Well, we arrived at the Mallet after a monstrous 5 hour car journey at about 6.30 to find there was already at least 500 in the queue and masses of cars and coaches pouring in to the showground behind us. Looking across the queue as we drove past to park up you could see that with the outfits amongst the ravers that despite the wealth of big Hardcore events on this evening there was still enough Up for it Hardcore Ravers that had made that extra special effort that only the true hardcore do. After the traditional twiddling your fingers standing in the queue whilst Slammin open the gates half an hour late we finally got to go in and I was lucky enough to be amongst the first 10 in, although I felt a bit miffed as it seemed a waste of time getting a ticket because nobody looked at it and I could have quite easily just walked straight through. When I go to a rave my friends take all my money/keys anything I never have anything on me at all but still considering the "problems" at the last event I was still surprised that when I arrived at the search station held my hands up and said I had nothing on me that the security waved me straight through. We got inside and did a quick tour of the complex, as we didn't make it to the last Slammin and it was all new to us. We asked a security guard where one of the arena's was he gave me a virtually guided tour around the place - big-up that man very helpful!! Was way over our expected level of helpfulness!! We took a glance at the set times and it didn't take us long to decide that the Techno arena was the place we wanted to be first!! An early set by the one and only M-Zone is certainly enough to get anyone's feet warmed up!! Despite the early hour, any thoughts that this was going to be a "Warm-up" set by M-zone was quickly laid to rest by the first few tracks. Sound system started off a bit low but when the MC asked for it to be turned up it was pretty banging from then on and the early crew inside the techno arena certainly didn't take any time to warm up either as there was a nice crowd forming inside for the DJ. Despite thoroughly enjoying M-zone we rushed back to the Hardcore Arena to make sure we didn't miss any of Kev Energy/Sharkey with MC Odyssey. Wicked start to the night for the Hardcore Arena with as usual a wicked set of Nu-energy Freeform. Hardcore arena was already nicely busy by this point and odyssey was warming up the crowd nicely. After this set we went for our second wander of the night checking out the Slinky arena which was pretty quiet (Sound System wise) but music and atmosphere in there wasn't too bad. This arena was way too big for Slinky though as it was not even half full all night long, in our opinion they should have had the Old School arena in here instead of the tiny room that it was in, which put us off going to the see the Breeze and Styles classic Bonkers set :( From this point onwards we spent the rest of the evening stomping to the sounds of Hardcore of course, enough of this roaming about lark we knew this is where we wanted to stay. It has to be said we were slightly worried at the thought of the place being taken over by trouble-making Birkenheaders or non-up for it raving people, but despite the lack of familiar faces the room was rammed all night long and the atmosphere was electric non-stop, and along the line we met some wicked people in there to boot. Sets of mention were D-ice and Reality, wicked set probably one of my favourites all night in fact and there was some top sets so that's a big accolade considering the earlyish time of their set. Big-up the Gammer as well for a varied set, lot's of different styles chucked in well accompanied by MC Smiley. We even heard a couple of Gabber tunes chucked in for good measure including that "Have it your way" (Whatever it's called) and the old Favourite "Boomstick" as well as a couple of others, and it has to be said the ravers in the place were not easing up over this harder period of the set at all. Just before that set we had the always eagerly anticipated Next Generation Brisk and Wotsee show which blew everyone's socks off as per usual!! Had me and the rest of the wisbech crew singing along to nearly every single Wotsee lyric that he put out including "want to be a popstar" and the usual Newport rhymes and other favourites. Oh yeah best not forget the music accompanying the Wotsee's lyrical talents...well do I need to even say it but it was another top notch set as per usual from the ever popular Brisk. This was definitely the real "Kick-off" set it really set the standards for the rest of the night. Respect to the man each and every time far too underrated in our opinion. The hour of Midnight came with Breeze and styles bringing the magic hour in and supplying us with the usual RBC singalong favourites with MC's Storm and Whizzkid getting everyone hyped up before the countdown began. it was good to look around through this set and see the majority of the crowd who knew all the words singing along to all of their tracks. This just showed that there were true hardcore in there even though they might not have been as familiar to us. As the countdown was greeted with the biggest noise I think I've ever heard in a hardcore arena the light's, lasers, tv screens, fireworks joined us by going just as mental creating the maddest midnight moment imaginable, which just made us realise why we had decided to make the 5 hour treck to be there, there's no other place we would have liked to have been!! The final two hours of this rave were by far the highest points of the night and what two sets finish off with the Boss man Hixxy then the one and only Sy and Storm show. Is there any other way to finish a big rave off better than these two? We've heard Sy play at least 8 times in the last 2 months and it was nice to see that there was a couple of different tracks mixed in with his usual crowd favourites to keep the set refreshing, including wicked remixes of "Making me wanna dance" and Whizzkid's "End of time" tune. Words just cannot describe it a truly awesome way to finish the night off, it's just a shame I was feeling shamelessly lightweight after over 10 hours of stomping and even though I wanted to stomp my heart out had to make do with bobbing up and down and nodding my head !! I like to think I could keep up with most people stomping wise, as most weekends we are still going at all the after parties etc, when a lot of people have dropped away. So the fact that I had no energy to rave the last hour is indication of how much we enjoyed all the sets and stomped like nutters all the way through! :) Ok, Venue wise - Love it!!! All arena's were just about right size although as said above the Slinky arena was far too big and should have been old school instead although sound system in this room was very quiet all night long. Hardcore arena wise, sound system was spot on no distortion all night long and you could hear every MC that performed. The lighting and lasers were pretty cool. Was not as lit up as most big raves these days but that’s not a bad thing as it added to the underground feeling that the venue gave you. All DJs were superb, didn't hear any f*ck up's all night and believe me I'm a bitch for picking up on them and shaming them but to be fair they all played well can't think of any sets we didn't enjoy either. MC wise .....well it's the reason our crew chose Slammin....the Storm and Whizzkid. In our eyes a big event like NYE you just can't do without these guys. And did they rock - oh yes!! Performing all the favourite rhymes they rocked the crowd right through until the end just wouldn't of been the same without them - respect. OK in true Astraboy styleeee.... Thing's we liked.... The Arena's hmmm....huge or what?!? Lovely jubbily!!! Sound system in Hardcore Arena - Clear as a bell all night. *Ting* *Ting* . Up for it ravers in the place - Despite only seeing a couple of familiar faces including Matt (King of the ravers), couple of USH crew and some London people we met at Hardcore Heaven the other not so familiar faces were still up for it and the arena was still near to full at 6am when the lights went up! :) Storm & Whizzkid - Awesome - say no more. The lack of trouble - Even though the Birkenheaders were getting shout out's all night long we didn't see one single little bit of trouble or bad attitude all night long. It shocked us as we arrived expecting it but everyone was just so up for it what with it being NYE and all as well. All i can say is respect to the Birkenhead crew at Slammin they must've been the "Real" Hardcore Birkenhead crew and the so called trouble makers were either well behaved or stayed away. Thing's we weren't too impressed with: Slinky arena being so quiet it felt more like a chill out room. The "Traditional" late opening of the gates (1/2 hour) although they did manage to get the queue through very quickly. Strobes - I was surprised that there was only one guy went down in the hardcore arena all night what with the massive overuse of the huge strobes. Storm got on the mic to tell the lighting engineer to turn the "f**king" strobes off because the guy had gone down (fair enough innit!). But the engineer thought he'd be funny and turn all the lights out which storm replied with "Can we please have SOME lights on so the paramedics can see what their doing" Again these are just minor niggles with a all in all thoroughly enjoyable mission well worth the horrible drive home!!! Shouts to all the fantastic ravers in the place creating a the wicked atmosphere: Charlotte, Ellen, Tasha, Stu, Emma, Jo, Mick, Steph (all the Wisbech crew), the London Hardcore Heaven crew and the other familiar ravers who I don’t know the names of but recognised!! Oh and of course all the DJs and MCs in particular Storm, Whizzkid and Wotsee.
