It's only July, but the wars have already began across the biggest areas of the UK in the university scene. Coventry, Leicester, London, Luton, Hertfordshire and Luton all lining up to become the hottest uni raving city in the UK. As for individual promotions King Ent, TS3, Uni Theme Rave, Smart Promotions, Pik'n'Mix, Paperboy Ents, Sososexy Movement, Valentine Promotions to name just a few (who come to my head as I write this). For DJ's who will take the crown as the biggest and best sound.
Which ACS is gonna represent the best when it comes to inter-uni link ups like I Luv Uni, Unified & Coach Party?? Is there going to be a surprise package in store, will an area/uni come and randomly take over??
Personally, Leicester was the hottest place to rave of 2007/08 year, with consistently big events, from different promotions and with a crowd to match, it would be hard to look past it. Yet there was many big events held elsewhere in Luton, Hertfordshire, Birmingham, Coventry & Surrey, however not exactly on the same consistent scale.
It seems as if the emergence of the House n Funky genre is a key factor in making the scene so hot right now. With consistently big sets coming myself, Krazy Hype, Mista B as well as the old skool Don's Supa D and Pioneer. Along with the breakthrough of MC's, Coldsteps & Farda Fifa and the main man Spidey G, House n Funky brings a new hype and energy the students where thriving for as the Garage scene started to fade.
So does it mean, that if these none of DJ's are not on the bill for a big student rave, that it might not be jam packed?? No, no, promotions such as Unified have proved that (even though I played at the event I wasn't originally scheduled to). It's dependent on the promotion of the rave, the uni-reps for the university that are allocated with doing their assigned job correctly and with results as well as an interesting looking line-up. I recently bumped into Mr Valentine and enquired into why he was promoting his event in Nov so early... in which he said 'Because I Can' hmmmm, I'm not sure about that one, but a hard working man deserves his rewards and he is working hard!
It kicks of in Sept and all promotions will be fighting to gain the upper hand and set the tone for who is gonna do the business. The 1st rave of note is 'I Luv Uni Pt.2' who have yet to confirm details, but probably will be bang into freshers week, with 4 pieces of footage from the Pt.1 event at Sound and heavy grind of promotion tactics it should turn out to be nothing less then a sold out event. FFFFFFFFast forward to the next month Oct with 3 massive dates for a student's diary, its starts in Club Demand, Coventry on the 10th for the biggest DJ's in Hertfordshire Uni 'Smooth Feugo' with their quirky 'Flirtatious, Rep Your Country Pt.2,' Then a short trip up the M69 for the on the 14th for Smart Promotions' big statement event 'Hypefest' then back to Club Demand for new kidz on the block, Paperboy Ents' catchy 'Push My Buttons' 2 days later. With Rep Your Country having a vastly different looking line-up and theme to the latter events its probably safe to say that, it will be a rammed to the hilt, so the real battle lies on 'Hypefest' and 'Push My Buttons' and with only two of seven performance acts on 'Push My Buttons' not being on 'Hypefest' roster one has reason to feel they are making a trip to hear the same thing they heard only two days earlier. Yet with the strength of the House n Funky scene, the newly signed Kiss 100 DJ and host duo, Pioneer & Spidey G should be a crowd drawer. It doesn't stop there though, Paperboy Ents have gone all out with a DVD to promote the rave, getting all the biggest DJ's to comment the phrase 'Be There or You're Nobody'. Which will have enough edge to attract the crowd for sure!! I myself am due for filming tomorrow!! Despite the talks of these three events in particular, there is still Unified and Coach Party amongst others, to throw their weight in the contest and on past results these two have not failed. Many more battles like this are about to occur in Oct and throughout the year!
So you have a big event, you want 1000+ to come, but you need someone to lock down your rave!! The DJ's of course!!!! The race to be the biggest and best name on everybody's lips is a hard job and its not always about delivery in a event. Pik'n'Mix was by far the biggest sound on the circuit last year, pleasing many crowds and building good relationships with ACS' and event promoters, so for this year coming the bookings are not stopping!! But, this year will it change?? Well with the likes of Voice'n'Vibes, Invasion Crew, Live Linq, Krazy Hype, Smooth Feugo & Virtual Soundz looking to breath some cold warning air into their direction, they can't afford to be complacent. The mix cd game is getting serious, the t-shirt game is reaching new heights and the quality of sets are getting better, no time to rest Stretch & O.P. That's not all, thats just R&B, Hip-Hop, Bashment...
We still got the main attraction of most nights these days 'Da Funky, Funky' DJ's. Now you cant argue, Supa D and Pioneer are top, enough said so lets forget bout them two! The year gone, Ironman, Mista B and I went hard and achieved good results from it, this year we face lots of competition with the likes of Twista DJ, DJ D.E.N., Funk Butcher, Shafty & Luton's award winning DJ Don Peps coming in with reasons to stake their claim. Yet with the strength of good promoter relationships and well know mix cd series (In The 'Funkin' House, Sef Know Best, Just Funk, Mista B In The House) it will be a major achievement for the DJ's above or any other DJ's to break into the mold let alone top it. In saying that, with the prospects of the next uni year, I expect everyone to up their game, try test the best.... no slacking is allowed!!
So another point, is the new way then DVD's and short video clips and pictures to promote an event?? Who is the hottest camera man right now, who is the best photographer?? Jeeeeeeeeeeez, am I trying to create something here no, but these are people who are now vastly becoming as important as the DJ themselves, Marvellous Marv Brown with his exciting Double M productions has come from absolutely nowhere to practically announce himself as 'the' cameraman, after capturing hot scenes at 'I Luv Uni' and his series: Brunel Cribs, which has probably the funniest piece of video you will see for ages (Funky skanking to a Mista B. CD which suddenly forgets to drop the next track and the girls are left to skank to AIRRRRRRTIMEEEE) He is now hot property, and now the whole of Facebook is waiting for the Facebook Link-Up Pt.2 videos (Hurry Up Mate!!) Meanwhile up north a hot leaked out video of Bloc Party Meets House Party has had rave reviews and has the viewers saying 'When Is the Next One!!!' Going back down to Luton a very big video of the successful SOS Party got people licking their lips on the vibes they could see going down. Then you got the photographer, who capture the nights best moments, right now Mr Squiz Hamilton is the king of kings, bringing a unique selling point of his work which you can't fail to ignore, imagine King Charles as your poker card or Vesco Blake holding a miniature version of himself in the palm of his hand!! I mean what program does this guy use?? These videos and pictures speak louder then the words of an attendee of the event... well sometimes.
The Battle will kick off soon... who will be on top in their respective areas??? Good luck people, remember its all peace and love, if we work together this could possible be the best uni events year ever!!!
Comment and air your views if you wish!!
Sef
