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rave weekender Pt1! Tasty/Raindance - Bliss 26/8/5

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Old 01 September 2005, 11:17 PM
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astraboy
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Cool rave weekender Pt1! Tasty/Raindance - Bliss 26/8/5

With another bank holiday weekend upon me, it had to be done again. With loads of events on, I was well up for another marathon rave mission. Just like in previous weekenders, it was time to push myself to the limit and chase the music I love across the country.

With the events locations being a major deciding factor, I decided to limit the parties to those that would be in my favourite parts of the country which I like to go raving at. London, Bristol and the South coast. With that in mind, my weekend was decided for me.

With Tasty and Raindance touching down in London on a friday, Hardcore Heaven in Bristol on a saturday and Elektrik hitting the south coast on Sunday, I knew I was in for a good time. The locations of these raves meant a lot of travelling, but I didnt care, this was going to be a blinder and I werent missing it for nowt. First up, Raindance.

Tasty and Raindance have done their seprerate things for years now, with each building up a faithful following in central london and both of them illuminated enough to include Hardcore on their lineups. So it was little surprise to see them team up in order to acheive bigger and better things.

Taking the best aspects of their respective parties and combining them to form one huge rave on a bank holiday was a good idea. In the end 5 arenas were called for, with Hardcore, Hard Dance, Old skool, Jenkins lane and upfront breakbeat all getting a look in. Best of all though, was the location for the party.

Heaven is a cavenous place, located underneath Charing Cross station and is usually rammed out every weekend, mostly because of it being the capital's biggest gay club. On this occasion, Tasty and Raindance pressed it into service and turned it into the London's biggest Rave club and calling it "Bliss" while they were there.

I am a big fan of both events and as such knew it was the best possible start to my weekender. Despite waking up late and driving into london at a rate of knots, I got there for a little before 12pm. Even though the initial queue had gone by the time I arrived, a steady stream of people were walking down the alley and joining the queue. After handing over my ticket (with a nice raindance man on) and getting searched, I was in.

I've only been to Heaven once before and that was years ago. But I still knew it well enough to find my way around. Starting from the top of the venue was the HardDance arena, with the Old Skool room taking the spacious and well appointed (multicoloured laser in the place again, nice one) main arena.

Just off to the left of the entrance was the breakbeat arena and nearby, in the "Everybody welcome" VIP arena was the arena that never dissapoints, the Jenkins lane room. That left the Soundshaft arena out the back for the Hardcore. As I've never been there before, it was a new one for me as I walked in.

At the end of a bar area was a doorway, inside that was another bar before a wall partitioned off a split level arena, complete with small dancefloor and upper bar. The minimalist decor (lots of black as well as several Raindance/Tasty banners) combined with a few well places lighting rigs to make a nice underground atmosphere, together with the music of choice for the night.

Speaking of which, when I arrived, CLSM and Whizzkid were well into their set. Its was one of the sets I wanted to see, but it was not finished yet and as such I get onto the dancefloor straight away to make to most of what was left.

The crowd who were already in the place were far further down the line than I and as such I had a lot of catching up to do. Easily done with the best in the business at the controls though. It had been a while since I had seen CLSM but he had not lost it in the slightest. The confined spaces of the elevated DJ stand limiting the man's trademark random behaviour, Mr. Doe concentrated on the tunage.

Even though it was the tail end of his set, high quailty abounded, with "Feel So Real", "Getting better" and the top quality remix of "Dominator" all getting played out and a rapidly increasing atmosphere occuring as a result. However in payback for being slack and turning up late, the final tune came all too soon, but it was the upfront remix of "Timebomb" so held no complaints from me.

After a high quality (if immediate) start on the dancefloor, I had to explore the place a little. Heaven is a place full of nooks and crannys for the ravers to chill out in , as well as numerous hard to find rooms, I wanted to see em all so I left the Hardcore arena.

About 15 minutes later, I wound up in one of my favourite places to spend the night, the Jenkins lane VIP arena. I make it my business to spend time in this place whenever it appears on the lineup and tonight was going to be no exception. Even better on this occasion, as I walked in when Nicky Dimensions was on the decks.

The Jenkins lane room had been expertly decked out yet again for another trip back in time. Not only were the ever present Raindance banners from events past on the walls, but even better, were the TV screens in front on the decks, playing the ever popular original videos from the biggest outdoor parties the country has ever seen.

All of this was the perfect compliment to the music Mr. Dimensions was coming up with. Classic house music. Massively pitched down when compared to Hardcore, but thats not the point. As such I was having the time of my life.

I spent the whole hour there, backed up against the speaker, dancing to the tunes and watching the videos screens, green with envy at not being there the first time round, yet getting the next best thing with the music the DJ was providing.

"Everybody, all over the world", "Respect", "Goodlife", "Dirty Cash", even the original mix of "Billy Jean" by Michael Jackson got a play out and I was loving every minute of it. The set was broad in spectrum, sublime in nature and irresistable in dancability. I couldn't have been the only one to think that as the place held just me and Barticle at the sets beginning, yet was nicely full at the end.

I could have stayed there all night, but I knew I had only a certain amount of time to go. At 2.30, the Liquid PA was due to kick off in the main arena and I had to see it. Live Old Skool PA's are a trademark of Raindance's main events and had been happily transferred across to Bliss for the night. No complaints from me at all, as I had not seen these guys live before and I wanted to make amends tonight.

When the time was right, the preceeding DJ took his last tune down and an unnamed MC announced the PA's start. This was old skool in every sense of the word as an individual in cutoffs, bucket hat, curtain hair and a yellow shirt buttoned to the top took his place behind the keyboard and computer, ready for the off. Just to proove a point, he made sure the crowd knew his keyboard WAS plugged in by playing a few notes, then let the assembled crowd have it on a musical tip.

In my ignorance, the first two tunes were unknown to me, but as I was after old skool breakbeat Hardcore, I was not dissapointed in the slightest. The next two however, were just as good, yet were instantly ID'd. "Liquid is Liquid" was played out first, followed by the immortal "Sweet Harmony". No messing about here, its not everyday that it gets played out live so I got on it. Right down the front, a little to the left. It was the business and no mistake, not to mention over all too quickly.

Next up was a return to the Hardcore arena for another firm favourite, the Vibes and Livelee show. Those familiar with recent performances will know that Vibes has been busy producing new tunes with his (and the one like Hattrixx's) own unmistakable trademarks. Its a testament to how well this upholds the musical ethos of Hardcore's golden years that his upfront tunes blend seemlessly with the classics he plays.

When I got there, the set was well underway and MC livelee was hyping the crowd like the professional he is. Even better, the tune playing out when I got there was none other than a showcase of his new lyrics "10 years of Hardcore". While the record spun, Livelee provided the vocals on the mic and the crowd joined me with some serious stomping, all of them with a smile on their face

The rest of the set was equally forthcoming, with the classics you come to expect from Vibes being present, such as "All I need is your love", the AWESOME "Techno Wonderland", the massively popular (If the crowd's singalong is anything to go by) "Heart of gold" and "Come and follow me" to wind up another set from Vibes where I had finished soaked in my own sweat.

I weren't finished though, not by a long shot.I weren't finished because next up was one of the night's promotors Billy "Daniel" Bunter, alongside MC Storm. Seeing as Bunter was one of the ones responsible for bringing us here, quite frankly it would have been rude not to stay and have a dance.

The rest of the crowd had the same idea as the numbers did not slack off in the slightest as the DJ and MC changed over. Thereafter, The DJ went for it as only they know how. Playing an upfront Hardcore set with the best in the business on the mic was most definitely the way to go too.

Dropping only the most popular party anthems of the moment, such as "getting better", "Heartbeatz" and the new remix of "Crazy love" for good measure, Storm backed him up all the way in the lyrical department, dropping "Base, fire" and "I'm a raver" for good measure. Both of them were more than responsible for raising the temparature in the SoundShaft a few degrees, especially after Bunter had the Stomp-a-thon that is "Feel so real".

Unfortunatly I couldn't watch Bunter finish off his set, I would have liked to, but the main arena beckoned for a rare set from the Isotonik crew. Its not often these guys play out, so I weren't going to miss them.

It was a good idea as it turns out, shortly after the crew took to the decks, the MC announced it would be their last set for at least a year. With that in mind, I knew I was going to witness something special and oh boy did I get it.

Of course, with them playing in the main arena, Old skool was the basis of their set, but the underground nature of their tune selection (see "Made in two minutes" and "Who's the bad man") and the way it mingled with the classics which are both known and loved *koff*"Rockin Down the House", "Dominator"*koffkoff* made for a seriously dancable set which held the ravers, not to mention myself rooted to the spot throughout.

This was primarily due to the outstanding way the set was mixed. Not a simple beatmatch, then fade out here, but a complex blending of tunes from start to finish. I only think I caught the awesome riff of "made in two minutes", but it was enough to induce a titanic rush and make me remember it, despite the fact its all I got of it. I'm no DJ, so its doubly impressive when a set's mixing is of note.

It was so good I hardly noticed the extended set time due to the late arrival of Nicky Blackmarket. The Isotonik crew held their ground though and rocked the place till Blackmarket pitched up. Soon after, together with the VERY welcome addition of the one and only MC Strict on the mic, the evening took a darker pitch.

However if you think that the set was going to be another predicable "Chopper into nuttah" session then think again, this was confirmed when I cane back from filling up with water to hear the awesome "Dred Bass" getting rewound. This was one rewind I didn't mind in the least as it meant I could stand near the front, letting the blinding riffy intro wash over me before the gunshot preceeded the bassline. Fantastic.

It got even better when further classics in the shape of "6 million ways to die" and "I'm a junglist" both got played out and the crowd, a nice mixture of ravers and friendly junglists all got down to it like it used to be.

This was another set where I could have easily stayed till the end, but once again, I had to leave early. You dont mess about when Energy is on the decks and you DEFNITELY get your skates on when Sharkey makes and impromtu appearence and then gets on the mic.

That was me right in there then. Energy was pumping out "Wicked MC" and Sharkz was providing the lyrics on the mic. I am a big fan of this tune so wasted no time at all. Making a start on the final hour by following the example of the rest of the Hardcore in the place, dancing as if my life depended on it.

The rest of the set was a familiar (if slightly annoying) blur of un-ideable, but most definitely dancable Freeform. The only way to finish off Bliss was on a dancy tip and Energy, together with an 11th hour apprarence from London's premier mic resident MC Spenno on the mic came up with the goods. It was that much of a blur that the only other tune I recognised was "Check this out", before, all too soon, the night came to an end and the party crew headed back out the way they came.

Things I liked:

Promotors - Two of my London Favourites getting together to hold one massive party? I'll buy that for a dollar!

Venue - Two of my London Favourites setting up shop in a blinding Venue I haven't spent much time in? SOME OF THAT!

Barstaff - I'll say it before and I'll say it again, best barstaff in London can be found in Heaven.

Arenas - Its goes to show how good the rest of the rave was when I spent equal amounts of time in the other arenas when I'm usually entrenched in the Hardcore room.

Decor - The main arena had a full on laser, and the wicked Raindance Man mobiles, the Jenkins lane had the customary raindance banners from years gone by, you never seen a Raindance or a tasty without a combination of these, and the event was combined as well as the decor.

Sound - Every arena was kicking as far as I heard. The Jenkins lane was a bit quiet, but it was nothing standing next to the speakers couldnt solve. As for the main room, **** on me that was loud.

Attendance - Nicely full in all arenas with a wicked atmosphere to boot Nothing but the nicest party people in the place.


Things I liked less:

Sy - Another no show from the one like Sy. Whats going on?

Tasty and Raindance rarely, if ever, let me down. Bliss was another in a long sucession of raves which got me moving in NO uncertain terms. The best bit for me was the amount of time I spent inside and out of the Hardcore arena. Generally, if its not Hardcore then I'm not interested, but this time I spent plenty of time outside of the Soundshaft and my night was all the better for it.

As well as that the welcome return to Heaven, coupled with the easygoing and attitude free crowd that both these events usually pull in made for a top night out, not to mention a perfect start of my rave weekender. Like I said earlier, this weekend was about my favourite places to rave. London had come up trumps, it was time to see what Bristol could do.
astraboy.
Old 01 September 2005, 11:21 PM
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astraboy
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Cool

Shouts to:
Matt & Saiira, Kas and Charlie, John, Gillian and Gareth, Moron, Lady Angelic, Sian, Ben, Lofty, Emma O, Iwolf, Emsties, Emma, Ben ST, Barticle, Monkey boy (nice to chat to you geezer), Vinyl Vera, MarkE, Martin and Stu8, Strict, Storm, Whizzkid, Spenno, Sharkey, Livelee, Hattrixx Vibes, Energy, Bunter (thank you), Nicky Dimensions, ClSM, Kutski (Sorry dude), Lukozade and all those who I forgot.
Old 06 September 2005, 04:23 PM
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Hanley
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Do all these people read Scoobynet??

If not then why post shouts

Old 06 September 2005, 04:58 PM
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What the heck is Jenkins Lane music?
Old 06 September 2005, 06:55 PM
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astraboy
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http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...&in.x=3&in.y=9
That is Jenkins lane.
Its where the first ever legal Raindance was held and they always have an "jenkins lane reunion" arena, which plays 88-89 house and early 90's club classics. Its cool
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Old 06 September 2005, 07:14 PM
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Ahh! Consider me enlightened AB.
Old 07 September 2005, 08:15 AM
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Hanley
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Went to the Rezerection - Awakening of 95......aaahhh memories
Old 07 September 2005, 08:15 AM
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Still love the music though

Old 07 September 2005, 12:20 PM
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astraboy, you know Dj Ambush?? He's a mate of mine and I'll probably be going to raindance with him. Might see ya there?!?!?
Old 07 September 2005, 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by King RA
astraboy, you know Dj Ambush?? He's a mate of mine and I'll probably be going to raindance with him. Might see ya there?!?!?
Yes mate, I'll be there, dont know you're friend, but if you make it down there, keep an eye out for me. I look like this (but I've lost a lot of weight since)http://www.ush.net/gallery/index2.ht...tion5th055.jpg
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