Manchester is abuzz with events this weekend, made all the more noticeable by the squeals of freshers and the queues that had dissapeared throughout this summer, and every summer before. The Contact Theatre greets me with its gothic, castle-like appearance, though the music blasting from the next venue detracts any elegance or poise, its Euro-pop-dance tinged bass and lyrics that drift poisonously to my psyche, 'Now you're gone...'. It is none other than Basshunter, throwing shapes using only his crotch area to screaming adolescent girls - exactly what I don't look for in a decent night and if anything is making me appreciate the kind of music I will be hearing tonight.
"I.D. please?"
I look old enough to have spawned a few sprogs, so it's a shock to my system that I almost don't get in. Nothing more can go wrong, I think, right? Wrong. Branded on the entrance door is a landscape A4 piece of paper highlighting very poo news: DUE TO UNFORSEEN REASONS, ZED BIAS WILL NOT ATTEND TONIGHT'S GIG. In my opinion, the headline act, the whole draw of the night was not going to appear. Bummer.
As in my usual laid back style, nothing is going to deter me from having a good night. This is a celebratory night afterall, in the essence of Black History Month.
As I'm here early, the near empty makeshift dancefloor area is a slight cause for concern for two reasons; I've told friends this will be a good night and; that maybe the event isn't going to get a deserved reception, especially because of its cause. More people are scattered in the smoking and bar area whilst the speaker system is booming the bass-heavy grime as promised.
The music that is playing has no real flow from one tune to the next and Mancunian MC DRS is splurting various lyrical concoctions over the crowd-pleasing tunes. Eventually, more people spill in as the music encompasses the celebratory nature of the event, and the intimate crowd can't help but shake their shit to a dutty wind. The tunes are crowd-pleasers taken from funky, garage, drum and bass, dubstep, hip-hop and grime in a soundclash of musical ideas and history. Examples of said popular and broad-ranging tunes include 'Hold You' by Gyptian, Magnetic Man with 'I Need Air' and 'Feelings' by Shy FX. I'm slightly put off the sound of Sean Paul, being used a tad too much, but all pleasing to the general atmosphere.
It is a night that needs commending because of the cause - a celebration of black history, made all the more poignant by the knowledge of paying customers in the Basshunter-pit of a venue next door.
Unfortunate that Zed Bias didn't show but Marcus Intalex and Fallacy sure made up for it. Great night. Great vibe. Great sound.
"I.D. please?"
I look old enough to have spawned a few sprogs, so it's a shock to my system that I almost don't get in. Nothing more can go wrong, I think, right? Wrong. Branded on the entrance door is a landscape A4 piece of paper highlighting very poo news: DUE TO UNFORSEEN REASONS, ZED BIAS WILL NOT ATTEND TONIGHT'S GIG. In my opinion, the headline act, the whole draw of the night was not going to appear. Bummer.
As in my usual laid back style, nothing is going to deter me from having a good night. This is a celebratory night afterall, in the essence of Black History Month.
As I'm here early, the near empty makeshift dancefloor area is a slight cause for concern for two reasons; I've told friends this will be a good night and; that maybe the event isn't going to get a deserved reception, especially because of its cause. More people are scattered in the smoking and bar area whilst the speaker system is booming the bass-heavy grime as promised.
The music that is playing has no real flow from one tune to the next and Mancunian MC DRS is splurting various lyrical concoctions over the crowd-pleasing tunes. Eventually, more people spill in as the music encompasses the celebratory nature of the event, and the intimate crowd can't help but shake their shit to a dutty wind. The tunes are crowd-pleasers taken from funky, garage, drum and bass, dubstep, hip-hop and grime in a soundclash of musical ideas and history. Examples of said popular and broad-ranging tunes include 'Hold You' by Gyptian, Magnetic Man with 'I Need Air' and 'Feelings' by Shy FX. I'm slightly put off the sound of Sean Paul, being used a tad too much, but all pleasing to the general atmosphere.
It is a night that needs commending because of the cause - a celebration of black history, made all the more poignant by the knowledge of paying customers in the Basshunter-pit of a venue next door.
Unfortunate that Zed Bias didn't show but Marcus Intalex and Fallacy sure made up for it. Great night. Great vibe. Great sound.
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