Slammin Vinyl
The New Years Eve Festival
31st December 2003
Milton Keynes

With this being hyped as the biggest dance music party in the UK, in conjunction with One Nation, Flashback Nukleuz, Frantic and ATM, will it live up to the hype??

Arrived in Bletchley for just before 7, and was greeted with a massive queue-spanning close down to the car park. Speaking to one of the stewards he informed us that they were opening an hour late, with the freezing temperatures this was no laughing matter. The queue didn't really move for about 90 minutes, this was one of the many reasons why I don't decide to attend a Slammin vinyl on new years eve mainly due to the fact of the over sized queues, especially in this weather, as the security at the Sanctuary tend to let people in later than scheduled, at most Slammin events, that I've attended over the years.

Once the queue started to move, we got into the complex without being searched as they were running nearly 2 hours behind schedule. Headed directly to the Sanctuary it looked like Hype didn't show as MC Foxy accompanied DJ Fluid. I was informed that the Fastrack arena wasn't open or the oldskool tent either.
The production into the Sanctuary didn't seem much different from any other Slammin also the sound system wasn't loud as I expected and the mics were up way to loud

After Fluid it was Birmingham's and True Playaz DJ Hazzard, Hazard played some new tunes mixed with some old.
Half way through his set we decided to visit the oldskool tent and the legendry Ratpack was on.

The oldskool tent was hosted by Flashback, but there was very little influence from the Flashback crew here as it was a near complete Slammin oldskool line-up. The production was quite cool in here though with the massive projection screens and smiley faces hanging of the tent top.

Well the Ratpack played Promise Land / Sweet Harmony and then all of a sudden the electricity went and there was no music. It was suggested that the famous Lipmaster Mark to beat box to the crowd and then had a karaoke sing along of Searching For My Rizla, I think with electricity problems like this it was best that this room was probably better to be moved into the rollers.

Well thought it was time to visit the Fastrack arena, the production in here was nice with a massive canopy draping the ceiling and they massive laser going of behind the DJ box. DJ breeze was on along side MC Whizzkid. Breeze played a typical raver baby set playing tunes such as Heartbeatz, Feeling Fine that got the crowd singing.

Returning back to the oldskool tent and the Ratpack were finishing up and played Captain of the ship, well it was Scott Brown next he was playing an oldskool Rezerection set which got the crowd rocking. This room was rammed whilst Scott Brown was, he accompanied by Hardcore's number one MC, MC Storm. Scott played some wicked bouncy techno tunes including his very own Now is the time along with Do what you like (The Rezerection Anthem) he also played Discoland which got the crowd singing, getting ready for the 12 o'clock hour.

After Scott Brown the 12 o'clock hour was approaching fast leaving the oldskool tent and deciding were to spend 12 o'clock the queues getting into the Sanctuary was enormous as Andy C was going to be on here. So we opted to spend 12 o'clock in the Fastrack. Walking towards the Fastrack you could see through the fences people were still standing outside in the cold waiting to enter the complex, which I do feel sorry for a it seemed some people will be spending 12 o'clock in the queue.

Well Hixxy was warming up the party playing before the 12 o'clock hour, he played a wicked set playing a mixture of old and new tunes. Whizzkid was on the mic hyping up the crowd for the countdown. Hixxy played some old classics such as Space Invader, Forever together, Toytown, Blue Sky Day playing a really vocal set, which got the crowd hyped for the midnight hour.

Well 12 O'clock approached and it approached fast Scott Brown was ready to bring in 2004 Whizzkid and Storm did the countdown 10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2…1 Happy new year!!!

Scott Brown played Elysium at 12, it was kind of mad as I've not been to the Fastrack on a new years eve as I spent last year at the Que club birmignham, so this was something different. Well as it reached 12 o'clock the balloons came down the champagne was corked and all the ravers greeted each other a happy new year, the atmosphere was second to none during this set, Scott also played star tonight by stompy, dougal, gammer and abeyance.

After Scott Brown we decided to have a wander round and still people were queuing outside, headed to the oldskool tent and Baby D were on. Baby D played all there tunes but it was good to hear them on a night like this, playing So Pure, Need Your Loving and of course finishing off with the chart smasher Let Me Be Your Fantasy.

Well after Baby D it was the turn of DJ Phantasy, Flashbacks very own MC Lenni was on alongside Phantasy. Phantasy started off with the jungle anthem Original nutter, but guess who was inside the house celebrating new years?? No other than UK Apache, Lenni dragged him out and we had a small PA of Original Nutter, as its been ages since I saw UK Apache.
After the short PA someone else decided to take over mcin' and that point we decided to leave.

Headed to the Sanctuary and Formations Twisted individual was on he was accompanied by Herbsman, who I've not seen before and he was ok. Didn't stay too long for Twisted's set but he played System Test as were leaving the Sanctuary.

Went back to the oldskool room and it was closed for some strange reason which I thought was odd, headed back to the Fastrack and Dougal was on.
Dougal was accompanied by Smiley as he played ordinary people

Well Nicky Blackmarket was up next, Presha was MCing for the beginning of his set, and Birmingham's MC Biggie and also Skibbadee accompanied Blackmarket. Soon as Skibadee walked onto the stage, the front got rushed it was silly as people started waving phones at him straight away. Blackmarket played the Stevie hyper d tribute song, power of rah remix along with the Echo box remix.

Headed back to the oldskool tent and managed to catch the set that I've been waiting for Darren Jay back to back with Mickey Finn, this was what I expected proper 96-97 jump up business. It was good there was no MC during this set as it was a chance to enjoy the tunes. They dropped tunes such as the 5 onit Mickey Finn dub plate, Its jazzy, Pulp Fiction, Champion Deejay also Shy FX's The Message
.
After this set headed to the Fastrack and caught D-Ice and Reality, this was there first appearance on a Slammin vinyl stage and what a good job they did, Smiley was MC'ing for them. They played some wicked tunes to keep the crowd rushing playing time to Fly also played the Force and styles classic Follow me remix. During this set someone decided to proposed to his girlfriend that's twice this year !!!

With not long left to go headed to the Sanctuary expecting Mampi Swift to be on but it looked like he was running a little late as Friction was on. Navigator was MCing for Friction as Friction played his own tune the Robocop tune.

As it looked like Shabba was also running late too, someone who was eager to see Shabba told Navigator to shut the fuck, no respect what so ever! The drum and bass room tonight was total contrast to the hardcore room in atmosphere, also tonight compared to all the Slammin's that I've been to over the years it was quite moody maybe with one nation hosting this arena could be reason?? To be honest I don't know, but to tell someone like Navigator to shut up, no respect what so ever!!!

Well Swift did turn up and who came running through the crowd to jump on stage no other than Fearless, at one point Fearless, Shabba, Skibadee and Navigator were all mc'ing back to back which was quite good as its nice to see mc's mc'ing back to back. Swift played the SKA remix which got rewound about 2-3 times I think, But soon as Shabba got on the mic the crowd rushed directly to front. At this point a fight broke out directly I front of us which put a 2nd damper on my evening. Navigator stopped the music and was yelling at this bloke once it all calmed down, we headed straight to the Fastrack for the power hour!

Well with an extra hour it was the power hour of the DJ Sy and MC Storm!! This one of my favourite sets on the night, Sy never fails to deliver! With the number one MC and DJ team in the hardcore scene this got everyone rocking for the last hour. With Sy Scratching and Storm complimenting it with his vocal scratch and his fast hyped up lyrics it was amazing. Sy played some wicked tunes to send the ravers stomping including Techno Harmony 2003, Bring me round to love, Till I became Hardcore and he also dropped Fine Day.

Well did it live up to the hype?? I did to a point, as with all new years eve raves the big thing is no shows and DJ's / MC's being late with so many events being on over the UK

The queuing at the beginning was terrible as we had to wait nearly 2 hours outside in the freezing cold as it clearly states a 7 o'clock open, but with the weather being what it was and with the outside Big Top arena this was out of Slammin vinyl control due health and safety. That's the main reason why they were late opening, this still doesn't explain why it still took ages to let people in once the doors finally did open, as people were still queuing come midnight.

I've spoken to Michael from Slammin once about this and said to him that no matter what line-up you have and how good the production is the security and The Sanctuary staff can make or break the night, unfortunately Slammin vinyl have to use the Sanctuary's own security.
The sound System was way too quiet in the Sanctuary and Fastrack yet the mic's were on way too loud compared to the music.

I don't think I'll be returning to a new years eve rave at the Sanctuary in a hurry.

Massive respects to Storm, Whizzkid, Lenni, Fearless, Lipmaster Mark+ Everson Allen and massive shouts to Charly (Happy New Year Babe), Leanne, Shaun, Gaz, Craig, Wookie, Alpha, and Astro, also to everyone else that I've forgotten.
See you all in 2004 and Happy New Year.