Mark EG's 30th b-day weekender!!!

[Ikon]

From the man himself -

 

What a completely mental birthday Ive had. I dont think many people could say that theyve spent their 30th birthday smashing up a Grundig Television in a Hollywood nightclub but I can. Waaa Read on!

 

My birthday celebrations actually started on Friday May 24th. After jetting down the M1 for 6 hours in bank holiday traffic Chrissi and I arrived in Portsmouth at a venue Id never heard of for a night by Hands On Records that quite literally rocked. But after only an hour on the decks I realised I had an hour and a half to get to Taunton. God knows how I managed to avoid several on coming cars whilst trying to take on that Parcel Force Lorry on the A303 but I did. With Friday night eventually flashing by because of my complete failure to notice the time, so did my hope of getting back to Leeds for my 7am flight to Los Angeles via London for my birthday party. So I sped down the M4 to London Heathrow with the hope of catching the plane whilst it refuelled on the tarmac.

 

Arriving at the airport the gigantic queue for the United Airlines check-in desk was unlike anything Ive ever seen before in my life. Yes, Id forgotten that it was a bank holiday but I certainly hadnt forgotten just how urgent it was to catch that plane. So Chrissi and I devised a plan to creep up to the ticket desk near the front and quickly sneak into the check-in line next to it whilst the airport staff werent looking. It worked to the utter disgust of the people in the queue and believe it or not we got straight to the check in desk within 30 minutes. Due to a perfectly timed flash of Chrissi's clevage the bloke behind the counter bumped us up to premier class almost immediately and even asked whether we wanted to go on a flight that was a little less full. Well if it meant we could enjoy a few pre-birthday beers in the airport pub, who were we to argue?

 

Changing for a domestic flight in New York, we eventually arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and headed straight for the Hollywood Metropolitan Hotel our luxurious film star style abode for the next four days. Who could have imagined that when we pulled back the curtains in the morning, there we would be - staring directly at the infamous Hollywood sign in all its magnificent glory. We had one of the best views in town. Time to pull down my trousers and beat the old stick methinks.

 

We spent all day wondering in awe down one of the best streets for clothes I know of in America, Hollywood Boulevard. Not that I actually like traipsing around shops but if its unique hip-hop fashion youre after, there is quite simply nowhere else like this. Sure there maybe only eight shops that really do stock the bees knees but they stock everything at knockdown prices each and every day of the year. Loaded with bags of goodies, we finally retreated to the hotel for few bottles of wine and nap before the party.My god, I thought as I shut my eyes, 'Im gonna be 30 when I wake up'.

 

Bzzzz Twangggg Ding Dong, and so we were awoken four hours later by the sound of the seven phones and alarms that we'd set to avoid oversleeping. Seriously though, this is a great tip if youre ever DJing abroad and you know you have to be somewhere at a certain time. One alarm is simply not enough. And just imagine missing your set if someone has brought you over to play for them. Its simply not an option.

 

So with Chrissi congratulating me on my new found age, I pulled on my pants and made my way to the bathroom to get myself ready. It wasnt too bad being thirty after all. I didnt feel so different. Soap, water, toothpaste. Lovely. Nowt wrong with me I thought. But hold on. Looking slowly at my head in the mirror, I suddenly noticed something. What were those lines next to my eyes? Id never noticed them before? And what the hell was that? GREY HAIR??!?! Oh my god I really was thirty. Gulp. Time to pull yourself together Mark youve got a party to go to.

 

Entering the party was amazing. In a club on Hollywood Boulevard itself, I immediately bumped into several people I recognised. 'Happy Birthday', they said, Weve got a big surprise planned for you. I couldnt wait. LA techno hero Angel Alanis even introduced himself to me (which was a totally surreal experience seeing as though I was wearing his record label T-Shirt).

 

Onto the stage I went and quickly began my set. DJ Bam Bam had just finished throwing down some seriously hi tempo booty numbers so it was time to keep the party rocking with some Skoog style techno nastiness followed by a final barrage of hardstyle trance to get the ravers screaming at fever pitch. Id actually been handed a selection of old records to smash up at the beginning so I was certainly not short of crazy stuff to do on stage. But when someone handed me a baseball bat at the end and pointed to an old Grundig television in the corner I was in my element - out came Uberdrucks 'Cuntmaster' remixes and in went the end of the baseball bat into the front of the television screen.

 

What a moment that was. The television exploded and so did the crowd in front of me for the last five minutes of the night. So off went the final track and out came the Mic. The MC announced to the club that it was my birthday and everyone suddenly erupted into a rendition of Happy Birthday. It was a moment to cherish forever.

 

After all that excitement, going back to someones hotel room was indeed a necessity. And it just so happened that the Organ Donors were in town. Theyd opened up their room to anyone who cared to joined them. So Chrissi and I grabbed several bottles of Californian Red Wine that wed saved in our own room and proceeded to party 'like it was my birthday'. Im sure many of you can imagine what went on in that room that night but lets say that 30 people and selection of serious techno and trance heads in one room makes for one hell of a party. Needless to say that the Organ Donors were promptly kicked out of the room the next day and fined 200 dollars for damage.

 

So all that was left for me to do was to recover from an immense hangover and relax. Except spending a night watching the Matrix at Universal Studios, Hollywood certainly does not relax you. The fact that youre actually watching one of the best films of all time at the historic Universal City doesnt relax you at all - as I quickly found out when I entered the 20 million pound state of the art cinema where it was being shown.

 

LA I love you. This is a trip Ill definitely never forget. Thanks to all the great people who looked after me (including Trevor and the crew) and all those total fruitcakes I met at the party. Next time Im over you better make sure you dont let me loose on those Californian birthday aheemmm 'grapes' again... *hick*!!.

 

 

 

 

[babyred]

Happy 30th Birthday!

Sounds like you had a brilliant time, you lucky thing! The Hands On records event on the pier definately rocked,i was there dancing on the stage, i loved it! You did a wicked set, the crowd absolutely loved it. Ill be celebrating my 30th birthday in july, im having a party on the beach in Hayling Island, Matt Handy, Reece Elliot, TinTin, Lee Harris, Chris Hawkes, Tony P & a few others will be gracing the decks on the 5th July i cant wait, it would be brilliant if you could come down as well.