Uproar
The Hardcore Showdown Part 3
The Sanctuary
Birmingham
Saturday 20th January 2007

Uproar returned back to Birmingham as the presented ‘The Hardcore Showdown Part 3’ to kick start 2007 at The Sanctuary.

The Hardcore Showdown is now an annual event and in its 3rd year, a night which features unique back to back sets from the DJ’s in the main arena. The back to back sets billed looked amazing and was definitely well worth seeing how the DJ’s will battle it out tonight.

Headed down to Digbeth in Birmingham just after 10 and the queue was massive, spanning around the venue right up to the Dance Factory on the corner. The raver’s were waiting patiently to get inside on this cold and frosty night.

The Sanctuary security team are notoriously strict for checking people for ID as they had to unfortunately turn away those who did not have any identification on them. I was greeted on the door by the Uproar crew, was handed over tonight’s set times card and after a vigorous search from the security, I headed straight to the main arena.

The Uproar production team pulled out the stops for tonight redressing the Sanctuary main arena. The arena was decked out from head to toe, with the ceiling being littered with plenty of Uproar logo’s, at the front of the arena was the massive Uproar banner with two massive projectors and another banner which was draped above the DJ box. All of this was backed by a spectacular lighting rig with a state of the art laser system and an improved sound system.

MC Chit Chat was on the stage entertaining the crowd as the main arena started to full up nicely, DJ’s Gammer and Kurt where finishing up with. The remainder of the set was mix up of genres as they played Pendulum’s ‘Painkiller’ and some bouncy gabba.

Following on from these two was the award winning Joey Riot alongside Notorious Vinyl’s very own Marc Smith. Joey opened the set with the intro from the drum and bass anthem ‘Chopper’. MC Wotsee was ensuring the crowd where kept on their toes warming up the crowd with his lyrics.

Joey Riot and Marc Smith set the dance floor alight with a very upfront bouncy selection dropping the likes of ‘Make it bounce’, ‘Pull over’ and ‘Voodoo people’ remix before turning up the tempo and finishing off with some gabba. The main arena was rammed at this point with next to now room to move.

Next up to battling it out was Raver Baby’s DJ Breeze and Quosh’s DJ Unknown. Whizzkid MC was mcing alongside Uproars’ very own MC Rude who where on the stage mcing back to back working the ravers up and if they were frozen from earlier on they certainly would have been defrosted by working up a sweat now !

Unknown and Breeze where both showcasing their respective labels and production work playing the likes of ‘Passion’ and ‘Gotta believe’ remixes along with ‘ Be with you’, ‘Hardcore DJ’ and ‘Angel’. DJ Unknown was showing off his wizardry on the decks and performing some great scratching.

At this point I decided to have a wonder and located the oldskool arena. I walked into the arena and was greeted by ‘Children of the night’. Vibes and Livelee were playing a classics set and the oldskool arena was rammed. This was the first time that I’ve seen it packed wall to wall with ravers.

It was great to see this arena rammed out and with DJ Vibes playing a classic 96 set with his partner in rhymes the one and only Live-Lee. Live-Lee was awesome during this set there was a mixture of older and newer ravers in here who were reciting his famous lyrics.

Vibes was playing classics such as ‘Rainbows’, ‘Rush hour’ and ‘The Rave Theme’, Vibes brought us up to date with a few current crowd favourites and played Darren Styles’s ‘Save me’. MC Junior was here and was getting ready for his set with Force but decided to give us a live rendition of ‘I need you’.

Following on from one hardcore legend to another from Force and Styles fame it was time for DJ Force and MC Junior. Force opened the set with ‘Pacific sun’ which got the crowd singing and Junior doing the vocals that he is infamously known for, with his style of singing.

It’s been along time since I’ve since Junior MC at a major event along with numerous others as he’s been busy in the studio. It was good to see that he still has the magic that he possesses. Force carried off where vibes had left off with a classic 96-97 set as he continued with ‘Here I am’, ‘Devotion’ and ‘Sensation’.

Back to the main arena and the award wining DJ Styles was on back to back with Maximum impacts DJ Seduction. Styles in true form was playing a vocally bouncy set with the ‘Skydivin’ vocal remix, along with ‘Castles in the sky’, ‘Face down ass up’ and ‘Sunlight’ a great selection from the duo. MC Storm was rocking the party and was performing a lot of new lyrics and hyping up the crowd which he does best.

DJ Dougal and The South Coast duo of the GEOS crew, who where continuing the action in the main arena. Robbo and Dougal were playing a very euphoric and uplifting selection with plenty of vocally tunes for the crowd to sing along to with tracks such as ‘Listen to your heart’, ‘All the tears I cried’, ‘Angel’, and ‘When I close my eyes’. Rude introduced the set but it was only a matter of time for Marley to the grace the mic and hype up the crowd, whilst on the stage Marley was in his natural habitat like the old pandemonium days here at the Sanctuary.

Dougal closed the set with ‘A New feeling (let it shine)’, penultimate set of the night came from one the newest and hottest properties in the scene DJ Squad-E alongside the Raver Baby head honcho DJ Hixxy. I was looking forward to this back to back special and I wasn’t left disappointed. Tune selection was spot on with plenty of forthcoming Raver Baby material being showcased with tunes such as ‘Overload’, ‘Sweetheart’ remix, ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Beat drop’.

Whizzkid was rocking the crowd with his beatboxing and getting the ravers to participate with his lyrics. Throughout the set Hixxy was showing off some of his turntablism skills and was scratching it up, which I’ve not seen him do for long time and he did a grand job. Sqaud-E and Hixxy continued to play ‘Take me with you’, ‘C u on the other side’, ‘I’m hardcore this is what I do’, before finishing off the set with ‘Your shining’ remix.

It was fast approaching 5 o’clock and closing the night was the legendary DJ Sy alongside Re-Con. This set was billed for last year’s showdown but unfortunately it didn’t happen as CLSM replaced Re-Con. Well with Re-Con here tonight it was well worth the 12 month wait with his back to back session with Sy.

What a great set this was from these two as they battled it out on the decks tune selection was spot on as they dropped ‘Angels’, ‘Power of love’ and ‘Lost the plot’. Storm was tremendous for the final 60 minutes rocking the ravers and keeping them hyped that he naturally does.

Sy and Storm were having their infamous scratch battles but Re-Con decided to join in and was playing with some of the effects on the decks. Re-Con finished the night with his remix of ‘Cry’ before security decided to call the night to an end.

Well this was the first massive hardcore event of 2007 and what a great way to get the brand new year underway. The main filled up slowly but come 11 the place was rammed with hardly any room to move at all, also I was suspired how busy the oldskool arena was especially when Vibes and Force were on, as at past events this arena normally isn’t busy and is used more of a chill out area than a dance arena.

Once again the production was amazing especially in the main arena, the décor and production that Uproar use to dress their parties with is 2nd to none and is always impressive, especially the laser system that they use. The b2b DJ sets were spectacular great sets played by everyone and was impressed mainly with Sy and Re-Con as it’s was worth waiting a good 12 months for this back to back special. another set I really enjoyed was Squad-E and Hixxy the tune selection was spot on and was a glimpse to what the Raver Baby label has in store for us in 2007.

Uproar has set the standard for 2007 lets hope this continues thorough out the year!!!

Massive shouts to Seduction, MC Rude and the Uproar Crew, Storm, Whizzkid, Hixxy, Sy, Re-Con, Pilgrim, Darren Styles, Breeze, Unknown, Ben and Sam, Squade-E, Joey Riot, Kurt, Marc Smith, Livelee, Force, Junior, Twista, Faydz, Broosky, Dougal, Marly, Robbo, Knighty, Sunset Regime, Supreme, Wotsee, Chit chat, Squidgy B, Ribbz, 3-Dom, Tony Res, Smithy, Joe HID, Mark Jellybeanz, Flyin and Charmy.

Big respects to Shaun, Lozzy, Sallie, John Buzz-B, Izzy and the Welsh crew, Andy Legs, Danny Smithers, Caddy, Mat KoR, Lisa, Arewn and Sarah, Olly Thumpa, Hiney, Sawyer, Mike, Andy Farmin, Craig, Maz, Rachel and David, Gsus, Emma, Smithy, Chris Mental and Mark Pleasuredome, Kate, Kelly, Ciarra, Chelsea, Kat, Roxy, Becky, Abbie, Kat, Lea, Ginger Jim and Damo, Phil Friction, Lucy (Happy Birthday), Andy Immz, Nat, Hayley, Wookie, Emma and Powertoolz, Sarah, Emma, Hanna, and Annabelle Lucy, Rudeboy Rob, Kev Pikey and Laura, Chris and Foggy, Fleur, Hardcore Paul, James and Charlie, Daz Rampant, Marky, DSI crew, and everyone else whose names I don't' know but faces I recognise.