Ok, where to start... I arrived at the Brunel Rooms at about 10:45, the event having started at 10 (but who gets there at 10? ... Well, me, usually). We were greeted by a queue of at least 300, 350 people on the door waiting to get in - but I dived right in and queuejumped thanks to being with the guys who ran the second room. That was kinda handy.
Straight through the doors for me
Had a quick mish about, explored Room 2, and then pootled upstairs to see the main room. That was already going off, the Valve system was warming up nicely and DJs were already smoking it up and chattin behind the decks. That revolving bar... Something else.
Random ravers in the main room
Room 2 was also in full swing, with the resident Bedlam DJs and MCs giving it all they had.
The Bedlam residents
Unfortunately, cause I got there quite late (due to everybody getting off the bus just after we'd set off to buy booze and fags for the journey up - tards) I missed most of Nikki T's set, but I was told that it was pretty good by the people who were there to hear it.
Here's the lineup sheet from the evening:
I'm so glad they were giving out free earplugs. A quarter of a million watts can hurt.
Ok, so having been there a while, I listened to Nightwalker's set... Well, I jumped about like a maniac to it, taking the occasional picture. His set was packed full of dubs and promos, and he pleased everybody by playing Jupiter. No rewinds, which I always like - a rewind can spoil a set's flow. So that was good.
Room 2 just before Nightwalker's set
The man himself
Room 2, being run by AftershockRadio.com was pretty packed for most of the evening, it half-emptied when Andy C started his mix, but it slowly filled up again. I was told by one of the organiser of Room 2 that there were about 400 or so people in there at any one time, which is just about the fullest that Room 2 has ever been. It was a shame that there was only one member of staff working the bar, which meant that there were about 10 minute queues to get a drink - but I think they underestimated the popularity there Anyways, it was ok. The soundsystem was ok, apparently the monitor speaker was blown which meant that it was a bit difficult for the DJs, but I certainly didn't notice any slipups or trainwrecks, so that was all good too.
I eventually made my way into the main room, where I caught 25 minutes or so of DJ Hazard's set. If you like Hazard's rolling style of dnb (where you can hear the bassline's harmonics in every song) then you were in for a treat, as the Valve certainly did his music justice. Personally, half an hour of Hazard's tunes is all I can take, so I had another little wander around, got a drink, met a few other of the Aftershock crew (who came in force to the event!) and then listened to some more Room 2. Unfortunately I accidentally missed Friction's set, but I was informed that it was a stonking set, with some tasty double drops in and a bit of blindingly-powerful bass. I was yet to verify this... And I wasn't disappointed.
the DJ setup in the main room - not enough space to see the DJ, unless you're right at the front... One of my only complaints of the evening, too much pushing and shoving at the front.
I decided to settle myself in the main room for the rest of the evening, and eventually worked my way to the front of the crowd - RIGHT NEXT TO A STACK OF BASSBINS (where else?).
PHEAR!
Andy C played a great mix, sweetly mixed as always, not the most promo-orientated of mixes but all the tracks he played went down a huge hit on the Valve. A few rewinds, but as it's Mr. Clarke we'll let it slide. It was a great mix, but the best was yet to come...
Enjoying Andy's set
Andy just after his set ended
As Andy's set finished, I noticed a big geezer approaching the decks... It could be none other than the Maaaaaampi Swiiift!
And it indeed was him. Now then, the name Mampi Swift and the words 'double drop' are synonymous - and Swift didn't disappoint me. He did a whole raft of UTTERLY SICK double drops - even making Fresh's Colossus sound absolutely phat inside one dd towards the end. I was jumping about like a mad nutter on steroids (which of course I wasn't, I haven't taken any kinds of drugs whatsoever for years. Don't do it kids). As I was raving like a lunatic, getting my hair blown about by the Valve bassbins (I'm not kidding you either, they push huge amounts of air), I didn't get a chance to take many pics of Mampi, but here's a couple:
Mampi halfway through his set
Mampi & Eksman
Eksman getting involved
As Mampi finished his set, I strained to remember who was next... Oh yeah.
Lemon D!
"Ooo, wonder what this 'Bass EQ' pot does if I turn it to the right a bit"
MC Foxy Loves To Dance. His version of the robot is... something else.
Lemon Drop's set was nice, some BIG VALVE-BUSTIN-YOUR-BONES basslines, smooth blends and some exclusive forthcoming bits, and apart from one mistake (which he gracefully recovered from) it was all good. Certainly didn't bother my enjoyment of the set. So, who next...
Who's that standing behind Lemon D? We'll hear from him later...
Hmm, so who's on next...
(See Part 2)
Straight through the doors for me
Had a quick mish about, explored Room 2, and then pootled upstairs to see the main room. That was already going off, the Valve system was warming up nicely and DJs were already smoking it up and chattin behind the decks. That revolving bar... Something else.
Random ravers in the main room
Room 2 was also in full swing, with the resident Bedlam DJs and MCs giving it all they had.
The Bedlam residents
Unfortunately, cause I got there quite late (due to everybody getting off the bus just after we'd set off to buy booze and fags for the journey up - tards) I missed most of Nikki T's set, but I was told that it was pretty good by the people who were there to hear it.
Here's the lineup sheet from the evening:
I'm so glad they were giving out free earplugs. A quarter of a million watts can hurt.
Ok, so having been there a while, I listened to Nightwalker's set... Well, I jumped about like a maniac to it, taking the occasional picture. His set was packed full of dubs and promos, and he pleased everybody by playing Jupiter. No rewinds, which I always like - a rewind can spoil a set's flow. So that was good.
Room 2 just before Nightwalker's set
The man himself
Room 2, being run by AftershockRadio.com was pretty packed for most of the evening, it half-emptied when Andy C started his mix, but it slowly filled up again. I was told by one of the organiser of Room 2 that there were about 400 or so people in there at any one time, which is just about the fullest that Room 2 has ever been. It was a shame that there was only one member of staff working the bar, which meant that there were about 10 minute queues to get a drink - but I think they underestimated the popularity there
Anyways, it was ok. The soundsystem was ok, apparently the monitor speaker was blown which meant that it was a bit difficult for the DJs, but I certainly didn't notice any slipups or trainwrecks, so that was all good too.I eventually made my way into the main room, where I caught 25 minutes or so of DJ Hazard's set. If you like Hazard's rolling style of dnb (where you can hear the bassline's harmonics in every song) then you were in for a treat, as the Valve certainly did his music justice. Personally, half an hour of Hazard's tunes is all I can take, so I had another little wander around, got a drink, met a few other of the Aftershock crew (who came in force to the event!) and then listened to some more Room 2. Unfortunately I accidentally missed Friction's set, but I was informed that it was a stonking set, with some tasty double drops in and a bit of blindingly-powerful bass. I was yet to verify this... And I wasn't disappointed.
the DJ setup in the main room - not enough space to see the DJ, unless you're right at the front... One of my only complaints of the evening, too much pushing and shoving at the front.
I decided to settle myself in the main room for the rest of the evening, and eventually worked my way to the front of the crowd - RIGHT NEXT TO A STACK OF BASSBINS (where else?).
PHEAR!
Andy C played a great mix, sweetly mixed as always, not the most promo-orientated of mixes but all the tracks he played went down a huge hit on the Valve. A few rewinds, but as it's Mr. Clarke we'll let it slide. It was a great mix, but the best was yet to come...
Enjoying Andy's set
Andy just after his set ended
As Andy's set finished, I noticed a big geezer approaching the decks... It could be none other than the Maaaaaampi Swiiift!
And it indeed was him. Now then, the name Mampi Swift and the words 'double drop' are synonymous - and Swift didn't disappoint me. He did a whole raft of UTTERLY SICK double drops - even making Fresh's Colossus sound absolutely phat inside one dd towards the end. I was jumping about like a mad nutter on steroids (which of course I wasn't, I haven't taken any kinds of drugs whatsoever for years. Don't do it kids). As I was raving like a lunatic, getting my hair blown about by the Valve bassbins (I'm not kidding you either, they push huge amounts of air), I didn't get a chance to take many pics of Mampi, but here's a couple:
Mampi halfway through his set
Mampi & Eksman
Eksman getting involved
As Mampi finished his set, I strained to remember who was next... Oh yeah.
Lemon D!
"Ooo, wonder what this 'Bass EQ' pot does if I turn it to the right a bit"
MC Foxy Loves To Dance. His version of the robot is... something else.
Lemon Drop's set was nice, some BIG VALVE-BUSTIN-YOUR-BONES basslines, smooth blends and some exclusive forthcoming bits, and apart from one mistake (which he gracefully recovered from) it was all good. Certainly didn't bother my enjoyment of the set. So, who next...
Who's that standing behind Lemon D? We'll hear from him later...
Hmm, so who's on next...
(See Part 2)
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