a few changes that night. The resident DJ Impact had being replaced by Bristol regulars, Sketchy & Compulsion. Who played a variety of Released Hardcore from the Blatant Beats, Next Generation & Raver Baby Labels. I didn't listen to them for long but even though they put together a quite good set with seamless mixing, It wasn't really anything special or new that any bedroom DJ could have played.

After that we moved onto the Old skool room via the Hard House room which tonight was hosted by Riot ! Playing first set in there was fellow Future Dance resident DJ Preacher. As we walked threw He was playing "Bust It" Hard House mix on Wax Trax, Which seemed a little Harder to what he usually plays but good all the less. Entering the Old Skool room we were greeted by Resident "Flower Pot Men" Vinal & Dan Devotion, who were playing an old Jungle set including such tunes as the original "Bad Ass". Apparently the unusual style played by them was because they were filling in for DJ Aphrodite. This proving that they are 2 of the most versatile DJs on the London circuit.

A little short cut outside, myself and Andy made our way to the North Technology room where I would be playing later that night to see what was happening. On the decks for the first hour was DJ Vortex who seemed to be playing some Italian style House, Quite dark and groovy, But not half as hard as to what he usually played. We hung around here till Ribbz came on playing Acid, then went up to the Hard House room again to catch the start of Phil Reynolds set who seemed to be having trouble with his mixing that night.

Then off to see if the North radical Gabber room had opened. And to our delight. It had. As it had not been open for the first hour of the night. Inside we caught the start of DJ Enigma set. Who was playing some hard dark Techno. Then off to the bar and toilet. And up stairs to catch DJ Energy set. Kevin played his entire set from 2 CDJ decks playing a totally upfront hour full of mouth watering new tunes. Including new tracks by AMS and Sharkey and "Visions of Infinity" remix by himself and Sharkey. Also his new track that he has done with Brisk for Next Generation Records. Along with MC Sharkey on the mic, this was definitely one of the best sets of the night. After another walk around the venue to ogle some of the more than usual lovely ladies they're that night. Then it was back up to the hardcore room to catch a little bit of SSU Records owner Simon Apex. He played again another up front set but the tunes we heard him play were a lot harder than we are usually used to including his track on Bonkerz "Sensation." As well as the stomping anthem. "Identify the beat". At some point before 2am we caught the last few tunes of Brisk set. One of which was Scott Brown Nu- Skool Gabber remix of Eye Opener. Nice ;)

Then it was off downstairs to the North Technology room for the start of my 2am- 3:30am set B2B with Chris Toxic. When we got their It was Smitten Records owner Chris Liberator finishing off an Acid Techno set. The room was quite empty at the time and most people didn't seem to be getting into it that much, But luckily after our first 3 tracks the Room had started to fill very quickly and everyone including myself and Chris were Jumping around like mad!. We played a Full on Hard Italian Trance set with the odd German bit thrown in for good measure. Tracks on labels such as Wicked, Dance Pollution, Titanic, and Suntek. Got the crowd buzzing like mad, and I definitely cannot wait to Play B2B again with Chris at the next Future Dance. Following us was DJ Teknoist. Who played a milder trance and Techno set along with Jon Conner on the mic.

Back upstairs we caught the End of DJ Kaos set, which I was pretty gutted about. He apparently played a few new tunes including "Voodoo Magic" remix. And "Techno Rocker". By himself and Ethos for Next Generation Records. Following that was for me the set of the night DJ Marc Smith along with Sharkey MCing for the last time ever! Marc played tons of new tracks including a few by himself, Sharkey, Robbie Long and AMS on his forthcoming label Notorious Vinyl. As well as anthems such as Boom & Pow, Encounters and Millennium remix. This was one of the best sets I have heard at Future Dance in ages. Sharkey was on absolute top form, repeatedly thanking everyone for all their support and letting rip with some of his classic lyrics I have not heard him say in ages. ("You are all my children, ha ha ha").

At the end of the set MC Storm came on and told everyone to make some noise for Sharkey as it was the last time anyone would hear him on the mic ever! The result was the loudest ever roar of voices, Horns and Whistles I have ever heard at a rave in all my years of attending them. Obviously from that there were tears galore back stage. Showing this truly was a very hard decision for Jon to make, He will be missed immensely, for his entertaining talent on stage. Before we knew it the last hour had sneaked up on us very quickly so we legged it down stairs to see M-Zone in the technology room blasting out some new Hard Italian trance. The set was Very hard, and very Grooving playing most up front tracks on Suntek, and Titanic along with some M-Zone anthems such as "Plug `n` play" on Dance Pollution. & "Bass rider" on Sizmic.

As 5:30am came around we ran upstairs to find Chedda, Banksy & Kenno to get ready to go. We found Chedda in the Old Skool room listening to Nicky Blackmarket, who was playing his usual old jungle set which was top notch. So off we went to the train station where we bought a morning dose of Porn mags for the Journey home to Sheffield.

Shout outs to: Andy Freestyle. Kenno. Banksy. Chedda. Vicky. Dan Devotion & Andy Vinal (The FlowerPot Men) Pete Ethos. Jonny Go Go Me Partner in Crime Chris Toxic. Andy Bowler. Doug Rascal. Kev Energy. Sharkey & Chris. Marc "Nipple Twister" Smith. The Tecknoist & Jon Conner. Dan & the very, very Drunken Digital Beats crew. Simon & Angela Apex. Tom U4ea. Ponder & Everyone who's Larger I peed into. ;)

- Lee UHF (lambler@asdlighting.co.uk)