It seems that the Premium series of parties just keep getting better and better. A year and a half on and I am still glad to have become captivated by these nights of non-stop beats, and an endless variety of bouncing bass lines. In the continuation of the Premium winter series at Zen, tonight’s evening was entitled ‘Battle’. This Battle was one to find the ultimate Premium sound, with all the regular DJ’s & MC’s paired up to fight it out. The night was also the launch party for the Australian release of the So Solid Crew album, ‘You Don’t Know’.
It was good to see the Zen venue dressed up a little with subtle lighting and flowing sheets lining the roof, creating a great atmosphere in the underground den. With the smaller of the Zen rooms closed due to light flooding the usual setup of having two rooms was not available. Dabnes vs. MC Rudy Jackson were delivering the sounds as we entered the room ditching our jackets and finding a comfortable area to warm up with some hard liquor. For those who enjoy the bubbles, free champagne was flowing as usual with many already enjoying this generous treat. This was the first time I had seen Rudy Jackson MC at a Premium event and I must say her skillful delivery and accompanying vocal talent was a great addition to Dabnes funky sound.
The Switch crew were next on the list to entertain the great turnout, now starting to aggregate towards the middle of the floor. Emme started off the set with a couple of bangin 2-step tracks and then passed on to Ritual for more of the same. MC Antic bringing the vocal support with his unmistakable flurry of rolling lyrics that complement the Switch sound perfectly.
After hyping to the crowd Antic passed the mic on to K-Note, and control of the decks handed to Sheen to continue the bass attack. This duo were unbelievable throughout their entire set with MC K-Note really maximizing the energy on the dance floor by holding up Sheen for a couple of huge rewinds, and making the crowd chant along with his lyrics creating an excellent vibe. As one of his last tracks Sheen dropped a hard 2-step mix of The Wideboys – Breakin that moved the entire venue, and then passed on to Paul Fraser vs MC Tanzi to continue to level set by these guys.
Tanzi and Paul Fraser did not waste any time and continued where Sheen left off, firing away some massive choons. Tanzi was as usual producing uncanny energy with her crisp blend of quick rhythmic lyrics and smooth vocals, filling in where necessary. Farj vs MC D-Tech were last up but not least with these two regulars of the scene finishing the night with maximum style. So who won the Battle? I would say all the attendee’s in choosing to go to another great party put on by the Premium crew. For next time make sure to grab some friends and experience one of these nights for yourselves. For more info on upcoming 2-Step and UK Garage events check out the www.dj.com.au/premium and www.garagepressure.com sites.
