well transmission took place on Saturday night and I (despite being slightly biased) would admit that it was a resounding success. Nico kicked the proceedings off with some funky tunes as people started flowing through the doors. By the time the Disco Liberation Front took to the decks, the place was filling up nicely, the beer was flowing (3 bottles for a fiver!) and the music was thumping. As Arnie took to the decks, his breaks really got the crowd moving and the sound of the air-horn got the crowd wild! J-Hob took the proceedings into nasty territory with some thumping drum and bass. By midnight over 200 people had passed thru the doors and the place was pretty full. Griff (of Tuesday club fame) played some heavy Techno from 1 ’til 2. Then I took to the decks for the final hour with some more drum’n’bass. I think it went well. The dancefloor swelled to about 60-70 people (pretty full) and the set was pretty full of crowd pleasers and anthems but you give the crowd what they want!

At 3am, the club night proper finished but the afterparty continuing late into the night and by about 5.30am it was time for home.

It was seriously a great night. Lots of money was made for the charity and the atmosphere was electric for most of the night. Of course, thanks to the organisers – lots of hard work goes into a night and the effort was definitely worth it. Was great to see everyone there enjoying themselves! Bosh! Hopefully be playing there again soon!

UPDATE (25-02-2004) : There are some photos on the replyall site. I look a little hot, maybe I should have removed the duffle.

Ah, la belle France! A great time was had in the joint European City of Culture. Having not spent much time since I last lived there, things had definitely changed. Roads changed into Futuristic Bladerunner scenes, larger-than-life tulips outside Lille Europe Station, light shows, chinese tea houses near the Grand Place and lots of exhibitions. Some was the same – moules/frites tasting as great as ever, lots of people watching opportunities, amazing food, wine and beer. Went to Roubaix’s converted piscine, the Musee de Beaux Arts and the Tri Postal where there were some very human-like robots doing lots of strange things.

Also caught a Fred Wesley concert in the Grand Place which was cool and finally managed to see Lost in Translation which I really enjoyed.

It was also good to experience the Eurostar finally going full speed in England rather than chugging along at 40mph. It’s going to be great when the new line is finished and the journey will take about 90 minutes from St. Pancras… quicker than getting to Sheffield.

In a few hours I’ll be cruising through (some of) the Kent countryside through the tunnel and to Lille, my old hunting ground where I lived for a year during University. It’s also the European City of Culture, so I’m expecting a few good things to be going on. It seems there is a free concert to celebrate Black Music in the Grand Place (I’ll avoid the free Pastis this time to avoid getting involved in any tustles with security guards) – with James Brown’s old trumpet player doing a turn. I expect I’ll be revisiting some of the old haunts – the Bateau Ivre, Bar Oz, la Boucherie and of course the revered “Tete dans les Nuages” (read amusement arcades…. ok, ok, maybe I won’t – but a game of Tank Wars is always required….)

Lille is a quality place though despite “le ciel gris, quoi”. Art, Culture, Bars, Restaurants and quality old town, near to Paris and Belgium (some might say the Crossroads of Europe….)

Full report – well maybe next week, probably never!

ok – so in a couple of weekends time (the 21st february) there is a new night starting up in Sheffield. Transmission is for the love of the music, not the money – the profits go to charity. The atmosphere is without attitude and in a great venue(!) and the DJ’s are going to play a range of styles.

So check out the site and get yourself up to Sheffield to support the cause and have a good time to boot.

when you are driving (yes, I drove somewhere) up to Sheffield on a wet Friday night and the petrol gauge is flickering horribly low. It’s probably not the best to avoid stopping at an Esso on principal especially when the road ahead holds no more petrol filling opportunities. But this is what I did – luckily another petrol station was up the road so I could burn some less politically-fuelled petrol.

got to sheffield at 1055pm and arrived at the classic rock bar(!) where a mates band was playing. However as we stepped out the car the words “Thanks and good night” drifted across the wet and windy car park. Oh well – it had only taken 3 hours to get there!….

“D” party this evening. I’m going as a dunce, some photos coming soon!