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Raindance 20th Birthday Party - Review + Videos/Photos

  • 21-09-2009 9:32pm
    #1
    jonny68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,531 ✭✭✭


    The hype in the run up to this was massive, Raindance as everyone knows are one of the most influential figures in the history of Rave as we know it,and their 20th anniversary was hyped as being the event of the year possibly the decade and it was absolute amazing and lived up expectations.

    We arrived @ London Bridge and had a few beers in the Shipwright Pub which is the unofficial stop off for people heading to Raindance, about 10.30pm we went in, had to show Photo ID which was scanned, this is a new thing SE1 have introduced after a shooting last year in the club (not Old Skool or a Raindance nite)queue wasn't that big at that time so we were inside pretty quickly.

    Once inside we headed straight for the Jenkins Lane arena where some female DJ dunno who she was, she was playing some vintage Chicago House from 1986/1987, some underground classics and it was going down very well with the ever increasing crowd.

    After a while we went for a walkabout and went into the Old Skool main arena where Raindance resident Gee Magical was playing some 1991 Hardcore, some vintage Rave being rinsed out and the crowd were already going for it,her mixing as well was spot on,ive seen her play a few times and she would put many male DJ's to shame.

    We went walkabout again and came to the Drum & Bass/Jungle arena which was already heaving and the strong smell of weed present as ever,the music was very harsh industrial D & B and not my cup of tea at all but such is the popularity of D & B in London the crowd were going for it, we went to the Hardcore arena, again not my cup of tea but like D & B it has it's place @ Raindance and the youngish crowd in there with their hi vist vests,etc were going for it

    Back to the main arena and i was looking forward to seeing DJ Lomas from Wales and he was absolutely brilliant both from a musical and mixing aspect, his MC was good too hyping up the crowd without droning on too much.

    Back to the Jenkins Lane arena which was rapidly filling up, this is by far and away my favourite arena @ Raindance, you have original Acid House veterans who are retired and come out just for this dancing beside wide eyed 18 year olds who could (and in some cases are) their sons and daughters,it has a magical vibe like no other,all smiles and handshakes just like back in the day, the music though is the real draw, vintage Acid House/Chicago House and club classics with a no MC policy, Raindance pulled out all the stops fopr this and the arena was decked out in massive blow ups of classics flyers and newspaper cuttings from back in the day,along with loads of backrops and large video screens showing raves from the Acid House era,it really is a magical place and the music was amazing.

    It's sometimes difficult to leave Jenkins Lane as it's so good but we went outside to the tunnel which was closed off, loads of people out there smoking away and there was also loads of attractions and a silent disco which i thought was hilarious but great fun.

    We then went into the Pussina House and Electro house arena, playing electro house which wasn't particulary busy but the few people who were there were obviously having a good time,so we went into the Trance arena, dunno who was on but she was playing a mixture of new trance which i thought was dreaful but everyone to their own, funnily enough she would drop a few mid 90's trance classics so we stayed there for a while and the atmosphere was good, time for a nose in the Mad Hatters Hard House arena, Hard House isn't my cup of tea,it got too fast after 1999 and not for me, however the DJ who was on started playing some classics from mid 90's and stuff that the late Tony De Vit used to play, people can slag Hard House all they like but the atmosphere at these Raves puts many to shame and this arena was having it big time,i actually stayed there close on half an hour before we went back to the man arena.

    Rhythm Section came on and they were undoubtely the best act of the night, they were absolutely amazing and performed all their material in a PA which must have gone on for about 45 mins, the crowd were absolutely loving it and the atmosphere was super charged, on afterwards were Jilted Generation who are a Prodigy tribute band,id never seen them before so was looking forward to seeing them, and they were indeed excellent performing down to a tee loads of the Prodigys hits from their first 2 albums (mostly from experience)cant help but feel though the singer wants to be like Keith Flint too much, he looks just like him from what i can see,overall though definitely recommended.

    Walked through the D & B arena again and was pleasantly surprised to hear some jump up 95 Jungle played, crowd were loving so stayed a while and back to Jenkins Lane were Niki Dimensions a Raindance resident played an absolute stormer of a set mixing up all sorts.

    The only arena id not been in was the Breakbeat arena so i arrived just in time for Apply The Breaks, what can i say,they are IMO the best breakbeat collective in the UK, similar enough to 2 Many DJ's in a way but better, much better,the 3 DJ's,1 MC and the mixing and scratching was a sight to behold,they are amazing and im only surprised they haven't gone onto big things,if you like 2 Many DJ's but more breakbeat orientated you need to check out Apply The Breaks,a superb set, i quickly went next door to catch The Ragga Twins who were the highlight of the night for a lot, they were actually excellent but i think they should've been on earlier as by this time (after 4am)the crowd had dwindled a but and the tunnel was packed with people taking a breather and getting some air,but great to see the lads back for their first PA in 15 years.

    By now i was starting to feel it a bit, im barely us to going to clubs thesedays never mind all nite Rave festivals but kept on as it's not every night theres an event like this on so back to Jenkins Lane where the legendary Slipmatt came on, he is one of the most respected and versatile DJ's on the scene and he played at the vesy first Raindance, his set was majestic, the best ive heard in a long long time, absolute vintage Acid House some of which ive literally not heard since the early 90's, his mixing is sublime,it was a pivotal moment at 5.55am when he dropped the timeless classic http://www.discogs.com/Corporation-Of-One-The-Real-Life-The-Prayer/release/40082 one of those :eek::eek::eek:moments when everyone just shouts and jumps about the place,absolutely amazing, one of the best sets of the nite.

    Come 6.45am and i had to leave as i was fcuked, it was over at 7am,but the afterparty was onto until 4pm:eek::D but i had to get a bus @ 8am to Manchester so went to London Bridge tube station around the corner which was besieged by wide eyed ravers all of who were at Raindance, the tube obviously doesn't start early anymore on Sundays so i ended up getting a taxi to Victoria where i got a bus to Manchester, jaysus that was so difficult you wouldn't believe but i got a second wind when i was in Old Trafford and watching the best ever Manchester derby was amazing, when i did eventually get home last nite i was shattered but an amazing weekend.

    Raindance really is amazing, people might think i go on too much about Raindance but until you've been to a Raindance Rave IMO you've not experienced what a real Rave is about, you can go to clubs to your hearts content but nothing beats the experience of going to an event like Raindance, after 20 years on the scene and they are as popular as ever with people of all ages, the age group at the event was 17 to 55,wide eyed kids new to raving and old veterans out of retirement,it's a unique special experience and im delighted to have gone along to this, you may not remember some club night in years to come but you'll always remember Raindance.

    I've uploaded some photos and the video's im in the process of uploading.


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