- Ah yes, back to my favourite venue for yet another night of wicked beats and cosy environs. Brown Alley is superb, dark and comfortable, great sound, and I don't think I've been to bad party there yet.
This was my first visit to Broken Home however, and it came highly recommended! Walked in around 12:30pm, Brewster B had just finished but I was delighted to hear some groovin' beats courtesy of Dan Mangan. Great warmup set, and already there were lots of people filling up the floor.
Not until Andy Page came on did it really cram though, I think the sight of his bass guitar must have caused some excitement, as everyone was whistling and loitering around the front! His set started with some deep breaks, a solid groove and just the hint of rhythmic mastery that was to come. Slowly but surely he teased and tested, gradually bringing the complicated percussion arrangements to the fore and always with a beastly groove, underpinning it all.
Showing deft programming skills, the set began to unfold in one direction after another, here some breaks, there some straight-up 4/4 beats, and always cool! I didn't spot much, save for his infamous farm-animal song (complete with 'moos') and "Mr Rush" as featured on the latest Uberzone Y4K compilation, but towards the end he really unleashed. Twisted, noodly leads and super-digital fx over slamming, chopped grooves signalled his lengthy finale. I find it quite hard to explain exactly how it sounded, suffice to say that there is a reason Sasha, BT, Madonna and may others choose to utilise Andy's skills, he programs beats like few others could dream of, immensely complicated, yet crystal clear arrangements. Quality all the way.
I don't think anyone wasn't yelling their appreciation at the end of that. You don't get to hear music like that very often! Keltec took the helm shortly afterwards, opening with some sublime break-beat trance, and off into the new Hi-Fi Bugs "Din Da Da" remix and Highland's "No Way Out". Big, rocken breaks with plenty of bass to finish of the night in style.
That was a fantastic night guys, many thanks, and bring on Scrambler (Live) for next time!