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Features
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Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna |
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Frantic Autumn Ball @ Egg - Review
Reported by Alex J
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Submitted 25-10-03 10:12
When you wake up on a Monday morning with a smile still plastered across your face, despite the exhaustion that has managed to cruelly set in you know that you've had a weekend to remember. On Saturday night I had the opportunity to experience the new venue that has been launched onto the London underground scene by none other than Laurence Malice, the godfather of hard pumping house and owner of the cult-like after hours gay night Trade (RIP).
In all honesty Egg was not exactly the kind of venue where I expected a Frantic event to be held. Don't get me wrong - the venues are always grandiose havens of entertainment, but normally on a much bigger scale, and with a tradition of dance music stemming back for years. But why on earth not try something new and respect to all those behind Frantic - this night was a blinding success. Somehow they managed to hit the nail on the head in every possible way.
The venue itself is a little way from King’s Cross, but even this wasn’t a problem on the night – the shuttle service couldn’t have worked more perfectly and it delivered all the mad up-for-it nutters literally door to door. The one major thing which struck me about this place was the fact that it’s a fresh new venue which somehow seems to have captured that atmospheric, underground feel of years ago, but with a modernised twist i.e. a nice, clean venue, which is big enough to provide room for all the party-goers, yet managed to keep the intimate feel. And with heated, outside terrace areas and a funky champagne bar/loft, there is something for everyone whether you feel like grooving to the funky beats in more upmarket surroundings, or stomping to the pounding rhythms of the hard dance maestros in the other two rooms.
We started off the night with a dose of chunky, funky house beats in the champagne bar. The only complaint here was that we couldn’t get into the funky room as soon as we wanted…. Everyone was Thirsty for what was to come… Couldn’t resist the pun! An instant crowd of about 200 people surged into the funky room to be teased and worked up into a frenzy of aural pleasure by Richard Launch. It was a feast of sexy, funky, vocal sounds and beats which had everyone grooving right from start to the finish of his set. And to be honest a DJ who drops Cassius ‘Sound of Violence’ at the right point and gets everyone going gets my vote every time. Next up was Adam May, who has been taking the London scene by storm over the past months. This boy is one to watch and one who will never disappoint. To give him that leading edge Adam manages to remain fresh and creative with his sets and that night was no exception. His set was fuelled with tougher, techier basslines than we would normally expect, hardly a vocal in sight, yet the whole room was relentlessly pumping and the podium heaving with euphoric clubbers.
Despite enjoying myself beyond belief and also considering my lack of sleep the previous night, it’s simply wrong to go to a Frantic event and hide in the funky room all night. I decided to venture downstairs, just one level and see what this room had on offer. Now this young gentleman who was playing at the time has caused me to lavish him with praise on numerous occasions and this time was no different. Snake had the whole room going crazy, people literally hanging from the rafters and stomping like there’s no tomorrow. I myself have become a bit more of a cynical clubber these days and am not that easily pleased, but seconds after being in that room I was infected with the rhythm and couldn’t stop those feet from moving to the beat. Whichever way you looked you were greeted with a smiley face, albeit a slightly sweaty one, but what can you expect when the BPM is up there and your heart is pounding even faster?!
I actually decided to give Lab 4 a miss and go and check out some of our own London boys, well one of them has now upped sticks and moved back across the water to the Antipodes – so it would’ve been rude not to go and hear Steve Hill’s set. Like always we were treated to what this man has become known for – hard, driving, energetic, pumping, pounding, exhilarating trance and hard dance. Everyone welcomed him with open arms and by the end of his set very much realised what they would be missing out on. The main room was quite an amazing feast of talent from all corners of the hard dance globe with DJs and producers from all the leading production stables: Nukleuz, Tidy, Tripoli, Vicious Circle – what more could you ask for?
Lee Haslam really hit the spot for me that night – when your feet are aching and your shoulders start to sink and exhaustion sets in that’s when you know you’re in trouble…. But in fact this is how I should’ve been feeling, but I did not get the slightest chance. Yet the night didn’t even end here for me. There is one young lad who I have to give a mention to before I wrap up my account of my weekend’s adventures and that is Ben Stevens. Ben has been labelled as the protégé of none other than Mr Paul Glazby. Having heard the name, but not had the opportunity to witness him in action I was intrigued to say the least as to how he would match up…. What can I say – superb choice of tunes, excellent mixing and the way the crowd reacted for an end-of-the-night set was out of this world. This is one DJ who didn’t simply give the crowd what they wanted, but manipulated them and manoeuvred their energy exactly as he damn well pleased and do it he did with the greatest of ease and style.
I’ve really tried rack my brains to find at least one criticism and I really can’t – those of you who know me can confirm that this is a very unusual thing for someone who can be ever so critical.
To the Frantic Crew – what more can I say, but the Autumn Ball rocked it like no other party has in a very long time!
The next Frantic event is Hard House Academy on Saturday 25th October - for full details click here. Share this :: : : :
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The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: clanger on 25th Oct 2003 13:43.09 what a very well written report of the Autumn Ball...just had to say this, even though you did experience a very different night to me at the same venue (catching different DJs to me...) but you summed up the 'experience' very nicely!
From: Ben Stevens on 27th Oct 2003 17:02.26 Thanks for you kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
From: Richard Launch on 28th Oct 2003 15:59.56
From: sexyminx on 28th Oct 2003 19:43.56 what a wicked night. thoroughly enjoyed myself. Music was wicked! i danced my little arse off!
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