- While most Britons across the Isle were stretched out on the couch, top trouser button undone, one glazed eye on the television, the other scanning for any more purple in the seasonal standard-issue Quality Street tin, the rave-minded were at Fabric on Boxing Day for the annual FWD>>RINSE Christmas party. The capital's favourite pirate radio turned legal last summer after 16 years of roof hopping. It's a station that has vigilantly chartered the Continuum in that time, starting off with jungle before grime, dubstep and UK funky took over the airwaves. It has championed countless acts that have grown into household names, from Dizzee Rascal and Skream to Katy B, whilst its roster has continually evolved to remain ever ahead of London underground trends. Lately, this has meant house house house, which indeed seems to rule Rinse these days—with token garage-toe dipping, of course. But it was some good ol' fashioned 'step 'n' bass I sought—and found—this Boxing Day.
The lineup was strong and, unsurprisingly, fabric was heaving. The night was not about chasing down specific DJs and trying to navigate the club's warren-like layout through the festively charged throng. With slots coming in at a mere 30-45 minutes each, chances are you would probably miss whomever you were trying to see anyway. It could have been an opportunity to put a face to some of your favourite hosts, but in the booth-side melee of rapid hand-overs, time swaps and ad hoc back-to-backs, who could really be certain of who was playing, when. That said, as an avid Grimey Breakfast listener—RIP—I did have one mission, coincidently timed to perfection.
After a quick nose into the cosy Room Three—which was, admittedly, my last—our group side-shuffled through the bloated back bar and sofa area to enter Room Two just as Scratcha took to the decks. There were probably just as many dancers crammed onto the raised top stage as those floor-bound, one cluster teetering precariously over the other, both oblivious to either's impending danger, spellbound—as I think everyone was—by sozzled heedlessness. Moving onto the main room, I swept through the crush to experience pit-side just what dubstep moshing feels like—a norm these days with which I am still coming to terms—before adopting a more dignified survey from a mezzanine. On stage N-Type & Crazy D were being lapped by the next DJ-MC tag-team, Skream & SGT Pokes. There was a definite "superstar DJ" swagger about the new Radio One host as he loped into the ring, feeding off a topless-spotted crowd of flailing limbs in worship of the wobble king. After his latest US bro-style Tempa 12-inch, I braced myself for the chainsaw that, thankfully, never came. There was no call for dubstep pretence here, however, as I too uninhibitedly joined the swaying masses.
All 'stepped-out, we wrapped up the evening back in Room Two, where D-Bridge vs Flight was the night's conclusive highlight. Having spent the last eight months in drum & bass-starved Berlin, witnessing these two vets play off each other rounded off the Brit bass feast in fine fashion, even if it were only for a measly 30 minutes. Sets limited to less than 15 records were—to some degree—bound to lean on the crowd-pleasing side. But then FWD>>RINSE Christmas party was always going to be first and foremost what its name suggested—a party. And a party it was, for the Rinse crew and family as much as for the ticket-wielding fans. Fun and rum was certainly had by all and if I'm in the UK next Boxing Day, I know where I'm headed. Unfortunately, many artists were missed along the way: Crises, Oneman, Elijah & Skilliam, Roska & Jamie Geroge, Spyro & Trim, Blackdown, Brackles, T Williams, Uncle Dugs. But no matter, at least I catch them all again soon—from the slightly calmer surroundings of home.