- Perched quaintly on the corner of Digbeth's grimy industrial estate halfway up a long and busy street sits the Rainbow Pub, a rickety and rather bleak looking Victorian boozer. Its disheveled and drab looking exterior may not seem like much, but it's currently home to FACE, one of Birmingham's most well-known local promoters.
Becoming one of the city's primary Saturday night musical sanctums, FACE proudly boasts an impressive roster of past guests, ranging from international names like Claude Von Stroke and Riva Starr, to local and up and coming talent in the vein of Adam Shelton and Scott Bleepz. Recently, the young promoters teamed up with the world-renowned Cream outfit for an indoor-outdoor street party. Putting together a bill that featured old schoolers Derrick Carter and Tall Pall alongside Jamie Jones and Tim Green, the emphasis was on crafting a lineup that paid homage to both the new and established.
On the night, the indoor area was a sea of well-maintained bodies, all strutting their stuff to tracks from the likes of Lee Foss and Ricardo Villalobos—the crowd's self-awareness was at times, though, unbearable. On the contrary, there was a fun and frivolous atmosphere flowing through the Cream "street party" area that attracted flock after flock of elated looking souls. Amongst it all, a middle-aged looking bloke lunged impressively back and forth to an array of classic tracks as sweat poured from every orifice, partly due to the two erotically clad fire spinners flanking either edge of the stage and supplying the street style rave with a constant blanket of extra heating. "We're all on fire!" the man proclaimed as his fist punched the air in unison with the energetic beat.
While Jamie Jones spun his trademark deep and techy minimal grooves to a packed out, dank and industrial warehouse, Brandon Block looked in his element as he slammed down tune after tune to a colourful and mixed bag of street party ravers. Strutting through the tunnels and under archways from area to area was like being transported along a timeline of eras in dance music. FACE has become well known and loved for its diverse and friendly atmosphere, so throwing Cream into the mixing pot only worked to heighten the appeal. Something strangely satisfying about the mishmash of attendees made this street carnival one to remember.