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Wednesday 2 June 2010

"Amazing Alternative" - Reverse Sunrise - Club Review


“AMAZING ALTERNATIVE”
REVERSE SUNRISE – SATURDAY 22ND MAY
CLUB REVIEW


We are occasionally accused of devoting too much time to the big clubbing events that often dominate the clubbing calendar and in doing so, overlook some of the alternative offerings that deserve a little attention, so breaking out of these clutches we decided to answer our critics by taking a look at something very different to our norm and venturing away from the trappings of Vauxhall to savour a metrosexually driven concept that would prove to be a most satisfying one, not least for the incredible & diverse crowd, but for a very different yet fresh music offering in truly lofty surroundings, that resulted in one of the most spectacular views we have seen in any club ever. What are we talking about? Well, Reverse, a clubbing concept that was born just 12 months ago, hitting the capital to critical acclaim & the brainchild of one Guy Williams, a real pioneer in the metrosexual market, keen & passionate to bring something different to a sometimes monotone & mundane scene, a series of parties in London & Manchester throughout 2009 doing just that and paving the way for other new clubbing projects.

So, with the anniversary of the Reverse beginning on our doorsteps, we booked a slot in our diary, reassuring promoter Guy Williams that we would be there, hook or by crook, come rain or shine, although with the forecast looking simply amazing we knew we were going to be in for a special treat as we headed into town to warm up our night as we so often have done, in the hands of Brent Nicholls at Barcode Soho, but with an eye on the clock so as not to arrive at this Reverse happening too late. Tearing ourselves away from what was developing into another bountiful Barcode experience in the hands of Brent, we arrived at Guy’s happening which was once again being held 31 floors up at the top of Centrepoint in the club space Paramount, the loftiest venue we know in the whole capital, providing stunning & breathtaking panoramic views across London in every direction and the backdrop for the theme of the party “Sunrise” which would see us witness the awe inspiring picturesque sight of the orange globe that enlightens our lives every time it shines, rising relentlessly into the sky.

However, with it being just beyond midnight, our attentions were to the club itself, as we were zoomed from ground level to the dizzy heights of this special space, a clean and clinical area which, even after three visits, still reminded us more of an office rather than a club, but had, in the expanse of windows each side, the undeniably sensational scenery spread before our eyes, the whole of London light up in sparkling splendour stretching to each horizon in front of our eyes. Grabbing some refreshments, we headed round onto the eastern side of the venue, set aside as the dancefloor and with suitable disco lighting & lasers illuminating the space, moving in time with the musical beats being pumped out by Reverse promoter & accomplished D.J. Guy Williams, who was pleased to see that we had made his event. And what of the music? Well, it was definitely a departure from the usual house genres we tend to get attracted to, rather a glorious collection of what Guy and a whole host of enthusiasts call “nu- disco”, very much a nod to the sounds of the disco jiving 70’s & 90’s, but also with nineties style “Hed Kandi” influences, as well as more up to date remixes of classics, giving this slant of sounds a fresh & funky feel. And Guy’s choices were definitely hitting the spot, as the building crowd were swapping their view gazes for the dancefloor & delighting in the disco frenzy that was developing.

Feeling a little out of our comfort zone with a distinctly more metrosexual audience, we were soon to become more at ease and elevate our enjoyment with the arrival of friends Tamsin Roberts & Clington Forbes, who also introduced us to a bunch of their friends who were most inviting, making us feel much more at home in the alternative offering that was Reverse and as the club filled out further, more familiar scene faces appeared to balance out the crowd, making for quite a delightfully eclectic mix of homo’s & hetro’s, all with the intent of having a great time in the disco-tastic hands of Guy and his resident band of D.J.’s. Indeed when Serge Santiago took over the decks, we began to really relax into the vibe he was creating, with all thoughts of our usual Vauxhall happenings a distant memory, well at least for this night anyway.

Now our attention was fully grabbed and with Tamsin in close quarters, keeping us highly amused with her cute & doggie daschund shaped handbag, as well as a cavorting Clington moving to the disco beats, the speed of the music increased a further few notches, when special guest stars, Faze Action took to the decks and a whole myriad of memories of some brilliant Hed Kandi moments were played out in our minds & in front of our eyes, as the boys picked some terrific tunes to keep us tripping the light fantastic, gyrating and swinging to the sounds in unison with many around us, only briefly departing to powder our noses & recharge with liquid refreshments. But little else could keep us away from these cosmotic disco beats, so evocative of those sampled from their amazing album “Stratus Energy”, which just like the live set they were laying down for our delectation, is drenched in total new age disco and confirming their groundbreaking status in this “nu-disco” following we found ourselves within.

But the night was far from over and about to get even better, as Pete Herbert then took his turn behind the decks, turning the pace up a little further, lifting the atmosphere higher and treating us to some stupefyingly spectacular selections that had us rocking & rolling even more than before, our occasional glances across to the D.J. booth spotting him pouring a whole load of energy into his set, which was going down an absolute storm. However, as good as Pete’s set was, the sight which many had come up these 31 floors to see, was beginning to develop, as the skyline was slowly changing from black to blue, as the dawning of a new day was about to unfold and first a very thin line of orange skimmed the buildings in our eyes sight and the then soon to emerge sun began to lighten the London scene in breathtaking fashion. Pete, undeterred by all the gazing action, continued to pour out one magnificent mix after the next, which was always going to be a hard act to follow, but one we had been looking forward to all night, as the legend that is Severino arrived to assume the decks & take us on a much more funkier & fulsome Italio influenced electro music madness.

By now the sun itself was appearing & breaking the capital’s horizon like we had never seen before and unlike the first Reverse outing a year ago, when rain clouds shrouded the view, the sun was beaming in all its glory, this incredible orange globe turning a more brighter yellow as it grew higher in the sky, casting its beams right across the Paramount dancefloor and illuminating Severino in his masterful delivery of a whole string of pulsating & pumping beats. And what a funky feast of new & exciting sounds it was, that saw us dance our way right through the rest of his fantastic set, all with the awe inspiring backdrop of the supreme sunrise view that we have never witnessed in such splendour before, save for those special times jetting around the world, in some ways the moments & minutes we watched the dramatic night to day transformation through the Reverse windows, emulating the feeling that we were flying high in the sky.

With the sun now quite high in the sky, our latest Reverse clubbing experience was almost at an end, but not before Guy Williams once again took to the decks and played us out with some brilliant disco renditions, including the fabulous & timeless classic “Illusion” by 80’s band Imagination, which rounded off a most enjoyable alternative experience, leaving us to sink back down 31 floors to terra firmer, to then wend our way home in the bright & warm Sunday morning sunlight. We even decided against a post Reverse return to the temptations of Vauxhall & Beyond, rather opting to keep all those disco tunes running through our heads and hold the memories of a great alternative evening fresh in our minds.

Well, in summing up this Reverse outing, it goes without saying that we had a fabulous time from start to finish. Despite being considerably removed from our comfort zone of regular house music, we delighted in the disco directed sounds served up by Guy, Serge, Robin, Simon, Pete & Severino, which made for a refreshing change to the normality. Plus the mixed & metrosexual crowd were really up for the experience, the event getting better & better by the minute, the venue also proving to be the perfect host for this prolific party, but whilst the music, the atmosphere & the crowd were top drawer, top marks have to go to the backdrop that was that stunning & spectacular sunrise. We are certainly glad we stayed to witness what was without doubt the most incredible climax to a night of clubbing we have ever seen & seeing that sun pop up over the London skyline & then rise high into the sky was worth every second. Reverse “Sunrise” you were scintillating. (DISCO MATT)

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