Yeah alright… you’re probably asking why a twenty-two year old is reviewing an old school night. Fair enough. The answer: because I’d been told that it would be great, and that for someone who takes a keen interest in searching out older music I missed out on when I was a young’un, it’d be the perfect window into the music and vibe of yesteryear. And Reunion was (at least for me) just that. And speaking with those old enough to remember those days, it was a faithful trip back in time for them too.
As I waited in line, the first thought that came to mind was “man I really wanna hear Voodoo Ray tonight”. What was blaring out of the Mixed Beans room as I stepped inside The Metro? Yeah, Voodoo Ray (obviously). Talk about the best serendipitous moment of my life. After dancing my pants off for a few minutes, I quickly ducked in to the main room to hear George Vagas, intending to come back out for more classic housey goodness. I didn’t. Vagas was cranking out some excellent tough, driving hard house and trance sounding tunes, including Are Am Eye by Commander Tom and Paul Van Dyk’s For An Angel.
Next up, Sheen and Phil Smart brought some classic techno, house and breakbeat jams to the table. Sheen focused more on the house sounds, while Smart made a beeline straight for devastating old school breakbeat and techno, including Slam’s monstrous Positive Education to finish. But what was even more brilliant than that was some of the old breakbeat tunes he played, replete with solid kicks, mind-bending synth lines and cut up drum loops. Having been a breaks kid a few years back, it was inspiring to hear where the sound first originated from (albeit a little depressing to find most of it sounded better than the breaks coming out these days).
Nik Fish and Jumping Jack then proceeded to tear the room to pieces with a set that spanned everything from fluffy, hands-in-the-air Euro dance (including an extremely familiar track to open with but who’s name escapes me at the moment), slamming hard house, and a few uplifting trance classics (including the absolutely wonderful Greece 2000 by Three Drives On A Vinyl which might not be that old school, but is still awesome). Meanwhile in the Mixed Beans room Hi Shock was busy working the shit out of the crowd with a perfectly mixed and perfectly selected set of cranking acid trance and techno, including Drax’s 303 work-out Amphetamine. For a young techno fan, it was a really interesting look into the early sounds of my beloved genre and definitely an eye (or ear as it were) opening experience. For the veteran techno fans, it was no doubt musical heaven.
Over in the main room, Sugar Ray, the comeback-king, was preparing to play his first set in over three years. This was everyone’s chance to see a true master at work (and my first chance ever). He didn’t disappoint. His one and half hours were a true journey if I’ve ever heard one. Starting with old school house such as Evolution’s Take Me Higher and Passion by *Gat Décor (which, I’m going to put out there, has the best piano line ever) he worked his way through to some stabby, synth-driven breakbeat and four-to-the-floor goodness such including Rhythm Is A Mystery by K-Klass and Vamp’s Outlander and finally brought it home strong with beautiful, uplifting melodic trance and techno such as Hardfloor’s remix of Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante and Age Of Love (one after the other, no less!).
At the same time Fenix was in the Mixed Beans room competing for everyone’s attention with one of the most fun sets I’ve heard in a very long time. Just about every memorable happy hardcore and hardcore track featured in his set, and he had many a punter bouncing around like lunatics and had me saying “OH MAN I REMEMBER THIS SONG!” every five minutes. Vic followed on from Fenix in excellent fashion with a slamming rave techno set that took the music in a darker, more head-fucking direction: just what the doctor ordered at that time of the morning. And the inclusion of Tripbeat’s Wave Captain 2 was definitely an inspired choice.
Abel & Ming-D and then Peewee Ferris & Paul Holden were in charge of keeping the main room busy after Sugar Ray’s dazzling performance, and they didn’t disappoint. Abel and Ming-D slammed out an excellent selection of classic techno and hard house (if you can call it hard house – I’m a bit useless with old genres I’m afraid), including one of my personal favourites, Horsepower by CJ Bolland. Their onstage antics were almost as entertaining as their set as well, with the two bouncing around the stage and Ming even managing a cartwheel.
Peewee and Paul Holden went straight for the classic hardcore and never looked back. I think someone summed it up perfectly when they said their set was like an aerobics class and Peewee and Holden were the instructors. 160 beats per minute bouncing much? But lord it was fun. Ultrasonic made an appearance, so did Moby (in the form of 1000 ) and the pair finishing with Buggin’ nearly brought a nostalgic tear to a few of the punters’ eyes.
I wish I could come up with some witty way to end this review, but I’m afraid I can’t. Oh wait… PLUR. No, that didn’t work. Sorry, I’ll just leave you with: it was really good! Go to the next one (October 4th in case you’re wondering).
Brother Al says...
great review! only no comments on DJ Spellbounds skipping records LOL he was awesome and we all laughed and had a good time. He even turned the sound down and yelled out an apology and excuse "Sorry guys its an old record" haha. Its true that this generation of ravers still rule the rave scene. Nu skool kids dont even come close.
Richierich5381 says...
Nice work mate, was a top night despite being more than a little delicate from Armin the night before! As I recall, the missing track that Nik Fish
Richierich5381 says...
hey - it cut off half my comment! I think it was Felix - Don't You Want Me but I was knackered and might have been earlier in the night.
seascape says...
Nice review Andrew. See you October 4 - Tickets On Sale Now (Shameless Plug)