Until a few months ago, on a Saturday afternoon this pub would play host to a handful of elderly local lads, enjoying a quiet pint. Now, every other weekend around 200 people go off big time from 2pmish till well beyond midnight, to sunny Funky House, sunset Trance and starry Hard House.

The Funky DJ’s this week were, Lord Fenn (SFB) vs. Rougue, DJ Looch (Switch), dFunkSta, Craig H (Subsonica) and Stink Delicious (Resident). Sunset Trance and Hard House DJ’s were, Prozac (Subsonica), Mantis (Resident) and John Langford (Knuckleheads). The sets were very well planned and got progressively harder with the fading light. Throughout the afternoon groups of people arrived in their hoards, until the dance floor stretched back to the grass, and the tables became podiums. There’s a barbecue in the afternoon, and you can sit right by the canal and watch bemused families passing by in their barges, one guy and his dog arrived by barge. Nice.

Perfectly positioned, facing the setting sun, the DJ is illuminated by the days final rays, then, as the sun dips behind the crowd and distant trees, the lights and smoke machines are switched on. Quite a spectacular transition. It makes you wish the summer would go on forever. I wonder if the Grand Junction Arms would consider building a greenhouse, so the same effect could be achieved in the depths of winter? Or perhaps it’s a project for Munchies Greenhouse Productions. Sounds like the answer to global warming!! Like all good parties, this one pulls several regulars, there’s the highly energetic older dude who dances for exactly 3 hours on the table, RJ and his designer t-shirts (one of which I’m wearing right now) and an amazing pair of designer mammeries. Then just before tea time, regular as clockwork, a few of the elderly local lads, motivated by their not so quiet pint, find their way to the dance floor, and blend in with arms in the air and grins on their faces.

Free, rather nifty wetsuit glove beer holders were thrown into the crowd, and kept the Aussie boys amused. This party seriously rocked for 11 hours. Probably the best party of the summer. As the last tune ended around 1am, the sound of more thumping bass could be heard in the distance.
Conveniently placed, just a little way along the canal, the first real out door Finger party was warming up. The canal party moved location, and created quite a queue to get through the gate! Must have been a thousand people there, I’m not a good judge of numbers, but there were lots anyway. Spread out in a long stretch of field between the road and a canal, were two sound systems. One playing Funky House, the other Hi Energy Trance and Hard House.

There were fire dancers warming up the rather chilly air, and packed dance areas producing welcoming body heat. A great vibe. But then at 3.15, 2 tunes into DJ Brad Thatcher’s set the police pulled the plug. With the threat of the sound systems being confiscated, everybody dutifully filled out through the one entrance gate, and from what I saw, the police just stood by, and there was no agro. One guy did start trying to chant at the police, but was hushed by everyone around.

All very civilised, but a real bummer. A bummer for the organisers and the folks who didn’t have a previously purchased £5 ticket, and paid £10 at the gate, but I guess it’s the risk you take. There’s always an exhilarating edge to an illegal party, and so far in my experience they’ve raved their course, just bad luck I guess. May be the venue was too visible from the road, but it certainly wouldn’t have bothered anybody. There will be plenty more though, Finger parties are a pretty big event.

Sarah Dancing Decor
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