This was a blinding night out. Beforehand I was thinking - 'O why did I say I'd trail all the way to Manchester, when I can have a perfectly good night in Lancaster?' Well I guess one reason I dragged myself to the coach was cos actually there wasn't too much on that night (with deep respect to Softboy, a girl needs a change once in a while) if you don't count Liquored, Tossed or Revulsion, which I didn't.
Once I got to the coach in Dalton Sq at around 7.45pm, I picked up - there were about 50 people there and it was pretty organised, people were excited about the night, I ran into a couple of mates and off we went.
Freear was stuck in a seat near me so couldn't escape being interviewed once he'd sorted out the ticket money. The whole idea for the night out was put together by Chris Pope (here is a pic of Freear with Chris Pope), Ed Maxwell and Freear, following a night at Solar (read a review of a Solar night) where Chris came up from Manchester for a guest spot. So it was pretty much a Tangled Vs Solar night, with Solar resident DJs heading down to Tangled. Ok, Tangled is 'Manchester's longest-running house club night and an institution... probably in more ways than one. Tangled features "the city's best resident team" (Ministry magazine), alongside national and international DJs, plus the best local talent. Tangled is proud to have been voted Club of the Year by both the Manchester Evening News and City Life magazine.'
Anyway the collective organising this shebang is called Sourpuss. Anyway I never got to find out what that was all about cos we stopped at the services then. So go and have a look at their site. Freear confessed to being dead nervous about the forthcoming battle. God he looked cute.
Landing in Manchester we all piled into the pub underneath the club to get in a few jars before the club upstairs opened. Then before I knew it it was closing time and we were heading off upstairs. So a bit of orientation:
The Phoenix is built on 3 floors, the ground floor being the pub, which shuts when pubs shut, last orders being 11pm. On the first floor is the coatcheck place and the first dancefloor, a large area a couple of steps down from the bar and the round the side seating. The DJ booth is half-glassed in, half open, and right over the dance floor, so the DJ can smell the dancers, which is as it should be. There is the most wonderful air-conditioning, which blows cool fresh air across the dancefloor all the time, so despite dry ice and fag smoke, the air is pretty fresh and there's not much sweat about - the dancers can really go for it. There should be AC like this in every club. The oxygen really adds to the energy.
The top floor opens at midnight. It's a bit smaller and darker, suiting a more alternative crowd maybe. The DJ booth is open, but off in a corner, and there's a bar. The AC isn't as good upstairs, but it's there.
Security. It's good, I counted about half a dozen guys built like brick outhouses with tastefully discreet but huge gold fixtures and fittings. They seemed cheerful, grown-up and generally around without being prominent. One let me photograph his bling. If you're wearing enough to search (and some of you girls know exactly what I'm talking about here), be prepared to get searched on the way in. I didn't see, feel or hear about any bother at all, the whole night. No creepy guys, no drunken argy-bargy, nada, just lots of laughs and funky dancing.
So downstairs, as far as I could make out, we got one DJ all night, introduced to me as 'Terry'. (here is a pic of Terry with Chris Pope) To be honest, when you have Terry you don't need much else, as doubtless his many fans would agree. Terry played a mix of old house with breaky features, impossible not to dance to, and dance we did.
Shortly after 12 I wondered off to find the upstairs, where Ash n Tray were setting out some very nice breaky trance sounds. (here is a pic of Ash n Tray with Chris Pope) Upstairs the scene was more intimate, comfy seating, a smaller dancearea and we got down and got physical. I kind of got the feeling thru the night that the downstairs was more your Manchester crowd, the upstairs being more Lancaster - the upstairs sound was heavier - a bit of dnb, trance breaks, even a bit of hiphop, the downstairs being more house, bouncy and ripply. The two rooms fed off each other nicely, though at times it was real tough - such a hot vibe on both floors I seriously needed cloning. The downstairs received its ultimate accolade when Georgia fell asleep there - if she doesn't crash out at your party it's a disgrace. 15 minutes later she was back on the floor - that Terry could raise the dead. The downstairs floor went critical by around 1am - and I mean fully on - the place was utterly pumped with power and joy, arms in the air, channelling sound, light and energy - I felt like a superhero, and let me remind you, my body is a vegan temple, though I was a bit sugared up on lemonade......
Within half an hour the upstairs went critical too and the whole house was pumping with juice. Around 2am I personally went critical, at which point I lost track of just about everything except what a great time I was having. Oh my, it was a totally religious experience, I was flooded with power. God I love dancing. Upstairs, the DJs changed (here is a picture of a DJ with Chris Pope, who is by now completely trashed), but names didn't seem important anymore, so tragically I can't tell you his.
The lights + visuals were excellent - downstairs being mainly colours, strobes and lazers, upstairs being your computer sampled images and clips mixed to the sounds. And then Freear came on - ooh boy is he hot. (here is a pic of Freear + a mate) Obviously I have no notes. But lots of pics. Enjoy. Oh, yes, please bear in mind it was pretty dark apart from where the lights were bright and coloured so I've had to do a lot of enhancing on these pics to make them clearer - skin looks a lot grainier and ruddier than it really was - sorry bout that.
The Manchester crowd were unexpectedly warm. I got hugged, chatted with, waved at, danced with, posed for, by dozens of people, not one remotely creepy or wanting anything, just delighted to be there partying. They were a lot of fun, a really sweet crowd. By 4am when we had to go home we were like family.
And who won?
Well, us, obviously.
SATORI