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Mainframe - Review
Reported by Cosmic
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Submitted 26-03-02 19:47
Reminiscences of times gone by were had by more than just myself, I'm sure, as we headed up the M1 towards Milton Keynes and ultimately the Sanctuary. Turning off the motorway, excitment levels rose within the car. Music pumping, fags burning, beer being spilt, everyone seemed to know the best and of course, the quickest route to our destination. Not so! After 167 mini roundabouts and 3 large industrial parks we found the small right hand turn which led us in to the familiar windy track (more like a country walk path) to the Sanctuary. Immediately we were met by the car park hosts who kindly informed us that even though it was still before 11pm, the car parks were full and we would have to seek out alternative parking in the neighbouring industrial estates. So, around (to everyones obvious disapointment) only a couple more mini roundabouts we landed in a car park the busiest B & Q had seen it in years!
On arriving, Robyn from Frantic greeted us, and we soon learned that the place was busy busy busy, and that some nutters had even been queuing since six o'clock! A brief and friendly search later we were in. Personally, I've seen this venue before, so my fun came from the looks on the faces of those who had not had the pleasure. The Sanctuary is massive and Mainframe had done it justice with a fine array of backdrops and visuals. The main floor was already heaving and Nick Lunn (Storm/Mainframe promotor and resident) was on the decks playing a selection of rather indifferent hardhouse and from that it seemed that the style of music for the night had been established. It was what I had expected from the main room at this event, so I wasn't disapointed, nor were the majority of clubbers that I chatted with. Playing to a nationwide audience, the setlist for the evening was set accordingly with the northern sound dominating in the main room. I understand that this is the way things were to inevitably turn out for this events mainroom as the nations main interests must be catered for and this style was just that.
I spoke briefly with a couple of DJs from the London club circuit about this and explored the possibilities of the music policy. I wondered whether or not the main contingency of clubbers present were "Avin It" because they knew nothing of the true sound of underground hardhouse and this, what they were being fed was what its all about. Or else they knew about other labels, artists and DJs yet chose this to be their preference. Regardless, whichever reason it was for each person, it didn't seem to matter. It's not as though anyone was complaining, not those who I met from outside London. Friends of mine from London though did share the same opinion as I did. Maybe this is ok, we have something extremely special in London and perhaps sharing it with a nationwide audience in this way will turn the sound more commercial. But even so, as a DJ I find myself wondering why opt for something that can easily be percieved as flat and monotonous, over a vibe with much more feeling to it that is presently the soundtrack to so many London and a few Nationwide clubs including Frantic, whose nights in the city are renowned for their feel good factor!
Spending not much time in the main room, I headed up to the balcony room where the sound that should (in my view) have been main room was very much kickin' it! Frantic residents and guests were hosting this room and things were certainly very very HOT!! Spencer Freeland, Phil Reynolds and guests Paul Glazby, Karim, Rob Tissera and Nick Sentience to name a few were all largin it behind the decks but unfortunatly the heat caused a couple of DJs and at one point a lot of clubbers some discomfort. Nonetheless, a nice hot, dark room with an immediate escape out onto the cooler balcony which overlooked the main floor.
Other sets of the night, Lisa Lashes and Anne Savage would have been so much better upstairs with Phil Reynolds and Spencer Freeland in their place. Not for any bad reason, only that the sound of the tunes they each played respectively would of been better adapted to the other rooms. Maybe that's the answer, having an easier to understand and more accessable sound on the main dancefloor, and the more deeper perhaps harder sound that the girls provided on a smaller floor giving a more accurate definition of themselves. I don't believe that doing this would have affected numbers as it was always on target to be a big one just due to the fact it was a first and people want to be part of that experience, let's not forget the reasons behind clubbing in the first place! BK and Lab 4 both played well, but I honestly think that the set of the night went to Frantic's own Andy Farley who wasn't shy to give the crowd some really up for it tunes full of energy and vibe !
I stayed right till the last tune, and everyone else did too which is a really good thing. All had smiles on their faces after what overall had been a good night out. It's possible that, being a clubber in London under the protective insular veil of the bubble that covers us, we miss out on what the rest of the country is experiencing musicly. Maybe too it's possible that I completely missed the point of the main rooms line up and music policy, but I don't believe so...
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Other Features By Cosmic:
Heat - Review
Tasty 3 - Review
Sunday School - Review
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: Gordon Darley on 26th Mar 2002 20:55.39
Personally i think that the way the lineups went is a good thing!! Thae fact that i normally go cluubing in London meant that found it well interesting listening to the likes of Nick Lunn and Anne Savage etc. It's not too often these djs play in London, and this for me made it money well spent!! lab4 were amazing, but having seen tham once before i still feel that they could've played a slightly better set!! It didn't seem to flow too well!! But for me, the 2 best sets were Spencer Freeland in the balcony room, and Andy Farley, ho lets face it, never seems to disappoint!!!
From: Lucy Loo on 27th Mar 2002 10:27.10
The lines ups were wicked, a good mixture in the main arena!! Loved the Tidy Boys!!
From: Crypzy on 27th Mar 2002 10:33.23
I agree with U Cosmic! (Good to meet you at Mainframe!) the upstairs music policy should have been in the main room but I suppose the lucky few got to appreciate the upstairs. Good Review.
From: Camden Nurse on 27th Mar 2002 11:07.25
Lined up only 4 a few minutes, which was good, too pakT, venue was too sweaty, crowd was good, music was amazing, line-up wicked, Security- not too bad. Good night, just about worth traveling for!
From: yannoubrit on 27th Mar 2002 17:44.31
Great night as well, Lisa Lashes and the Tidy Boys were fantastic, after that it's harder to remember, I was getting a bit mashed up... But yeah, way too hot upstairs, a shame as the music was excellent, but it was probably dangerous to dance more than 5 minutes there!
From: Kaptain Kaner on 29th Mar 2002 06:19.18
An amazing night of epic propotions!
Balderdash to those who think Spencer freeland etc should have played the main room - (would have ended up like HHA where the STORM room blew the shit out of the mainroom which was cack!)
lashes, Tidy Boys, BK, Farley, Anne Savage - the place ERUPTED! Dont thoink it would have gone off in quite the same way if the rooms had been reversed - except Karim and Nick maybe!
As for affecting numbers - well trust me people would have gone home had the Tidy girtls been playing the back room - they are BIG ROOM DJ's so speak and it would have been a grave atrocity for them not to be able to blast the mainframe! It is HARD house after all! most people thought those sets went off! I think your review has misrepresented the nite!
From: Kaptain Kaner on 29th Mar 2002 06:25.04
Also do you not contradict yourself with your comments about TRUE underground HH when you complain that more 'accessable' HH should have been playd in the mainroom?
Also Glazby Tisssera are SS residents and do play in the main rooms there... FUCKIN HARD!
From: rudenot2 on 31st Mar 2002 20:25.27
Add your own comments about this feature here !I thought the night was wicked!!! found upstairs to have better tunes than the main room, although couldn't dance long due to being way too hot! lab 4 were excellent as usual!!
The only thing i found to be a bit of a let-down; is the fact that i used to go to helter skelters when raving, not clubbing, was popular back in 96-97. they were as big an organisation as frantic etc...,except their do's were set up so much better at the sanctuary.
Helter had more cloakroom space(even though it still became full), the sound system was miles better, they opened both warehouses up to accomodate more hardened ravers, they had a proper chillout that played movies, a funfair and even burger vans for those nutters who eat when mashed!!!
All im trying to point out is that mainframe could have been so much more!! the companys involved have the finances to have made more of the night and the venue.
Having also gone to "future" at the sanctuary last year(hh do), which for sound quality and use of the venue was even worse than mainframe, i feel that a HH do in the sanctuary has not had justice done to it yet. im hoping in the near future this will change.
As for arguing about aspects of mainframe being commercial or not, there is no point. all clubbers no matter how "cheesy" or "underground" they are, are part of a generation we should be proud of. we all love the music whether its to pose to, to get mashed to, to be trendy with or truly love. the music has to appeal to everyone.as really we are all one and we love it HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From: Camden Nurse on 3rd Apr 2002 00:04.38
Who ives a fuk! Y should we classify music Neway? If it's good it's good, whatever, U cannot pls every1!
From: HouseCat on 4th Apr 2002 16:16.16
a truely estactic night! the venue wasnt too shitty, security was ok, and the atmosphere was pretty intense, well i thought it was. but the most important thing was the music; not so hard that all you could do was bounce like space cadet trying to take off to planet X-ray. it hard that bouncy feel so often neglected in london.
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