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| Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna | | A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022! | | TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022! | | A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London! | | Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide! | | DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022! |
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Trance Generation - Reviewed
Reported by Louise
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Submitted 28-04-04 08:56
Its 9.55pm and there is already a queue forming outside of The Soundshaft for the launch of Trance Generation, one of the most important new nights to hit London in over two years. The date is Good Friday and it’s undoubtedly one of the biggest weekends in the clubbing calendar, surpassed really only by New Years Eve. But whilst clubland across the UK braces itself for a weekend full of hedonism and frivolity, the grade A true-trance scene is left abandoned in the Capital as promoters focus on the hard and tough as opposed to the euphoric and melodic.
That is until now and the arrival of Trance Generation, a night born out of a stern promise to deliver exactly what it says on the tin. And with a line-up featuring SCOTT BOND, MATT HARDWICK and SOLARSTONE as headliners, its no wonder that the word spread so quickly and that people flocked into Central London for what was to be one of many peoples’ best clubbing night of their lives.
Hearing Scott Bond and Matt Hardwick together is in itself a rare treat today, let alone in London, which is simply unheard of. Add together one of the world’s best production teams Solarstone, to make their London debut and it’s a recipe tasty enough to make any trance conessiour dribble in anticipation.
But it doesn’t end there, because this wasn’t held in a venue of say two thousand capacity as you would expect, but a specially chosen room to hold 400 people only.
The results were not surprising with the club already ¾’s full within the first hour. By 11.30pm the club was at capacity. The pre-sale of tickets had been huge and rapid, in addition to the cleverly word of mouth network which had not only spread the word effectively, but also kept the secret entirely underground.
Inside The Soundshaft, a club hidden away from its West End surroundings and underneath Charing Cross Station, 400 people gathered under a secluded arch on two floors ready to soak up, absorb and touch the music as it had never been felt before. A balcony overlooking the dancefloor was awash with people gazing down on the writhing mass of bodies underneath the glowing dj booth.
The production inside this small cave of a club must have warranted the budget of a major main room extravaganza as giant TV screens surrounded the dj booth projecting colour, light, graphics and dj names illuminating the surrounding crowd. Above and on either sides of the screens beamed three pulsating lasers that twisted, turned and engulfed the whole club in green light.
By the time the first of three headliners took to the perfectly situated booth, the atmosphere was electric. Solarstone appeared at midnight spurred on by an introduction by host Gary Ramsden to rapturous applause that sounded like thousands, that sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
If anyone was ever in any doubt, the night had officially begun and this was Trance Generation.
Meanwhile whilst the Solarstone boys Andy and Rich played their first gig in London, Scott Bond had arrived and was seen drinking at the bar situated downstairs. Amazed clubbers stood open jawed nearby, in disbelief of who they were seeing simply standing next to them, chatting freely. Scott meanwhile, completely unfazed, spoke to anyone and everyone.
1.50am arrives and standing above the dj booth in the raised balcony hands aloft with big grins on their faces. The reason soon becomes clear as the sweet sounded guitar of Seven Cities echoes around The Soundshaft. Below the booth the laser showers a sea of hands aloft in admiration. As the drums roll and kick back in, the place takes off.
Standing nearby is Scott Bond, ready to take the helm. If it were possible, more people flood onto the dancefloor in anticipation of one of the best worldwide superstar dj’s. The screens below flicker and the words SCOTT BOND slowly spin to reassure people if nothing else that they are not dreaming.
At the back of the club, the coffee bar is open as a relief to the mayhem going on in the dancefloor. Although it is a calmer atmosphere, the blue cushioned booths are all full of excited people and the atmosphere in many ways is even more bustling than in the main room.
Back outside and there’s still a queue to get in. Bizarrely, in London on one of the biggest weekends of the year, this is the only major trance-line-up over the entire three day holiday. The talk of the night is how refreshing it is to hear trance like this and in an atmosphere that is so not-London. "Its almost like a secret haven" says one girl. "You just don’t get this type of music and atmosphere in London" remarks another.
Back up on the decks, the place on fire with a set that moves the pace of the night up from the smooth melodic sound of Solarstone into a more driving, pumping sound of Mr Scott Bond, clearly enjoying it. As we are escorted behind the dj booth, it is clear to see why, as the dj is completely surrounded by people above by the balcony and below with the swarming crowd. The dj really is in the thick of it.
Come 3.30am and Matt Hardwick’s arrival is greeted with a mass of excitement as he is escorted by the promoter directly to the dj booth. That route ensures a passage through the waiting crowd and it takes a good ten minutes for Matt to arrive at the balcony behind the decks having taking the time to shake every single hand that is pointed his way. The response is incredible as for many this is a rare opportunity to not only see close up but meet the very dj’s who are so normally out of reach and contact. Photos are posed for and autographs continually signed by all dj’s.
But not before long the audio mantle has been passed on and Matt Hardwick changes the pace once again with a slightly tougher set that quite simply hit the note - spot on. The response from the dancefloor following this set was that it had been one of Matt’s best ever recollected sets. From the crowd reaction alone, the jury had voted with their voices in complete support.
Down below the surreal sight of a giant Easter Bunny marching through the crowd caused a massive cheer as he entered through the coffee bar. By the time he had arrived onto the stage, he’s been hugged from every angle by every girl (and most guys) in his path. Looking somewhat exhausted on the stage and gyrating like the Duracell Bunny, out of his paws were free Trance Generation Launch Party CD’s which had been literally wrestled away by so many desperate hands.
But the evening was far from being just about the big names. The true heroes of the night had in fact been the other dj’s who had played both earlier and after. The warm-up set by Rich Templeman was spot on and received superb acclaim up until 11.30pm. From that point, Ehren Stowers proceeded to up the pace and had the whole Soundshaft singing along to Agnelli & Nelson’s "Holding Onto Nothing", which was one of the most memorable moments of the night.
But a special mention has to go to Bruno Cernecca. Following the three headliners, lastly being Matt Hardwick was a daunting task onto itself, although Bruno Cernecca sent the place crazy with a set that gave the crowd a new lease of energy that lasted all the way up until the end and right through Steve Vernon’s impressive finale.
The atmosphere itself was electric all night long - right up until 7am, where the club was still ¾’s full and chanting for more and more and more. Whilst many were left with the most incredible memories of a very special night, others were left still in disbelief that a night like this, of this type has finally at long last found its way in London.
Trance Generation had certainly arrived.
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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: Steve.C on 28th Apr 2004 10:53.00
Top night, liked the headliners but Ehren Stowers played the best set.
Spot on review.
From: NumberPlateBoy on 28th Apr 2004 16:24.54
"Amazed clubbers stood open jawed nearby, in disbelief of who they were seeing simply standing next to them"
???? He's only a fuffing DJ, not some kind of demi-god. What a sycophant!, I feel ill!
From: pistolwhip100 on 29th Apr 2004 10:40.27
Quite possibly one of the best nights i've eve had, well done trance generation and thank you! 
From: DMX on 3rd May 2004 21:01.41
As mw55308 said - it's only Scott Bond ffs. Not exactly someone I'd soil myself over. 
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