- It's been another summer of some magnitude for Secretsundaze, and one that has flown by with a plethora of shimmering line-ups that have included Radio Slave, Steve Bug, Carl Craig and Keith Worthy. With the final party paired with the album launch for the crew's Volume 2, Sunday's stage was set to finish the summer off in celebratory style. The only problem? The heavens weren't having it, opening up and leaving London amid a downpour that any South American rainforest would have been proud of.
Photo credit: Nick Ensing
Unavoidably, the rain caused the promoters to move proceedings indoors. But after the initial disappointment, something truly British happened and the crowd rallied together to have one hell of a party. The bouncers and the promoters set the tone early with high-spirited, friendly welcomes at the door. Then, once inside, the ever-smooth Giles Smith laid down his lush, spellbinding, deep soundtrack to the afternoon. Early on there was an almost Latin feel to the live and funked-up drums that swirled around the dancefloor. Then, as the afternoon continued, the rich, crisp sound quality that was pumped out of Ministry of Sound's infamous soundsystem perfectly complemented Smith's warm, techy feel.
As the afternoon turned into evening the bushy-tailed revellers were treated to mouthwatering lighting effects. The main lights went down as huge green laser beams streaked across the room from the floor to the ceiling. Often we were plunged into darkness, but then the swanky disco ball, hanging high over our bobbing heads shot out a flickering laser which ricocheted amongst the throes of sweaty, grooving partygoers.
This visual change coincided with the introduction of German deep house trailblazer, Dixon, who took things up another notch as soon as he hit the decks. One of the perks of the event being moved inside: No noise restrictions ala SS's August Bank Holiday outdoor event. As a result, Dixon was able to deliver an upbeat set that constantly crossed boundaries between house, techno and minimal whilst always keeping the kind of groove that has come to be associated with Secretsundaze.
Photo credit: Nick Ensing
Billed as the special guest, Vera certainly enjoyed being inside MOS as well. She was dancing away at Dixon's side for the entirety of his set, and then took that enthusiasm into her own set. She provided continued the vibe in a style that has seen her hold down residencies at Ibiza's DC10 and Monza. Her stark grooves scooped up the crowd and carried them into the morning until James Priestley returned to the stage to finish the summer off in a fitting style. With only memories and a double CD set from Priestley and Smith to tide me over during the winter months, I, for one, already can't wait for next year.