- I have tried to start this review about eight different ways; somehow capturing the immense funk that flowed through the dancing, drinking, talking and thinking at AIR's 6th Birthday at the Rhythm Factory... but none of them could even get close to recreating MY BEST NIGHT EVER IN LONDON.
OK, I know I’ve only been here three weeks, but every single nanosecond of last Saturday night/Sunday morning was bonafide A-1. The beats and basslines were original and daring; the crowd was the friendliest bunch of breaks-fiends I have come across since 'Nam and the dancefloor was absolutely cut to shreds by the footloose funkateers. Joe Ransom played a solid, winding set that limbered everyone up and had one Aussie cat flailing his toe-and-digit limbs about. "You're from Melbourne!" I questioned, more as a statement. "Nah - Sydney mate," he replied with a cheeky swivel and some inverted foot-hopping. Touche.
The backroom was THE pick of the night, with Cut La Roc playing a marathon set that took in tracks like Meat Katie's "Rock Your Body", a few Plump's stompers and a tune called "Jungle B6 OJ whack". I'm not even sure if that is the actual title, but i got so excited i put it straight in my phone. Apologies if it is just some graffiti I saw in Shoreditch. But back to the program and i must thank Cut La Roc for allowing me to lean over the decks and cross-fade the beat twice (without fucking it up). Now that was a fine birthday present.
But the real star of the backroom was the MC, dashing around the room with his weapon (da mic). He was geared up in Outkast threads, looking every bit the debonair BigBoi, manicured goatee included. He rapped, wriggled and rhymed with quality improvisation, spitting out stellar vocals about Stellar Artois, furniture/trampoline shenanigans and anything else that popped up. He (I can't find his name anywhere!) kept the smiles on the dials, ducking and diving and rhythmically striving. Shit, he's even made me think I’m black on the inside! Damn lack of English sun.
Following on from a mighty Dub Pistols set, Hybrid's choices to close the morning out were incredible, as they took us through REM and Radiohead bootlegs; and also threw down some serious floor-shakers that have much more balls than their Wide Angle debut CD. A good sign o' the times.
So that wraps it up very briefly; I probably just gushed on for a few hundred words then and didn't really document the essence of the mightiest 6th Birthday I have ever attended (without fairy bread). But maybe, just maybe, you were there and I’ve helped you recall some of the magic moments. Get me out of this internet cafe and take me back there!