Uproar
'The Hardcore Showdown Part 2’
The Sanctuary
Birmingham
Saturday 4th February 2006

After the massive success of the last Uproar ‘Energize’, at the Sanctuary, Birmingham back in November. The Uproar team returned back to Birmingham to showcase their first event of 2006 ‘The Hardcore Showdown Part 2’.

Tonight’s event was the 2nd Hardcore Showdown and like the previous Showdown last year, the DJ’s featured included a fair number of exclusive back to back set’s battling up against each other for the first time ever.

I arrived in Digbeth after ten and was greeted by an enormous queue which stretched down Digbeth and round the corner to the Dance Factory. Judging form the size of the queue it was safe to say that tonight was a roadblock, making it a complete sell out event.

The security team were strict tonight as they were asking many people for ID on the door. I was greeted on the door by MC Rude who gave me a card with printed set times and after a brief chat we was inside the venue.

Headed directly for the main arena and it was rammed with hundreds of ravers stomping away, there was hardly much room to move in here with it being a sell out!

The production in here was amazing I was taken back as I really enjoy the production that Uproar put into their events especially here at the Sanctuary. With the way the venue is constructed, it does allow a lot for the Uproar’s production crew to be quite creative especially in the main arena.

At the front of the arena was the main stage with the DJ booth suited in front of the massive organ, there was also a massive projection screen displaying the crowd here with Uproar murals. The Res-Laser was here tonight illuminating the crowd with the laser bouncing off the mirror balls into the crowd and along the balcony.

DJ’s Scott Brown and Dougal were on back to back I was quite gutted as I’d just missed Druid and Kevin Energy play a classic hardcore set. MC Whizzkid was on stage MCing to the crowd. Dougal and Scott Brown were showcasing plenty of forthcoming material off both respective labels Evolution and Essential Platinum.

I enjoyed what I was hearing from these two, plenty of vocally and stomping tracks being played. They dropped ‘Tell me a Story’, ‘Drive me crazy’, ‘All the tears I’ve cried’, ‘So about you’ and ‘Rock you softly’ Whizzkid was immense on stage hyping up the over packed crowd.

I decided to head for the oldskool arena at this point and caught the tail end of DJ Faydz set. I enjoyed his selection with a fair number of unknowns with some forgotten gems being played, as he did play ‘Notice me’.

The setup in the oldskool arena was better than last time I thought, with the DJ box being at the front of the arena compared to last time, there was also a stage for the MC’s as well. I was gutted that the oldskool arena wasn’t in the Dragon Bar, but unfortunately the Dance Factory was shut so the techno/ gabba had to be moved back up to the Dragon Bar.

Next up was the Midlands scratchmaster DJ Ratty alongside Illusion’s very own MC Energy, tonight MC Energy is going to be having a break from the scene to concentrate on his family and other personnel issues. Ratty was playing a 92-93 set plenty of my favourites being dropped as he played ‘Sky is the Limit’,’ Beyond Control’ the Topbuzz classic ’Living in Darkness’ and ‘Exodus-When the lion awakes’.

Back to the main arena and DJ’s Gammer and Styles were on with Uproar’s very own MC Rude along with MC Smiley on the mic, Rude and Smiley were commanding the stage throughout this set.
I was looking forward to Styles after he played an awesome set at last weeks HTID. Styles and Gammer played ‘You’re my angel’ , ‘Jealous’, a new tune featuring the Paul Van Dyke ‘Like an Angel’ vocal and another vocal tune ‘You are my fantasy’. Gammer and Styles also played ‘21st Century rush’ featuring MC Storm before finishing up with ‘Save me’.

After Gammer and Styles it was the turn of Uproar’s very own DJ Seduction alongside Quosh’s DJ Unknown, MC Storm was on mic duty for this set. It’s been ages since I’ve seen DJ Unknown play out I think the last being when Flashback was actually here in the Sanctuary nearly 2 years ago.

Unknown and Seduction played the ‘Final Conflict’ remix, along with ‘Let me be your phantasy’, ‘Forever’ and ‘Making me wanna dance’. I decided to watch this set from the balcony, watching the ravers go crazy on the dance floor from this view and to soak up the atmosphere. Storm was working hyping the crowd with his lyrics as he was spitting a fair number of new chats.

Next up was Breeze and Sharkey this was one of my favourite sets of the night. Breeze played ‘Be alone’, ‘Pull over’, ‘I will be’, ’Your shining’ remix and ‘Elysium’ remix. I don’t really follow much of the material that Sharkey plays as freeform isn’t my cup of tea, but judging from the set Sharkey was playing a similar stuff to match what Breeze was playing.

Whizzkid was on the mic throughout this set and was doing a fantastic job on the stage. Hyping up the crowd up I also noticed Whizzkid was using some new lyrics as I didn’t recognise a few of them. Breeze finished off with the 2006 remix of ‘Connections’.

With Hixxy still suffering from his shoulder injury Hixxy was replaced by DJ Flyin, though I decide to go to the oldskool arena and caught one of my favourite DJ’s DJ Supreme alongside MC Knight.

As I entered the arena I caught him playing one of my favourite tunes from him ‘Sun always shine’ classic tune on Hectech records!! Knight was later joined by Whizzkid and Sharkey on the mic. Supreme carried onto play ‘I believe’, Paul Elstak's ‘Rainbows’ before finishing the set with ‘Broken wings’. The crowd were really enjoying the 96 hardcore that Supreme was playing it shocks me to think that these tunes are now ten years old, but still timeless classics !

After Supreme it was DJ Stormtrooper I’ve not heard him before but he played ‘Techno harmony’ and ‘Fireworks’. I’m not a big fan of gabba or hard style techno but my friends dragged me upstairs into the Dragon Bar for a short while. The arena in here was decorated quite well to suit the style of music that was being played as it was quite dark and dingy with only the laser illuminating the arena.

I only had a short dose of the hard style in here didn’t really pay attention to who was on but Ribbz was MCing in here to the harder stuff. I decide to get back to the main arena for DJ Sy and Jon doe from CLSM, Jon Doe was here to replace Re-Con. I was a bit disappointed that Re-Con wasn’t here with Sy, as Re-Con did play a fantastic set last week at Hardcore Heaven.

I noticed that the venue had thinned out round the balcony compared to earlier with it being the last set many people had gone home but it was still rammed on the dance floor.
Storm was amazing for the final set working the crowd for the final hour and with him and Sy scratching against each other.

SY and Jon Doe played ‘Lets fly’, ‘Final conflict’ remix and ‘Such a feelin’ also a new tune featuring MC Storm’s ‘Bass fire’ lyric. They continued to play ’Lullaby’, ’So real’, ‘See the light’ before ending the night with ‘Timebomb’ an awesome tune a fitting way to end the night.

Tonight’s DJ sets were fantastic, lots of hard work from the DJ’s as they battled it out against each other. Have to say that Breeze B2B Sharkey set stood out for me, especially seeing as these two tend to play a total different contrast in styles from each other.

This was the 2nd event that Uproar have staged at the Sanctuary, Birmingham and what a success it has been, with it selling out and being rammed to the rafters. It was a big risk with them moving from the Emporium having already made a good reputation in Coalville , but one again the Uproar team have pulled it off in Birmimgham.

It’s great news to hear that Uproar have now found home as they will continue to use the Sanctuary for future events which is brilliant news, I personally love the venue.

What stands out for me the most from Uproar events is apart from the DJ line-up the production that they put into their events including the décor, lighting and sound system was all spot on here tonight! Was a shame that the Dance factory wasn’t opened as this was due to the owners of the Dance Factory not allowing Uproar to use till very last minute.

The atmosphere tonight was amazing every one up for it with a great friendly vibe no trouble at all. It’s fair to say that the security were quite tight, but I feel that now the Sanctuary is being used more regularly not only by Uproar but other promoters, the venue owners don’t want to risk any trouble or to jeopardise other promoters using the venue seeing as the Sanctuary is starting to feature more events.

With it being early in the year and with 3 massive events have been staged recently, and all being full houses and sold out, that the scene is having a healthy start for 2006. Onwards and Upwards!

Big shouts to Sedders and Rude, Storm, Whizzkid, Breeze, Sy, Scott Brown, Alex Energy and Stacie, Styles, Unknown, Dougal, Druid, Ribbz, Gammer, The Doctor, Marc Smith, Supreme, Knight, Faydz, Ratty, Smiley, Wotsee, Wizbit, Ben and the UpTheCut Crew, Zane, Sharkey, Tony Res, D-Ice Flyin and Charmy.

Massive respects to Shauny, Mike, Leanne, Gaz and Lucy, Lisa, Vic, Sara, Arwen, Hannah, Cat, Brian BK, Joe from HTID, Rob from True hardcore, Womble, Juicy and the Shrewsbury Crew, Ciarra, Doug, Olly Thumpa and Tansy, Sawyer, Hiney, Foggy, Turkish and G-Spencer, Julie Delicious, Annabelle, Sallie and Lou Lou, Ravegirl, Andy Immz and Lucy, Marcus, Charlie and James (congrats), Kev Pikey, Niki (Happy birthday) Ronnie, Jonny G, Michele (Happy birthday), Steph and Obie, Sarah from Northampton, Mat KoR, Mini, Sykee, Caddy and Ad, Andy Legs, Izzy, John Buzz-B, Gillian, Gareth, Astra, Jame-O, Damo and Jim, Lucy Lou, Ecksta-C (Happy birthday) + Overlode, Clare, Jacqui, Leanne, Gemma, also to everyone else whose names I don't' know but faces I recognise.