[ Review ] - Hardhouse Academy (by James)

[James]

Frantic --> Hardhouse Academy --> Brixton Academy --> 26th October 2002

 

I went to Brighton a couple of months ago to meet a new CTW member - Ian Holder as I had missed the Fatboy Slim on the beach thingy and meeting up with him was long overdue. The ironic thing was that half the way into the night Ian whilst in a local bar Ian said to me "Why didn't we just go up Hardhouse Academy tonight?" - me being so naive hadn't even heard of such an event - in fact at the time I hadn't even heard of Frantic!!! Most people laugh at me for not knowing all this things but I only discovered proper Hardhouse music in March when I first met SarahPVC and she send me some 'proper' CDs - I've never looked back.

 

Anyway, since Brighton, then Ibiza then another batch of clubs in between I was more and more looking forward to the next Hardhouse Academy event driven by Frantic. It was posted on the board by miss PVC and my ears suddenly pricked up - first because I saw the classy Frantic logo and secondly because it was the event which I shouldn't have missed last time round.

 

Last Saturday I literally couldn't get much done - I was too looking forward to the night ahead and what didn't help was Mr Tony P banging on about how bloody good its gonna be as he'd been several times.

 

We met up with some of the other CTW members and also Harderfaster and 4Clubbers members in the Prince of Wales pub in Brixton first along with the infamous Smurf who this time decided to wear a hoover on his back, with a shake n vac and a pair of marigolds!! Anyway all this excitement just geared me up more - not sure Smurf should have been walking around with the hoover round Brixton though! lmao

 

Another sign that it was going to be a 'blinder' was that the fact they had sold out of tickets extremely quickly and I met a couple of disappointed people outside who had left it too late. Sarah and I were luckily enough to be on the guestlist so we had a swift entry but from what I saw the queue wasn't too bad going in as by the time we'd got in our friends were already in there.

 

 

 

Knowing nothing about the Academy I didn't even know what the layout was - all I had heard was that it was fooking massive. I would strongly recommend you take a mobile phone or arrange proper meet-up points in there though - it really IS huge - either an old cinema or theatre - these places were just MADE for these types of events - I'm sure the original designers never dreamed that 9-6 events such as this would go! I mean what a perfect layout! On entry we were in what must have been like a reception area - a couple of stalls selling merchandise and room '2' I guess - playing probably the best hard n fast house music I've ever heard - brilliant sound system and it was so cool being that close to the set with the likes of Lee Haslam (tony p's double!) banging tunes away.

 

For some bizarre reason a couple of us thought we needed coats but I would recommend you dont bother unless you really need them because as ever the queues will be pretty long to the cloakrooms, but no more than average. I remember saying at the same time as Tony that "you can get lost in here" - hence why its important to stick together - just when you think there you are at the top there is another whole level above you - as I say perfect layout as you can see exactly what going on and get a perfect birds eye view of the crowd and lightshows. The thing which really hit me was the first time I entered the main room - everyone was saying "have you been in there yet - its f*cking kicking off" - total strangers who

just felt it was their mission to get everyone in there ASAP as they didn't want people to miss out ! Basically I walked in through the back of the room and there was just this curvy sea of thousands of people - wherever you stood you could see everyone in the club as it was all on a slant like cinemas/theatre seating is. Also, what I was really pleased about was the fact that you didn't have to stand at the front to guarantee the best clarity/volume - more than enough decent speakers about - this meant that it wasn't overcrowded in any part of the club and everyone had room to move & dance. For me there is nothing worse than being in an overcrowded club - I mean what's the point if you cant move / if it takes 20 minutes to walk to the bar/toilets. Brixton Academy for me is THE best venue in London.

 

Sets... well as I'm still new to this game I wasn't sure of a couple of names until Mr Phil Reynolds came on and played a blinder - he must have been telepathic or something - knowing exactly what we wanted - the thing I love about this guy is he's so genuine and always has time to speak to people and is often found on the dance floor clubbin' it like everyone else before and after his set - the guy is a legend. I remember when my girlfriend was looking at the Chemistry picture from Camden Palace she said - I recognise that guy (Phil) - he have me a neck massage in the back room! - she didn't even know who he was at the time! As I say top guy or what. Having time for people and being genuine are some major factors for being a successful DJ in my opinion.

 

Main room was indeed amazing but I have to say I couldn't resist going into the harder faster room for a good couple of hours - there is something about smaller rooms which I love - I guess its because its louder and you get to know people a bit better and its more personal - plus you are that much closer to the set/action. It was also here that I managed to meet and speak properly to a lot of new clubbers and also some of the DJs and people who run other web sites. It amazing now - every time I go out now I meet incredibly friendly people and its just another reason to go out week in week out. If I miss a weekend I find I'm in a very foul mood as I cant bear people talking about "what a good night I missed" ! I know you cant do everything and be in 2 places at once but I'm working on it !

 

Tidy boys then came on playing a fairly good set but to be honest I'd just seen them at the Tidy Weekender and what I was really looking forward to was the master Andy Farley. A guy who obviously works for WWF came on to announce him in wrestle/boxing intro talk and then an array of lightbombs (?!) and lasers then shot up as he dropped his first tune - the atmosphere was suddenly increased 10 fold. Everytime he mixed another track in I remember turning round to Sarah and Tony and we just looked at each other with a huge grin on our faces and said "he really is perfect isn't he" - Sarah also said that she'd never seen him play a bad set and personally I dont think he ever will - the man operates with military precision. This WAS the best set I've heard anyone play, ever - everything I love about Hardhouse music was in his set and it was actually quite emotional. Again, as I'm still learning about the music and getting more and more into it and researching it I found I was listening out for the mixing skills rather than just listening to the tunes and it just meant more to me this time for some reason - I hadn't appreciated what an art it really was - far more to it than just beat matching! I was also so naive that I didn't realise a lot of DJs are actually producers of their own music. Before I used to put a lot of DJs down saying "well, all they do is play other people music" but my views have changed significantly over the last 6 months of real clubbing. I've also set myself a task of reading as many DJ profiles as I can as these people obviously have it 'right'.

 

No better feeling that looking at your watch and its only 1am - turning round to your mates and also a load of 'randoms' and saying "o my god, we've got another FIVE hours of this!!!" The night just lasted and lasted and by the end of it you just felt like you'd had the perfect dosage.

 

I am very much amazed that more people didn't turn up to this from the ctw board - I'm hoping next time you ALL make it. I know you're not all into Hardhouse and we are looking at giving other genres more exposure but I would have thought all those at Tidy would have wanted to come up - if travelling or accommodation is a problem let us help you out - I really dont want you to miss another one. I remember when I got back to Tony's I didnt give a stuff what the time was and decided I just HAD to phone up a couple of like-minders and tell them how good it was and "why on earth didnt you go?!" I spent over an hour mobile to mobile to miss JuicyLucy who I'd met at Tidy Weekender 2 who I just knew would just love it - luckily she didnt mind me waking her up!! I've never felt that urge to phone up everyone so much!!

 

Frantic have just got things SO right, and in such a short space of time. Everyone who runs it - I've only met Robyn so far - have firmly got their heads screwed on correctly. What an inspiration these people are ... They have certainly won me over - and after only 2 events which I've attended - like I say I'm kind of kicking myself now that I didn't get to these events sooner - but that's what happens when you hang around with people who aren't quite into the same music as you... hence why I created this site and finally put a stop to it !

 

Well done to everyone involved and also everyone who attended - no hassle, no attitude just an atmosphere FILLED with love for the scene. O, and thanks to Tony P for being so hospitable and proving another blinder after party !

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