But well creepy! so if you are meeting your girlfriends there, I suggest you pick her up at the station first to avoid the usual sour face situation later.



We wandered into a little oasis of Psy-Trance culture as we stepped into a club that has two main rooms separated by a connecting, twisting and turning staircase carved out of the masonry like an after thought. Upstairs is the main arch where the action was to be found. It’s big enough to accommodate about 300/400 punters at a guess.
The downstairs was sort of decked in a few old fabrics near the back area where a small bar and chai station was situated, serving up an assortment of cakes. The date cake is particularly recommended to future globetrotting travellers…hmm-nice one! Also there was some chai on offer to stimulate the palate. Miaow!

Every one involved in this event, as well as the security, were charming and there were echoes of Natural Order to be found here with the same set of “hardcore yet chilled out “psy-trancers” that I could trace back over five years if not more.
Zen Mechanics was the lord of the dance floor with a brand of roller-coaster psy that was exhilarating and great fun. And so was Bliss, who got the thumbs up from every one I chilled with after. You have fans mate; and I agree: You rock!

I’d like to also mention DJ Marko who blended a form of industrialised-techno with touches of acid into his psy-trance which I wondered if others had noticed, yet every one was so into their dancing that the quality of his set kept people glued into other dimensions where my words cannot reach, and that goes for most of the DJs there on the night.

Incredibly, the place danced itself into the late hours of the morning and finally died at noon. Downstairs, it reminded me of a really good squat party without the assholes to ruin the night. If you like Psy-Trance, with an underground feel, then yes! this is definitely the place for you.
As an old anarchist wild child, I totally felt at ease in this party, where freedom of _expression and decent behaviour was the norm. Cool people, who know their stuff, and street-wise dudes with a smile, that it was a pleasure to be part of such a psychedelic gathering.

Le Mufti

Loose ramblings by Jam Gorilla

Been going to Happy Jacks, Club Innocence now Jack’s since 1998 and it was a scary venue then. Security there could effortlessly rivaled with infamous Bagleys or Chunnel Club gorillas for the title of the most ruthless and aggressive on the scene. Quite a feat must say.

It was then, now it is a different place but somehow shrunk in the process.
I do vividly remember some Rude not… or Omnipotence parties in spacious 3 rooms.

It would get Einstein or Planck rubbing their eyes in confusion. Ignore the shrinkage though as change is for the better and different space continuum rules apply. Will crack a boson for that ability of going through the walls but the Jacks offers atmosphere one could only have found in Trenz or 266 in a distant past.

Stir some of the most visual effects on da silver screen and pukka crowd with steady flow of kicking Goa and affiliates and you get Pukka label launch. How coincidental?
That’s my 3 pence but next time will bring tripod in my pocket for a bangin’ night out.
Cab is waiting, aloha…

more photos here

more on Acid Monkey

Their massive night at Koko on 8th of October, co-organised with Epidemik crew, hardcore ravers brothers legend on the scene, was a good one cos they are sometimes big ones and they are very bad. But this one was a night of kick ass drum n bass. Nuff said.
The venue was ass kicking too. Large and not too packed first and not too many “gangsta lot, you know who,…
Crowd were friendly but there was a bit of attitude at the start but later they mellowed out and were good and happy as new.
Mcs were pretty amazing with some tongues dancing skill, worth the price of ticket, what a balloon, whachaaa…It was kinda empty first but later got totally rammed.
Humans rolling and twisting everywhere, on balconies, downstairs or upstairs where Epidemik crew ruled with da moody liquid rollers. Yessssssss…

Yet somehow we couldn’t get the feel of bass rushing around till about 2 when all of the sudden I got grabbed by it and flung to the Mcs feet where mystical forces took over my hips. (I wasn’t the only ‘transformed‘ person around).
Lotsa crazy, steamy dudes jumping around me all night long. What!… All the big epics got played till a total crowding of the stage with Nicky Blackmarket. Yes sir!. I am in love but don’t tell anyone or don’t write please…. He played really well and smiled through his set.
What a girl can do?

Later I kinda of found it difficult to gather infos while I am having a bunch of scientist playing on my ears. Cos they are things you should do when time is flowing around you in a spirited way. So I just didn’t fight and stayed bouncing till morning light in the best ever lab: nice one.!
A hot, steamy and reacting concoction of sexy human jumping beings, must go to the next one, But if you want to be there for the next one you better start stressing the living out of whoever finances your leisure time.

Cloakroom £2 for single item and water bottles being sold with caps off. Whachaa…
Are they taking mickey or what?

Great party and great vibe, just do something about it stupid!
Check in advance

Dr Rocket

more photos click here

www.breakinscience.com
www.epidemik.com

The album launch of “Ambivalent Records” commenced under friendly, capable and sometimes chaotic but always smiling collaboration of new kids on the block: “Elluminate”. Here was the nascent embryo of a new kind of Psy-Trance party, dishing out a light electronic salad of robotic riffs and effects. Acid grooves that teased and stirred the senses of the assembled.
The beat staying consistent, strong, without that heavy thump-thump that often distorts the mix into one continuous drone. Where all the tracks merge into an inaudible, repetitive banging set without reference to the originality of each track being defined for its own sake.

There has recently been structural changes to the to the lay out of the Arches. This club seems genuinely ambitious and concerned in improving it’s facilities with embellishments that have seen the third arch there loose it’s DJ station at ground level for a newer and elevated gantry where DJs can now follow from above the action in a space freed from impediments.
But the arch that rocked the best, on the night, was the one that showcased, in live performance, the three main acts of Ambivalent’s emerging stable: NRS, Scorb and Deviant Species. The latter started proceedings by cranking up the gears as he came to the decks.
Then the night just rocketed into the stratosphere: higher and higher.
Well from midnight onwards as more peeps came through the door; filling what had been for the first couple of hours a relatively unattended party. It’s as if this crew knew when to arrive! So the music being exhibited, so to speak, was in place and the Arches came alive with people expressing themselves in kindness and with a collective generosity that I was well pleased to discover.

Scorb pushed the art of effects, loops and samples that bounced off the walls, whizzed and cajoled the punters into a healthy sweat as the lights and multi-coloured lasers did the rest. To be fair, Carrie and the Elluminate crew they did a grand job for a first outing. The place was well decked-out in backdrops. The main room’s focus was an enormous screen on which were projected discordant computerized images that didn’t detract from the music.

The champagne moment was these two guys who decided to show their juggling prowess with cushions pads that had loads of us in stitches. Wicked! While the lighter, yet also experimental music being delivered, in the other arch, carried on regardless to an often semi-empty room. Special mention to: Carlos, who needed more peeps, to dejay to, but this was indeed a busy night for a launch in London Bridge, with Synergy giving it large down the road. But who cares with Elluminate on the horizon. They will be back for another party on the 5th November so keep your ears to the psy-trance grind stone as the venue awaits to be announced.

Le Mufti

It's now becoming, or should I say, evolving into a forum for lovers of that brand of "old-style" partying: where the people interact via the music on the dance floor. And there is plenty of choice on offer.

There are no pretty pictures on the walls or funny light fittings distracting your attention, as the entertainment is the vibe. It is also the mix of peeps from all over this big estate called Dance-Culture, who are well up for a good rave with no pretensions to hold them back and shit loads of positive attitude; whether they be Chavs or Hardcore geeks or travelling out of town posses out in the big smoke for some Old Skool interaction.
The hardcore was already very busy when I arrived around 11.30. The sweat factor was beyond human...it's tough and I cannot say that I hanged around there for that long, as I go mostly for Old Skool, D'n'B and old-style reminiscing and serious dancing!

Mc's Ice and Strict were at the helm in the main room and the atmosphere was sizzling nicely, reaching its climax with “The RatPack” who rocked the old tunes with an audience sing-along to rival any good rock gig. They treated us to a birthday selection of medleys. Raindance regulars know all those songs by heart and give them their best body moves, whistles hoots and horns. Voices shouted and chanted all through their set accompanied by some really fit babes in Ibiza “razzle” bikinis, who entertained us all the way with their dancing routines. Now, how many of you guys in the crowd actually noticed that they were choreographed?
Hmm, I wonder indeed!

Special mention to Billy Bunter and especially Flashback for making me dance my tits off as we prepared for the Pack.
I really enjoyed the pleasure of some old fashioned House and a sprinkling of late 80’s anthems in the Jenkins Lane room.
Expert scratching and mixing by Nikki Dimension after a wobbly change over that didn’t really fuse with the previous DJ: Jack Bass: arguably, one of the best DJs, that night. But criticism aside, Nikki then geared himself into action; and the ride was awesome.
I wonder how many saw themselves in the films of previous parties that were being projected on two huge screens at the end of that room?
I got nudged "Hey your on!"

In the Deep Blue Arches was the Break Beat crew and every time I was there, to feast on some more nitrous oxide with my mate.
We followed those who seemed to have pitched their tent there for the duration and I don’t blame them the music was uplifting, funny, quirky and as fluffy as you can get at this party.
Drum and Bass, my usual hang out at Raindance, with Nicky Blackmarket playing that night, as one of the highlights, was sort of forgotten during the night, as there were other arches pulling me away…Err, sorry guys!

So many temptations and babes to chase and blah, blah.. with, while desperately trying to remember their names…well, you know.

3 words to sum it all up:

Raindance!... keep coming!

Le Mufti

Photos courtesy of:

bornhardcore

Vinyl Vera

We have had a very stressful day in the Antiworld Offices. We were informed on Thursday evening that The Coronet has NOT had its Public Entertainments Licence granted due to a Clerical Error between Southwark Council, the Former Owners and the Liquidators of the former owners. This is in no way anything to do with the new owners of the Coronet or Antiworld crew, we actually have a contract and all the paperwork to run the venue, unfortunately, that isn't enough at this time!!

We have spent the time between then and now trying all we can, every thing in our power, to relocate the Astrix and Friends event on October 8th to another venue. We have spoken to every club personally, tried to work out solutions and make the party happen, and thanks to Red and Blue @ Colours, we are moving to one of Antiworlds spiritual homes&.

THE FRIDGE

Please do bare with us though, this has caused a massive amount of work and stress for us, and we really do appreciate your support as you all know how much we want to party too!!!!


Peace and Love

Antiworld crew

The Bull and Gate is a legendary venue. Many of today's well-known acts played early gigs there. Thus it almost seems as if some of their vital spirit remains. Trapped in the fixtures and fittings, a gauntlet lain down to the new pretenders. Except there's not a lot of pretence in the air tonight. The three acts on show tonight can be equally described as unique and raw.

The unenviable first slot goes to a boy-girl duo called Mitten. Their sound is hard to categorise as it is wildly variable. This is good however -- most bands are horribly derivative. Performance-wise, they take a lot of risks. At times, they are not playing their instruments so much as torturing them. But their charm wins through. They are still a little rough around the edges -- a few months of rehearsal should see them blossom into something wonderful.

Next on are the Rude Mechanicals. Full disclosure here, I have booked this band for my own club a couple of times. But I will try to give an honest appraisal. They rocked! Seriously, this was the first London outing for the newly streamlined band. Having had as many as seven players in the past, they are now down to four. This is reflected in a tight, hard sound with more range in their set than most bands manage in a lifetime. They take in myriad influences such as Frank Zappa and Beefheart, with stabs of punk and funk.

Then, at last, Ted Milton of Blurt! takes the stage wearing a long white jacket. Which would be very "jazz" if it wasn't for the mohican that he sports. Without much ado, he tears into the first number, making the saxophone squeal in a way that John Coltrane would have loved. He is accompanied by just two other players, a lead guitarist and drummer. But the three of them conjure up a big sound, which is bold, funky and frenetic. Milton's rasping vocals add an urgency to the mix.

Recently there's been a resurgence in "punk-funk" - as practised by bands from the 70s such as Gang of Four and A Certain Ratio. There are many new bands that are pretenders to this crown. But Blurt! really do fuse punk and funk. The crowd loves it so much that they end up playing two encores. And you can't get much better than that.

Haven’t you been recently plagued by emails from DJs (you never knew) or Promotions (you never attended) pleading or just begging to vote for them in such and such poll just on the base of their flyer? A bit tricky this one is, by all the accounts.

It is understandable for your friends to ask for your support. To be frank Judging by fair play standards sadly it is simply not honest and constitutes cheating to many but in case of complete strangers to ask for your vote is plainly unacceptable.

So please kindly stop polluting our mailboxes with your sneaky requests! Thank you!

This year DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll, however offers some hope in deciding who is really popular with the audiences worldwide as it appears to be 100% public vote. There is also a welcome addition to current poll.

Last year DJ Mag launched first ever poll dedicated to the visual scene as voted by a panel of industry professionals. But this year they are accepting nominations from the public.

To have your say in who should be in the Top 20 VJs simply e-mail a list of your Top 5 VJs, DVJs or audiovisual artists to vjscan@djmag.com.

Please note that only nominations with five different visual performers will be accepted – they won’t accept nominations with just one name, and definitely not nominations with the same name five times!

So here it is - your last chance to play a vital role in deciding the outcome of the this most important poll in dance music (apparently they say)

And hurry up as they close today!

Voting for VJ, DVJs? then click here

Voting for DJs? then click here

Since time immemorial or as long as I can remember, it was and still is a must for any self respectinghard house or hard trance addict to get wasted there on a Sunday night and be grooving till Monday 6am. (Sic!) Nice indeed, for those concerned, that is.
Playing there was always considered a privilege, bringing mark of respect and recognition in hard house circles. Just Groove is famous for another reason. Not everyone understands or appreciates hard house but the love of this superb, fast beat brings some very opposite characters together, hence Just Groove, was and still is a special place because meeting friendly groovy types, sometimes definitely off genetic pool, never bores.No wonder then that I was a bit nervous and apprehensive about going there to have a chat with Louise and Tony, 414 proprietors responsible for creating and sustaining this longest running night in London.
Tony is away on the business wiring some sound equipment but Louise is there and in good form, considering that we are meeting on Monday evening and the day itself is universally treated as a clubbing holiday to gather senses after the long weekend. My task is made much easier though by the fact that she is one of the most approachable club owners I know.
So here we are sitting up in a large, functionally furnished flat upstairs.The only pity is that there is no music drifting from downstairs and I haven’t got a chance to hear how much of it you can actually hear. It was a long-standing conundrum for 414 regulars wondering how can you actually lead a normal life above the club who for years brings on very loud and messy events. And hard house is especially good in creating a lot of wallop. Never mind that. Chance is lost. So sipping coffee and trying not to stain the first class carpet, I am beginning to inquire about the past.

The Beginnings

The exact date of the first Just Groove is not really known. Not that it is important but since it was 10 years ago no one is really sure about the details. It could be the end of May or beginning of June but by mutual consensus second week of June has been chosen as the birthday date. Sunday slot was occupied then by promotion called Freshly Squeezed. It was a hard-edged beats bash with Roosta and Rob Campbell playing as residents. Roosta was barely a teenager then and Louise nods – “Yeah, he was just a little bit, well he still is compared to Skol,” she laughs. “He’s been always polite with perfect manners and that scores a lot with me”, she adds. I couldn’t agree more. In all these years I never detected any sign of DJs disease in him and he remains one of the DJs who I have always time for. Anyway, back to the history… After Freshly Squeezed stopped, Just Groove rolled in as a predominately hard house night where Roosta and Skol were residents with Muzz joining them later on. It was also starting point for DJing career of Skol, and a distinguished career it is. Louise remembers how he used to borrow records from other DJs and go and play blinding set – as he still does play blinding sets. He is one of those spinners who were actually born with the rare skill of mixing. Louise continues; “Rob Campbell and Roosta were taking mickey out of him saying he was a DJ without a home… Tony said, “this could be your home”. And indeed “he never missed the slot in these long 10 years unless he was out of the country”. I remain impressed. That’s dedication indeed. It was also Tony who came up with the name, Just Groove. Louise continues -“because it was Sunday, end of weekend and what else were you supposed to do then. It was Just Groove for the party people, place to unwind and have a boogie”. In 1995 there were no other musical venues on Coldharbour Lane apart from the pub called Atlantic (present Dog Star) and nothing else bar reggae nights. Place was a bit desolate then and considered risky to venture. “When Just Groove first started, there were two types of people on Coldharbour Lane; 414 customers and 'undesirables' but you could tell them apart" - Louise laughs.
Club 414 was already a brand name on the London’s dance scene in 1995 and have proved to be extremely popular in techno and especially acid techno circles for hosting“ Nuclear Free Zone” on Saturdays. It has been running already for 15 years and it was a special place where you could rub shoulders with infamous 3 Liberators: Julian, Aaron and Chris and listen to some true, unadulterated techno. Indisputably 414 was a beacon of cutting edge, underground music in those days and they had dedicated following. But nobody was doing hard house parties then; besides hard dance term had not been invented yet– and it was an absolutely unique event and 414 were indisputably world leaders and pushing boundaries of the scene. (Polar Bear that eventually grew into Fevah and Strawberry Sundays came later for all concerned historians.)
There was never any special effort to promote this event – “Those days it was word of mouth, people bringing friends and spreading the word about the party. Everyone knew each other. It was big family of party people, family of clubbers. Everyone is different but they all were uniting at Just Groove – just winding down at the end of weekend. You know… just groove, easy… This is what made it quite different from other aggressive promotions. Back in the day it was the underground that mattered and word on the underground scene travels faster then any flyer will ever do”. So immediately they became immensely popular with the public and were packed to the rafters or more on Sunday nights. It was something natural and widely accepted to meet @ Just Groove and exchange all the news and gossip or stay silent and kick the floor. But we were always there till the morning light. Standing or not…

Music

Louise is quite forthcoming and brief here. “We are leaving it to DJs. They take their cues from the crowd - as long as the public likes what they play there won’t be any change in music policy – just hard pounding beats. No less”. It’s so simple to say but if you haven’t ever been taken to the different dimension by collective mixes of Muzz, Skol and Roosta then you never lived and you don’t know your hard house at all. Especially last two hours occupied by Skol and Roosta are simply manic, however, good old Muzz managed to upstage them several times.
Latest additions to residents could be Craig Mac whose partnership with Skol is becoming a fixture @ Just Groove.
“Very nice man” adds Louise. “We would love to make him official resident but that would leave only one guest slot and that would be difficult”. List of DJs playing for Just Groove over the years reads like who is who or who was who in the last decade of hard house and hard trance. The list is long indeed and some of the names are missing, as memory is such a fickle thing. So I attempt to name just a few and apologise for not including some players.
Mark L’Hat, Luke Brancaccio, Mazey, Rob Campbell, Alfie, Ian Betts, Marc French, Eamon Fevah, Hawkes, Greg Ferguson, Kev Walsh, Nick Irwin, Matt Clarke, Brendan, Billy Daniel Bunter, Craig Jon, Thermobee, Rupert, Matt Wilson, Grant Thompson, Andy Harkin, Latex Zebra, Red Cat, Mattie C, Mad Phil, Future Sound of Elvis, BSE, Ben Kakoshke, Simon Hill, Oberon, Karl Nicholson, Steve Morley, Mark Sinclair and others…

The Place

Unending popularity of Just Groove is easy to comprehend when you realise that Tony and Louise are dedicated party people themselves and were known in the past to open up 414 in case of emergency. “There was a party called Rage up in Heaven (Charing Cross) in 1994. It was on Thursday night and after the party, in the early morning we had a convoy of cars coming our way and they were asking if they could come back for a bash. So we opened. I worked in the bar and Tony was doing the door and we had a party till 6 in the morning. “
They got away with it but later they have to apply for a morning licence as emergency cases were having disturbing habit of happening every weekend. It was statutory 3am licence then and 414 were the first in south London to get 6am licence for Just Groove.
They were also the first to get after party licence until 9am. It was done for Milk infamous parties on Saturday mornings. Party environment indeed but hardly surprising since Louise, coming from large family of friends, knew a bit about partying in her time, she likes music full stop, and was used to being away from home since early age.
Her and Tony came to Brixton in 1984. It was 3 years after the Brixton riots in 1981 and no one knew what Brixton was going to do or which direction it should take.
The authorities were happy for anyone showing even vague interest in the area so they took a look, grabbed a bargain and settled down in old Tandoori restaurant.
That’s right. 414 Club was an Old Tandoori restaurant – that explains the spiral staircase- I mutter. It wasn’t destroyed in the riot but stayed derelict for over two year and consequently was absolutely devastated. “When we walked through the door first time it was kind of “Oh my Days!” reaction” - remembers Louise. Lots of hard work followed since then however 414 never attempted to pretend to be Buckingham Palace and for a very good reason.

“If you make the place too clean than you could make people uncomfortable and destroy the feeling of being underground. If you make a place too nice you risk taking out the atmosphere and vibe.
Back in the day when we were underground you couldn’t have it too nice because people would think it’s corporate entertainment and then we had a reputation to keep. As they say, you cannot please all the people all the time. But there are limits to everything so every Tuesday Mickey comes for a cleansing session. The carpets and floors are cleaned and he wipes all the walls down and polished all the mirrors and because we do it every week I don’t think anybody notices it” – Louise laughs.

Yet 414 stays the one and only place where a man can practise peeing and holding the door with one leg – good for your balance, innit? This is a legendary skill by now. Taking care of the staff is also absolutely essential to create that ‘home made’ feeling of 414. And Louise here has a tip for all concerned. “ If you want to know if the venue is good and friendly enough, look at the staff; if you see the same crew week in week out then the management must be all right.” And this is the duty she takes very seriously. She looks after her “boys”, read security and her “girls”, read bar staff. And under no circumstances will she allow liberty taking with her personnel. Saga – a resident doorkeeper from Sweden is another story and I admit to Louise that in all these years I haven’t evolved a skill to pass by her. Louse laughs at this heartily. “We are a small venue and we can ill afford to be overtly generous. She is a good girl and she is doing her job not letting everyone to get in. 'Sorry, you are not on the list, whoever you are.'" “She’s my sensible adult” Louise smiles.
Now I have a difficult question to ask as every music venue owner in UK had some “special” time with the passing of Barry Legg Law. Have they ever been raided by the police or shut by the authorities for some reasons? Now she is quite lucid and passionate. “Never. In all 21 years since we have been here.” As it transpires “we did a 7 year apprenticeship for the authorities as they couldn’t understand why there was never any trouble in the club. They thought it was free for all, well it was not actually but in the other aspects like no dress code and water bottle filling because of that there was never any trouble. That’s the secret. But after that time the authorities realised we were neither con artists nor drug dealers nor tax evaders. Finally it dawned on them that we were just business people. It was because we have that golden rule – behave yourself.”

The Vibe

I still vividly recall like it was yesterday; continuous 2 years of mad rushing at 4am from Fevah @ Tube to Brixton to catch last 2 hours of bangin’ on the weekend. We were never satisfied those days but Just Groove universally was the one to finish us off. Completely that is.
There were several good reasons for this unflinching support of our bunch of clubbers. Firstly it was a family-like approach to all of us, none being singled out for any preferential treatment. Top-notch security was there to protect us and not to hurt us. Besides this was Brixton and things happen in Brixton but 414 was a place where you felt protected and basically safe. “The idea behind things is firm but fair as we were getting all sorts of people at Just Groove” emphasises Louise. “I can’t be bothered with clubbing politics – we have seen people go, some of them have made it in life, some of them had not. Some of them have gone to have families but in the end of the day we are party people and we don’t have any specific regulation apart from behaving ourselves. That’s it. Period”.
It was indeed a passionate relationship between regulars and the venue. Take 414 logo for instance. Bearing in mind trademark rules DJ Alfie is officially own by 414 as he got its logo as a tattoo on his arm. Besides him Louise and Tony reserve exclusive rights to one female bottom and man’s back. “They were a couple from Sardinia who met at 414 and later got married. And they have tattoos done after the wedding”

It was relationship loyal to the end yet frivolous sometimes. Louise remembers - “On one occasion speaker caught fire, but the punters who were supposed to vacate the building, took their drinks upstairs and stay there leaving to the stuff to put it out. Well they were taken care of so why should they bother? - She laughs. They had power breaks in the past and again public refused to leave. “They were more then happy to have a break and wait for it to be fixed.” There were examples of people falling asleep in the club – sometimes behind the spiral staircase or in the DJ box. On the morning discovery they were given complimentary cup of tea and send home. Back to life I presume. After that staff have a habit of checking all around the building to make sure everybody managed to get home in the end.
And my God they were getting some surreal types: promoters, gladiators, biologists, genetics, biochemists, architects, archaeologists, lecturers, mathematicians, gangsters, dealers, Zulu woman folk, writers, lecturers and comedians. In short all sorts of people from nations that rambled around London. Chill out upstairs was echoing sometimes with more than a dozen languages conducting more or less coherent discussions.
On another occasion they had a group of Japanese musicians visiting Just Groove – and they enjoyed the night so much they have invited one of the regular DJs - Luke Brancaccio was given a task - to perform at one of theirs gigs in Japan during brakes. They turned out to be a big band in Japan and poor Luke was mobbed by fans leaving the venues and came back very happy with the experience, as being paid £200 for a slot was for every DJ. I will always remember Mr. Brancaccio for some other reason. Long time ago thanks to him I lost my contact lenses @ Dog Star on NYE and remained half blind through the night. But what a night it was, Hey!

Behaviour

“If you like the music, and this is all about music, then music should be your drug. What goes around comes around. If you haven’t got anything to say just shut up! Save your breath! If you are the party person then you enjoy your music, you enjoy socialising, meeting people, having a boogie. If you don’t see it that way 'then see you later. Bye...' " – quips Louise. It’s easy to say but in Louise’s case, age works in her favour.
But there are also some other tricks that she mastered to keep a lid on things in the club. It doesn’t happen very often, if it happens at all, to see club proprietor distributing football-like yellow or red cards between customers. I got one myself a while back for parking my trainers on the seat, very naughty of me, but tragically I wasn’t allow to keep it for safe keeping.
The rules are simple: yellow cards are for putting legs on the seats, talking back incomprehensively or general unruly behaviour.
Red cards are for sitting on plants on the terrace and violence. She gave few of them for that – however I have never seen any violence or aggressive arguments in 414 during all these years. I only saw Tony disposing of a drug dealer once and it was a lesson in Brixton psychology. Good to remember.
Another trick is tolerance and patience with customers. As she says - “you should never judge people by the way they look. If you take some effort to talk to people, you could find out that they could be interesting. It could be a language or some sociological barrier that prevents them from being fully understood. Arrogance and ignorance breeds bad vibe and intolerance and there is nothing worse than that.”
“It also helps to learn a few phrases from different languages in order to speak a proper word at the appropriate moment to control the misunderstanding or brewing trouble. We just provide environment - we are here to make sure that you enjoy yourself and you are all right” For those in the know they also prefer to educate people but beside that 414 is in the midst of thriving Rasta community with all the consequences to passers by.

‘There are as always side effects to running a night club and business altogether’ Louise adds. “ People ask us ‘How do you sleep’?”
Running administrative side of the club takes around 57 hours a week – including 17 hours over weekend. “But you can get used to that. We are party people.” Myself I know a thing or two about this nocturnal life. Your body clock changes and you just get on with it as many others in the music circle. Not a big deal. But owners have to be disciplined on Sundays since they have to start working on Monday on the office side of it. And it is a challenge indeed. It’s so tempting to come downstairs, and then it is so painfully difficult to leave. At this point Louise burst laughing and declares: “There are 3 things I won’t take responsibility for: losing your job, breaking up your relationship and children”
Stewart T is chosen example as he blamed her for losing his job because he couldn’t get out in time. So now you know and you have been warned.

Future

So what the future holds for 414?
Louise believes that 414 have to give back something not only to their customers but also to the community. So there are plans to make premises available from Monday to Thursday for ‘worthy and charitable causes’ e.g. especially looking after the youngsters in Brixton
They are also in the process of creating a recording studio – “watch this space” – Louise warns. “There is not much going on in Brixton at the moment and young people have nowhere to go to express themselves and get creative and ambitious. They might end up on the street otherwise. Same principle applies to creating opportunities within the industry. It has been only a couple of years that Coldharbour Lane has improved and still a lot or even more could be done. Tony and Louise want to continue as long as they can – it is up to the public really – but it is important that they live in the club.
Brixton is fantastically vibrant and multi cultured 24 hours society but 414 is more than just a nightclub.

Last 3 words?

“Just keep grooving”

__________________

Jam Gorilla

I asked Emmanuel Jal to sign the promo copy of Ceasefire his manager had just given me backstage at the Rise (London United) Festival – and started a trend for the other hardboiled journos there. Normally, I don’t do the autograph thing – artists are just another you. Emmanuel Jal is different, formerly a child soldier recruited to fight the cause of the Southern Sudanese people challenged by the dominant Northerners who has retained a remarkable gentleness and focus – he’s a spokesperson for Make Poverty History, Coalition to Stop The Use Of Child Soldiers, a fine contributor to War Child’s upcoming Help album - an accomplished rapper who always has time for you.

This album is a dramatic pairing under any circumstances – an upcoming rapper and a revered master who created a new music from old traditions. This musical partnership is more meaningful as it unites Emmanuel Jal whose Christianity is his heartbeat, with Abdel Gadir Salim, Muslim from the North in the first ever collaboration between musicians from North and South Sudan. The album is ‘a message for peace and hope’ . Emmanuel Jal’s 5 penned tracks are mostly with pared down keys and beats, but on occasions they are enriched with the rich textures of of Abdel Gadir Salim’s band – the Merdoum All Stars, – oud, saxophone, electric guitar, percussion, accordion and he raps and/or singjays on some of Abdel Gadir’s tracks. There is a tremendous feeling of co-creation on the whole album as the artists celebrate their differing musical roots and generously collaborate, making seamless space for each other. I don’t know how the tracks were created, but I got the impression from talking with Emmanuel that the studio was a real melting pot and he was excited by the opportunity.
Whilst Jal’s overall style is occasionally not unlike Snoop Doggy Dog in its approachable soft voiced style, make no mistake his subject matter is far removed from Western ‘hood concerns – questions about why people resort to violence, how his country’s vast resources can be shared, informed and determined pleas for peace (notably his hit track Gua – no 1 in Kenya for 8 weeks at its peak), and how it might be achieved and a powerful narrative of how education opportunities helped a young girl overcome forced marriage to become a generous leader of her people. He creates an addictive rapscape using the rhythms of his native tongue to create a new genre, with English used to punctuate certain points. His Renborn Warrior crew give ample back up and melodies are carried by voices pitched kinda high dancehall backing style, but simultaneously very traditional call and response sounding.
Abdel Gadir Salim’s 4 tracks are placed amongst Jal’s and use more allegorical subject matter to talk of harmony, lost love and what could be. Ya Salam is a more direct track talking about peace as well with a rap from Emmanuel Jal. Abdel Gadir Salim’s style has that sumptuous seductive multi-textured Arabic/African melodies that are his trademark – North Sudan isn’t that far from Egypt (think Halim) - with the instrumentation already described.. The final track is jointly composed (words Jal, music Salim) and sees Emmanuel sharing his life experiences warmly encouraged by Abdel, and an understanding is also created about their common belief in the one supreme being. It’s all very danceable as the music combats pressure with joyous sounds.

DJ Debbie

Perhaps their reputation helps, as this crew have been putting on live music events in London for a few years -mainly in the Shoreditch area. They specialise in putting on a weird and wonderful selection of live musicians and DJs.

Weird and wonderful is a good description of the first act on -- a curious combo called Kanako & The Numbskulls, playing what they call 'Folk-Punk'.
The absence of an electric guitar made it more Folk than Punk, but the charismatic and enthusiastic Kanako is an energetic frontwoman for the band.

To follow them in the outdoor garden were several classy acts including truly extraordinaire singer and song writer Jo Griffith from Liverpool, soul and RnB duo Anoraklight and mesmerising and stimulating Carl Smith aka Casa Electro Novo described as a spawn of a car crash involving Vegas-era Elvis and artist Marcel Duchamp.

The rest of the line-up for the event conducted in comfortable lodgins inside was similarly eclectic, taking in such genres as Acoustic Folk, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Soul and RnB and Funk. A choice selection of DJs managed to keep the vibe alive between acts -- all in all, a chilled way to enjoy a laidback Sunday.

Mullah

for more photos click here

We arrived on a gloriously sunny Friday afternoon to a well organised entrance with no queues and no attitude. This was such a very pleasant change from the usual hanging around to get to the gate. Straight into the camping area and up with the tents and gazebo. Fab, that was easy!

Lost Vagueness is at the very height of British middle-class eccentricity. A ballroom and bar equipped with champers, spirits and classy cocktails, not a beer in sight here. None of the usual trance orientated dance music for this lot.

The music ranged from 40s swing t