Flyer says this is the best event of the year, I've seen a lot of claims on flyers before but this is HTID and there is promise of a massive outdoor arena so who knows....

Fusion are alongside and I've not been to a Fusion event but I have heard good things so the combination could be mind blowing.

If you know my reviews you'll know they can be.... expansive. so for those who want a summary check the bottom.

So lets see what do we have:

Travelling companion and navigator - Check Guaranteed Codes - Check More SQ1 and general Oxford crew - Check Convoy with three people met last night in pub and ordered guaranteed codes at 4:30 this morning - Check Flyer with set times - Check Enough glow sticks for a 12 hour event - Check Camera, Whistle, Stompometer - Check Car, petrol and me - Check

Yup I think thats all good.

So its 4pm and the event is due to start at 7 and i've got to meet peeps at 6 so we're all in good time. Picked up me convoy and headed on an uneventful journey in the miserable grey summer day. Following the instructions of the flyer finds us the event with no trouble, car park on the other hand not so easy... the signs that say car park are tiny and since I am the second car here you can't spy the car park easily! If I was here after 7 I expect I'd be doing the traditional dumping of the car but we're early so no worries about parking. Which brings us to the first real review point : ) Car park, in a bumpy field and rain.... hmmmm.... could go very wrong! There were some very low cars grass cutting on the way in thats for sure.

The event for me started off once I was parked up and my new found friend Owen is showing me some poi, more peeps are filtering in including Woody in is "get me to the rave" 90 quid metro, dedication to the core! Bonus is that Woody has brought Rich as well who we feared wasn't gonna be there, its just not the same without our full on cybered dancing friend Manic Raver!

Off to the queue then, usual fare, guaranteed codes quickly checked off (if you can remember your number - Woody ; ) and we're all set. A little after 7 and we're on our way to the event proper, a quick search from friendly security, handing over of our card and money and we're in!

I've never been here before but I like what I see, theres a big outdoor area for general sitting and wandering, pub benches, barbecue, merchandise stall, free fair ground ride, massage chairs and a record shop. Theres also a massive tent going through sound check.

With the kick off set a long way off its time to have a check out of the other arenas, the Sundissential room looks like a club room, small dance floor surrounded by carpeted area and seats, just outside of that is another set of decks. Already the sundissential room is warming up with some wicked old skool. Other arenas are silent but a few peeps are around. The future breed room is subtle and fucntional, not a lot of decor but decks in one corner and a room big enough for 100 or so ravers I estimate. I assume that the hardstylers aren't expected tonight as this is the smallest dancefloor of the lot, but I suppose you have to make do with what you have and ravers have a habit of taking up more room than any dancefloor tries to restrict them to ; ).

First gripe of the night, £3.50 a pint of beer, no need, enough said. Water is reasonable at £2.50 as the barmaid promises me that they do refills so can't complain.

So we're sat in the techo room with a pint when the first DJ fires just after 8, the system kicks and (so I am told) one of the biggest acid techno djs from back in the day is responsible. Chapter one (aptly named) is the name and I have no idea of the tunes but I like the vibe, fast, hard and tight kicks.

The tent has opened to the public, sound checks all done and they are blasting out happy hardcore anthems! get in! This is what we like, you can't help but smile to these tracks! More and more people are filtering in, a constant queue can be seen but I think the queue is moving quickly, I didn't hear of any complaints on this score.

So we're on a trading estate with a huge tent, its slowly getting dark, the tent and the outside area is filling up with more and more up for it ravers, the rain has stayed away thus far, all good then : )

Frootloop asks me who I'm with and without a moments hesitation I replied with "everyone" Thats why i'm here, i'm here to be part of the scene that I love, to kick down with a bunch of sound ravers from all walks of life with no prejudice.

The time for the official kick off is on its way but before that we have Andy Whitby playing in the main tent. I have to be honest I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention as I was chilling and chatting outside the tent for most of it but I liked what I heard, a lot of prodigy tunes mixed up together, Styles' Your My angel and some other styles of dance music all formed an eclectic set.

23:15, Official HTID kick off, 23:15, JBZ playing in the new breed, kick off is supposed to be Hixxy and Re-con but somethings changed so we get Styles and Hixxy. Storm opens up the night with the atmosphere building 10 seconds of noise. The stage lights up and you get a real view of this impressive rig, the system kicks in, "You are now rockin with the best", the lasers are streaming round the arena, the multitude of coloured lights are flashing and panning, the crowd is stomping. HTID kick off sets are legendary, whether you agree with the policy of waiting for an official kick off or not there is no doubt they hype you up. Rockin with the best mixes to Report to the bassline, another dance floor smasher and then onto the vocal filled Angel Eyez. Storm, as always giving it his all, hyping up the crowd with the usual sing along lyrics.

With the initial euphoria of the kick off out of my system a quick check of the future breed is in order. Good to see that there's a small crowd in here, not all swayed by the RBC kick off experience. Bubble is on the decks with some stomping tunage, Recons Insane slamming the small arena and then following up with EPs vocal heavy All the tears I've cried. Uk hardcore is the name of the game here.

Once thing I am liking about this venue is the ease of getting from one room to another, the fire exits are all open and there never seemed to be many people going through one exit, thumbs up for organisation on this one.

Back to the main arena and the other end of the kick off set we have the current Anthem singalong Save Me which as always gets a singalong crowd accompanying it.

Following on from the HTID kick off we have teh Fusion crew in full effect Ramos, Supreme and MC Marley as well as the HTID dancers. This time round though we are treated to a double double act. Sarah and Sallie are joined by Emma and the vocally talented (U R My Phantasy) Lou Lou. Sarah and Lou lou are the first on stage and apart from a slight nervous look every now and again you wouldn't know it was her first time dancing at a big event. Ramos and Supreme are playing up front Uk hardcore, the dancers are entertaining as ever and Marley is keeping The 3000 capacity tent all in check. If I have one criticism of the setup, having the dancers so far from the front of the stage detached them from the crowd more than normal, just a little observation. The stage was set back from the crowd by a good metre so the crowd interaction was already a bit limited. As always though they did what they do and they did it well, Sallie being particularly impressive with her "look no hands" backflips and other gravity defying manouvers.

Next up in the main arena was a set I was not going to miss, having never seen Luna-C live but heard a couple of tape packs I was looking forward to hearing him live up to his name. I was not disappointed, sorry no tune IDs here I can't remember anything specific but John Doe and Luna-C ripped it up. If you didn't see the set you'll just have to trust me ; )

One thing I noted time and again was how nice it was to be able to wander all around the main outside compound and still be able to hear the tent going off, giving you the chance to run into the tent for a quick kickdown when the need took you. Another thing I noticed when I walked over a speed hump or the curb was that we are essentially raving on a street. These two things built up a proper rave atmosphere the light of which I haven't seen since the Sanctuary. It really brought home the difference between most hardcore club events and something like this. For once we're not in a club we're on a street with a rig, okay so theres a tent and a bar as well but essentially this is a rave, this thing right here is a rave.

I really enjoyed sitting down, chilling and chatting with my raving famliy that I only see when i'm out and about, meeting new peeps, not feeling rushed to get from one room to another, generally able to take it easy.

Its 3:15, Sharkey Marc Smith and Gammer are accompanied by Odyssey, Wotsee and Smiley. I can't name most of the tunes but I know again that I enjoyed this set. Crowning moment was when the music was cut and Odyssey gave a heartfelt speech, wish I could quote it word for word but the essence was "It doesn't matter if you have no religion or lost your faith, hardcore is the best music and the best scene" "Make some noise for the scene!!" This set also had one of my current favourite tunes, the one that starts with the classical tune from 2001 space odyssey, proper stomper!

The line up again forces me to choose, Dougal and Seduction or Project Bosh, well Bosh are in tutus.... and as it turns out Dougal and Seduction couldn't make it so the Geos crew stepped up. The future breed arena was going for it with the Bosh boys in full effect. Mikey and Xom looking great in their tutus and keeping the crowd entertained with their mixing, tune selection and generaly demanour :) I had a proper stomp to this set, absolutley rocked the small arena, big up the Bosh, good luck in the hardcore heaven awards.

Following Bosh we are treated to Joey Riot and Dj Kirt. Keeping the vibe going in the small arena was not a problem for these too accompanied as they were by MC Casper. I have to say even though this was room was small, the low ceiling and corner mouned DJ booth worked really well for the Future breed arena. We were right there with them as they took us on their muscial journey.

So yet again the night has flown by and its coming up to the final set of the night, the stalls are still serving, the rave has filtered out a bit, we've had a touch of rain and the volume in the tent has dropped drastically but none of this stops the true hardcore from keeping it going. Each legends in their own right, Sy Slipmatt and Druid are here to finish off in style. As the kick off sets are designed to bring you up the HTID morning glory is a journey through time blasting an hour through with happy hardcore classics, old skool anthems and upfront Uk hardcore and a bit more besides. Accompanied by the vocal talents of MC2, Storm and Whizzkid continue to keep the early morning survivors busy with their own sing along lyrics, W-team, "dam right rude" and others. The tunes are bouncy and driving keeping the pace going all the way to the last including the hard remix of setting free and in style of finishing off where we started back at 9pm some happy hardcore classics.

With the final tune finished and the MCs saying goodbye and safe journeys the event comes to a close, 7am sunday, 65 miles from home with a massive smile on my face.

Things I liked: The 3000 capacity tent Barbecue and other stalls serving all night Helpful and friendly event staff The Zero tolerance on trouble policy of HTID The hotline to HTID staff which they helpfully make available on signs. Ease of getting round from room to room, multiple entrances.

Things I liked less: The old school room didn't have the same vibe as usual, I think some didn't even know it existed, hidden upstairs, everytime I checked it out it was very empty. £3.50 for a pint of beer

Shouts: All my raving family including in no particular order Bexi, Sam Eeles, Woody, Danni, Ema, Griff, Chris and Claire, Bobidibob and Sam, Frootloop and Morgan, Sho and Risky, Astraboy and Millie, Clodhopper, Calv, Roo, Raverkid, Clazz (good to see you out again) Duke, Rich, Tompy, Aldo and all of your crew, Odges and the fantasy island crew. Raver-and-babys, Cyberbabe. Lian and Foxy (I wasn't stalking you honestly ; ), Sarah (especially Sarah) Sallie Emma and Lou lou, entertaining as ever. Scott-Smiley, Diva-Charm, TG and DeKay (good work as always gentleman), DrunkenMunkyJef (nice to meet you), the HTID event staff, John Doe for doing interviews. Xom and Mikey for actually wearing the tutus and fluffies, fair play to you!

Summary: Big tent in the open air Up for it hardcore crew HTID care for the ravers Stalls open all night Best night of the year in my opinion

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