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Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
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The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023!
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PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records!
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Godskitchen Xmas Party: Reviewed

Reported by Adam Symbiosis / Submitted 11-01-10 09:47

Road trips, the stuff of legend. Armin van Burren, the DJ even your Gran loves. Godskitchen, a superbrand clubbing institution. Put them all together and fill with people who actually love music. Could it be true? Adam Symbiosis put on the driving gloves and with a hardy band of enthusiasts headed off to celebrate Christmas in Birmingham.



Most people are lazy it has to be said; lazy about most things unless it comes to complaining over the internet. But even then they are complaining from the comfort of their own home, safe in the knowledge the sofa and a cuppa are not that far away so it could be argued that this vitriol is a function of sloth. Certainly most people’s idleness when it comes to clubbing results in an acceptance of substandard clubs, with substandard DJs and substandard “fun”, if you want to call it that. They never really vote with their feet and move around clubs preferring to either put up or stay at home (and probably complain).



And this is a shame as around the country (and to even more of an extent around the world) clubs are going off – with jam packed events featuring the cream of DJing greats and positively eye catching visuals and lighting. One of these clubs currently enjoying a renaissance (was it ever away?) is Godskitchen in Birmingham. With packed out parties every time I’d visited and an open and approachable production team they seemed to have struck on a, not surprisingly, winning formula. But with the biggest DJ in the world coming to town, would things work out just fine again as we took at trip up the M1?



Of course things didn’t really go all our way on the journey up, as Mother Nature conspired to close schools and strand air passengers with a flurry of snow that dropped travelling speeds to not much faster than an elephant on his holiday in Siberia. Undaunted we finally made landfall after a brief wrong turn and detour though the hinterlands of Birmingham’s vibrant nightlife scene. Fuelled by untold amounts of cheap alcohol, bodies fresh against the cold winter winds staggered from pub to neon pub and a part of me was glad to not be facing such a fiendish loop of bad vodka, Basshunter and Ben Shermans.



That’s not to say there weren’t any shirts and shoes types in the club as we arrived, rushed in from the cold thanks to our host Keith, but as always first impressions are not always what they seem. London clubs thrive on diversification and often in a very tribalistic way, with one group or other usually taking up the lions share of a given events’ attendance. Not at Godskitchen Birmingham though as those shirts and shoes mingled with tottering stilettos, fluffy boots and cyber gear, ravers, rudies and whatever other subset you might like to throw into the melting pot of the dancefloor. One thing connected these people however and that was the music.



Everyone knew the music; everyone was enjoying themselves and trust me, as the party thronged there was a lot of enjoyment spread around. Armin played his usual uplifting, accessible sound and at two am he wrapped up and handed over to Gareth Emery, departing the decks to the sounds of his name chanted by the crowd. Upstairs there were more people, bodies strewn across every seat, arms slung over balcony edges. Bouncers struggled to move people up and down the stairs as people jostled for a position and a view of the DJ.



Room Two provided a respite as Paul Thomas and Sonny Wharton provided a deep and groovy foil to the driving nature of the main room. Tracks like Technologic and Pjanoo got the thinned out crowd chugging but it was the easy access bar that got most usage from me here, not to say that the bar staff anywhere else were anything less than efficient – it was more the lack of people waiting. A grudging acceptance of bar prices in London was pleasingly swept away and it was only the drive back that kept me from getting carried away!



Room three was the least subscribed as Deep City Soul played some funky house, but how many people actually realised room three was even there at all? Maybe some extra signage is needed? Back on the main floor it was time for Gods resident Mark Eteson to grace the decks. With the room still pleasantly full there was no disappointment on the atmosphere front as people continued to have it. What did get me though was how much the volume levels increased from set to set getting progressively louder until the mixer VU meters must have looked like Christmas trees in June, all lit up for no reason. The vibrating in my ears (and in my nose weirdly enough), despite my earplugs, detracted from the music somewhat but it didn’t stop people from enjoying themselves and that oft shouted call of one more resulted in an extra track ringing out to a raptured club.



Road trips can be a great thing especially in a group and so it was pleasing that not only were we surrounded by friends, we were also surrounded by lots of fun-lovers and some great music. It might also be criminal of me not to touch on the lighting set up, three lasers, glitter balls, scanners, in fact everything, short of proper full colour lasers and a VJ, needed to add that extra dimension to your night. This Godskitchen was a success, as have every other event I’ve attended at Air. Now if only they take their lead from say, Dance Valley or Trance Energy, just think what Global Gathering could be?!



It just goes to show though what can be achieved if the right effort is put into an event and, no doubt, why after so many years GK is still with us as others have fallen by the wayside. It’s also a reason why jaded, lazy clubbers bored with the buffet should get off their arse and try something new. Maybe they’re afraid they’ll have something to praise instead of criticise?




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Photos courtesy of Pat Montgomery and Steve at Godskitchen. Not to be reproduced without permission.

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Other Features By Adam Symbiosis:
The Big Chill: Reviewed
Tiësto at Victoria Park: Reviewed
Lilly Allen: Reviewed
Digital Society May 2009: Reviewed
Losing The Music? Sign This Petition!
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
Comments:

From: Andy Dunford on 11th Jan 2010 16:40.01
Best night of the year that was. Will definitely be going again in 2010! It's a shame the club scene in London is so pants in comparison. Those northerners know how to party Smile

PS, like the Christmas Tree analogy!

From: Pathfinder on 11th Jan 2010 18:49.05
Will have to try that this year

From: ED_case on 11th Jan 2010 20:27.01
Once again another very memorable and enjoyable escape from London's dire trance scene.

From: xffx on 11th Jan 2010 21:21.53
A truly great night - one I'm still smiling from.

From: Arnold on 15th Jan 2010 16:30.30
Thanks for the kind words guys. Glad you enjoyed it

From: Carine on 16th Jan 2010 19:31.30
Great night with lovely people and the burge was tasty too Smile

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