Random Concept
The Next Level Album Launch
Air (Formerly Code)
Friday 10th June 2005

This was the third instalment from Random Concept at Air in Birmingham tonight, featuring the album launch from Valve recordings' The Next level'. Mixed by one of the hottest new talents in the drum and bass scene DJ Friction. Tonight's event also featured V Recordings sister label Liquid V hosting the 2 nd arena covering the Liquid funkier and mellower sounds of drum and bass.

Before heading up to Air I decided to stop off at OC's bar in Digbeth for a few drinks and listen to some old skool house from the likes of Nexus and Mistress Mo, listening to tunes such as 'Afrodizziact', 'I got the power' and 'Not forgotten'. Just before 11 I headed down to Air and was greeted by a small queue, some people were being turned away as Random Concept were enforcing their dress code of no hoods, which is clearly marked on the flyer. After confirmation of my guest list and a brief search I was in.

Headed to the main arena and Dangerous D was on alongside MC Presha. It was fairly busy in here especially arriving at this time, as last time I came it didn't get rammed till about midnight. Went to the Liquid arena and Bryan Gee was on playing tunes from the Liquid V label and also from 'Liquid V, Club Sessions Vol 1' album as he played 'Desperado' and 'In the mix'.

Back downstairs and the True Player, DJ Zinc was on alongside MC Presha. Zinc was playing a rolling set with liquid vibe to it. He played 'Mo Fire', 'Hush, Hush', 'the Burial remix', Shy Fx's - 'Plastic soul' and 'Fruitella'. During the set he also played his remix of the oldskool classic from The Prodigy - 'Charly', which went down well especially with the older members in the crowd, hard to believe that this tune is over 15yrs old!!

Next up was Bryan Gee, Bryan is quite a busy man tonight as not only is he playing at Air tonight but other events across the UK promoting his new Liquid V album. Bryan started the set with 'Like Thunder', which features Full Cycle's MC Tali's. The legendry GQ was MCing for Bryan's set, it was great to see GQ hype up the crowd in here, as it's been along time since I've seen him at an event in Birmingham. Bryan continued to play 'Original Jungle sound' and 'Together VIP'.

After Bryan it was time for the 2hour set from DJ Friction promoting the new album from Valve 'The Next Level'. SP MC was MCing for his set, SP MC was later joined by Skibadee and Eksman on the mic. This was an entertaining set from Friction as he played 'Burial remix', 'Back to your Roots', 'Alien Girl', 'Black Tarantula', 'Rah' the oldskool classic from V 'It's jazzy' and 'X-Ray'. I really enjoyed watching Friction mix as he was using the mixer to its full advantage, teasing in mixes and bouncing around like loon whilst mixing.

Continuing from Friction was the man from Valve Dillinja, Dillinja was playing a dirty deep set to test Air's JBL sound system to it's limits! I'd love to hear a Valve night at Air considering the main arena is quite enclosed you would definitely feel the bass in here! Eksman and Skibadee MC'ed for the first half of his set and later Fearless came on and took over. Dillinja played his remix of 'Take a Ride', 'In the Grind VIP' and '96 Style'. Dillinja also played 'Style baby' this is his own track produced under one of his many alias 'Capone', an awesome tune and definitely a favourite of mine at the moment.

Final set of the evening featured Krust and Fearless, Krust was playing plenty of dubs from both the V and Full Cycle labels, was a proper bouncy set as he played 'Ask not' and 'Revolution' featuring MC Foxy.

This was a great night to get the summer going, the turn out wasn't brilliant though with the Innovation Weekender in less than two weeks to go, so people were obviously saving for this, as it's quite expensive to drink in Air £3.80 for a can of red stripe is very steep indeed!

Big Shouts to the Random Concept crew, Fearless, GQ, Dillinja, Skibadee, Zoë + Collette, Ben, Faye, Alpha, Mistress Mo, Mike and Quavers at Born Hardcore, Brian BK, Amy and Chris, Goat, Manikular, Ruthless, Jayeye, China, Sanj, the Midlands DNB Forum crew, and everyone else whose names I don't' know but faces I recognise.