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Features
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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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Review of HeatUK presents Camden Palace: The Final Curtain--Nick Sentience LIVE PA
Reported by littlemissgenki
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Submitted 12-03-04 15:48
Just a couple of months earlier I remember leaving a friend's house party to go to the Frantic Christmas Ball to say goodbye to Camden Palace for one last time. There were a few sad moments, but after spending an hour queuing to get out after foolishly getting trapped in the cloakroom queue, I was happy to see the back of the place. Since then I've been back for one more 'last' time to say good bye, at the magic that was Philtime. Again, it was sad to see what can only be described as the end of an era, but with more and more promotions booking the place, rumours were rife and I half expected a new buyer to pop out on the stage and say, 'Surprise! it was all a cunning marketing ploy!' So was this really going to be the end? The final curtain? Third time unlucky? And what kind of show could possibly be a fitting send off to one of the most loved--and most hated--and, whether you love it or hate it--most frequented venues in London?
Like many fellow clubbing addicts, I've spent far too many a dodgy hour or so between 5.30 and 6.30am attempting to shove small pieces of coloured paper into the hands of monged out half-dead clubbers, the poor zombies concentrating on wobbling the gauntlet between harrassing mini-cab drivers and over enthusiastic promotors often resorting to rudeness, or at worst, abuse. In fact, I've sworn many a time that I was never going back, NEVER AGAIN--or at least not to hang outside anyways. Therefore it was most fitting that I should spend the first half of my last night at Camden Palace working the door, attempting to get one of the biggest queues I've ever seen through the small entrance as quickly as possible. Thanks to the friendly crowd and ability of almost everyone to remember the name they'd booked their tickets under this wasn't all bad--if only the same could be said for my other half who was doomed to ask the most confusing question of the night that managed to floor more than a few who'd been queuing far too long and no doubt come up, down and round again sideways: 'Do you have a ticket?!?' But soon enough we were walking down that tunnel and the old magic was still there...
There's nothing quite like walking down that tunnel and looking out, down over the main room of Camden Palace, at a packed dancefloor going absolutely mental. As we walked in Heat resident Marc French had the main room doing exactly that to his bouncy blend of hard dance. One thing I've always loved about Camden is the way that no matter how rammed the main room is, you can always retreat to a higher plain and look down at your mates stomping as if there's no tomorrow. We forced ourselves to take a couple of minutes and do just that--but not for long. Tonight was indeed the night, and--with apologies to Taka, Kylie, Mantis, Paul Henry, George-E, Marc Johnson and Dan Madams, for me it was all about the main room.
By some incredibly lucky twist of fate we somehow managed to make our way through the madness and get right to the front of the main room just as Nick Sentience's live PA exploded for the evening--and exploded is no understatement. I've been a fan of Nick's incredible techy hard beats for several years now, so hearing him perform a live PA was indeed a treat, and a breathtaking one at that. For those who don't know, tonight was more than a sayonara ceremony for cp, it was also the world exclusive launch party of Nick Sentience's 'Universal Language' album/dvd, due to be released soon on Quality Trax. We'd already been treated to a wee taster at Heat@Pacha a couple of weeks earlier, but even the main room of Pacha couldn't compete with Nick live on the stage of Camden Palace with the infamous VJ FX at his side. Whatever your criticisms of Camden may have been over the years--OK, the ceiling drips when it gets too hot, the hallways smell something akin to how you'd imagine a London sewer with walls and carpet, and whatever you do, don't go to the loo unless you really need too--you cannot argue with the fact that it has one of the best sound systems in London. And as London has some of the best clubs in the world, go figure. Note, dear reader, I still cannot bear to write in past tense here. But I digress... Nick Sentience's live PA was nothing short of amazing.
But despite my great love of the ear-shattering twisted electronic beats and blips Nick was somehow producing right in front of us, I should point out that at this stage, for once it wasn't all about the music. VJ FX is one talented puppy, and he and Nick have spent a good part of their recent lives working together on the masterpiece that is 'Universal Language'. Having trained for this experience by playing at the likes of Dance Valley, it is perhaps an understatement to say that VJ FX's visuals translated rather well to the main room of Camden Palace. To truly appreciate VJ FX's vision we forced ourselves off the main dancefloor briefly and walked back to the balcony for a better view--and what a scene before us! All I can say is I can't wait to see the dvd!
As well as being treated to VJ FX's mindblowing colours and shapes, the other extraordinary thing about this stage show--and it was indeed a stage show--was the infectious energy of the LAK:UK dancers. There's been many a thread on this site debating the merits of dancers in clubs, and let's face it, they do have their pros and cons. (My personal cp dancing prize has to go to the Frantic vs Logic power outage special but I guess you had to be there--oh the memories!). There's nothing worse when you're trying to get lost in one of your favourite tracks being played by one of your favourite djs only to be distracted by some poor lass attempting to wiggle her rump and her chest at the same time to some kind of beat only she can hear but forgetting most things in between. But fortunately not only are the LAK:UK dancers on the opposite end of this spectrum, but it's very difficult to watch them dance without joining in yourself. If any poor clubber was having trouble directing themselves to Nick and VJ FX's alchemic explosion of sound and vision, they just had to look to the stage for guidence.
The Palace was at its most packed and Nick is surely one dj who knows how to play to a crowd. Aside from our photo-taking soujourn to the balcony, we were unable to move from the front for the rest of his set, which was over all too quickly. Two of my most special memories of Camden Palace would have to be Nick playing his remixes of Ben Johnson's 'Come 1' and Glazby's 'Hostile'--what better tunes to end an era on?
Far too soon Nick finished to a rapt crowd, and we all wondered what would be able to follow such a set. Some bouncy hard house from Mr Justin Bourne, who played one of most wickedly eclectic sets I've heard in a long time. Just don't ask me what he played, but he just got better and better as he warmed up. Then Spencer cruised in with some classic hard trance, paving the way for the king to take his throne. Andy Farley banged out hard techy wonders like MBS, his wicked collaboration with D.A.V.E. the Drummer, then before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye to one of the grandest clubs of our time.
Thanks to HeatUK for closing the final curtains and putting the final nails in the palace doors, with the kings of hard dance closing them firmly shut. RIP Camden Palace, you'll be missed!
Thanks to Phil and Midnight Expressions for the use of their photos.
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Other Features By littlemissgenki:
HeatUK (The DVD) – From The Backyard To South West Four - World Premier Preview: Interview with SnowBall Productions
Paradise City 001 Preview: From free parties in pubs to private jets—interview with Antiworld promoter Enrico Sorbello
Blatantly Brisk: interview with Paul Nineham
Paradise City 001 preview: interview with Mauro Picotto
Never Enough Maria: Interview with the Queen of Hard Dance
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: Nikki S on 12th Mar 2004 17:39.20
Damo, Anton & Heat Crew . . .THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU . . for a wicked closing party! Definately a night to remember.
Sentience & VJ wicked PA. Mind blowing! I luuurved it!
From: KeLSTa on 15th Mar 2004 01:33.11
If only the UK was a short car trip away... would have loved to have been there. See you both in July! 
From: KeLSTa on 15th Mar 2004 01:35.30
If only the UK was a short car trip away... would have loved to have been there. See you both in July!
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