“TERRIFIC TIME DANCING”
T.T.D.LAUNCH PARTY – SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER
CLUB REVIEW
We very much look back on our early clubbing days in the capital with fond appreciation, many magical memories of a rich variety of clubs making for our very colourful weekend existence. Sunday in particular was always held in high regard, not least due to the legendary Trade, the equally iconic FF & Warriors, the delight that was DTPM & even clubs like Sherbert, Factor 25 and, who can forget, Salvation & PSP. Yes, Sunday’s were certainly very special in our world back then and looking at all these clubs, they had two things in common, firstly, central locations with a capital C & secondly, style with a big fat capital S. However, as time has moved on & trends changed, Vauxhall is the place now, other parts of South London sparkling on Sunday’s, although for us, both the C & S words are too often missing, therefore leaving a considerable gap in the market.
However, one man has very much grasped the nettle and with his new club T.T.D. (still waiting to find out exactly what it stands for) has combining those magical ingredients of Sunday P.M. clubbing in a central location. But not only that, creator & visionary behind this new clubbing brand, Billy Richard, ticked the central London & Sunday afternoon/evening boxes, with T.T.D., the plan is to bring a little bit of sophistication back into clubbing, not so much the pompous A listing of certain venues that see themselves as select and not the mundane weekly happenings that occur south of the river, but something delightfully in between the two, dare we say a kick back to the halcyon days of Salvation, Factor 25 et all. The question is, did T.T.D. achieve this on the launch? & how did we find our first experience in Sound?
So, in true style & feeling a little perkier after being laid low for a few days, we got ourselves organised nice & early, meeting up with friend & D.J. Brent Nicholls at just turned 3.30 p.m., he himself having started early at a private Cowboy/Cowgirl party over in The Shadow Lounge, a brief snack & catch up then finding us at Sound’s doors just on the strike of four & ready for the planned opening time (if but a little early in our estimation). With promoter Billy Richard running around finalising what preparations still needed to be done, it was down to the cool, clam & collected Simon Patrick to show us up to the main (3rd) floor, giving us a brief tour around the rather impressive venue, before we settled at the makeshift D.J. booth, Brent finding his bearings and firing up some uplifting & funky sounds to fill Sound with music.
Looking around at the space, it certainly had an impressive feel about it, the industrial chrome look, blending well with the striking lighting & furnishings, although the paint splashed wall panels around the dancefloor were a little too garish for our liking. However, with two further floors to the venue, there was certainly plenty of space, although, in our fragile state, the fair hike to the toilets was always going to be a challenge, but even given this we were suitably impressed with Sound as a host for T.T.D., Billy having added his own touches of production & lighting to give the main space an extra special feel, vivacious visuals playing on the bank of screens & imposing three dimensional lettering floating behind the D.J. booth where Mr Nicholls was now in full flight, even if he was challenged by not having a monitor to accurately mix tracks, although some of his attempts were cause for some hilarity on our part, we get more than a taste of our own medicine back from a jovial Brent, who’s quips as well as music kept us & the select few around entertained
With people slowing beginning to drift in, including the dancing crew, the gorgeous Mark bounding up so say hello to Brent & us before heading off to change, the gauntlet was thrown down for us to warm up the dancefloor with our energetic moves, some of them being caught on video, especially as the crowd began to develop & join in with our antics. With other clubbing pals joining in on this T.T.D. launch fun, Andrea, & co, Chris Brogan, Industri pal Stephen & occasional visitors Jeremy & Andy, the magnificent Minty, who made her usual commanding entrance, friends David & Stuart ready to party, we were certainly getting into our stride, soaking up the full on funky & latin twisted sounds Brent was serving up, one moment of hilarity being followed by the next, from a collapsible chair behind a speak, to a very interesting energy drink we were consuming, “Pussy” very much being the word of the party, even if it did taste a little odd.
With the arrival of incumbent D.J. Nick Tcherniak, we were looking forward to trading some moves with pal Mr B, although the absent monitor was causing continual concern, but with equipment on its way, Brent extended his two hour stint, eventually handing over the reins at not long before 7 p.m., by which time a healthy, if but eclectic crowd had developed, the brighter lighting of before traded for something much more appealing, the previously absent smoke effects now in full tilt & improving the atmosphere on the dancefloor considerably, encouraging even more people to join in with our overt antics. Nick was now himself adjusting to the lack of a sufficient equipment behind the D.J. booth, selecting some superb sounds, that included the massive “Deep Water” & “My People”, partner Tom also in situ exchanging latest bits of news with us, as the pace of the party continued increase momentum, minute after minute, the arrival of the dancers onto the main floor attracting attention, especially Mr Mark who was fetchingly dressed in thigh length boots & a tight fitting bodice, all which was showing off every asset (& my has he got some tasty ones) to their best.
Now the launch sequence of T.T.D. was way behind up, Billy’s spaceship of a club having reached the upper stratosphere in terms of atmosphere, we totally engrossed in our dancing, our continued hilarity with Brent, Stephen & Andrea and our “pussy” providing the rocket fuel we needed to keeping us from plummeting back down to earthly reality. And it was only going to get better when the Italian stallion himself, Pagano arrived, ready to take on an extended set to add to the already brilliant time we were having, surrounded by one of the most fun filled & carefree crowds we have been with for a long time, even arrivals Mis-White, Andrew Harris, & Dimity K blossoming the bountiful brigade of party people wanting to get their slice of this new Sunday sophisticate. With the Sicilian splendour taking to the decks, shrugging off the absence of a monitor & diving straight into action with classic Pagano tunes that brought even more people onto the square dancefloor, the bevy of beautiful dancers exchanging positions & moves each side of the maestro D.J. at work, completing the pulsating picture of perfection that was now T.T.D. However, with a good things unfortunately, they have to come to an end and with an eye on the clock which was creeping up towards 11 p.m. & commitments the following day, we were forced to call a halt on our terrific time dancing at T.T.D., saying our farewells and heading home to reflect on a successful start in the life on this new extremely enjoyable Sunday clubbing experience.
So, what was our conclusion on T.T.D. as a viable venture & what should the team concentrate on for future parties? Well, first & foremost, there was no doubt in our mind that this new kid on the gAylist scene block is such a refreshing change to the now normality of Vauxhall, the central location a real winner in many people’s eyes, even if Sound as a venue took a little getting used to. It was clear that the music was the main statement, all three D.J.’s putting up prolific performances, the whole essence of a musical journey being satisfied superbly and with the combination of that Sunday socialising feel to it, we can definitely see T.T.D. increasing with popularity, party after party.
Yes, Sound was never packed, but when you consider that the team had to face inclement weather & tube strikes, the numbers they pulled in were impressive enough and whilst the party lacked a little polish here & there, the absence of certain equipment & proper podiums for the dancers, the in balance of lighting early & the lack of smoke & laser effects which made a huge difference, are all things that can be put right quite easily. Given this was Billy Richard’s first ever full on clubbing event, he can be proud of what he has achieved, his team truly committed to the cause & the result a party that everyone (and we mean everyone) we have spoken to since, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, so like us, will be back for plenty more of that terrific time dancing that we had, come 7th November & you should be there too. (DISCO MATT)
Postscript.
Why not check out the specially commissioned compilation for the T.T.D. launch party by Brent Nicholls, which you can grab by either going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/music or by downloading the mix at http://speedyshare.com/files/24364407/1009_TTD_Pre_Launch_Warm_Up-_Welcome_To_The_Club_128.mp3
T.T.D.LAUNCH PARTY – SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER
CLUB REVIEW
We very much look back on our early clubbing days in the capital with fond appreciation, many magical memories of a rich variety of clubs making for our very colourful weekend existence. Sunday in particular was always held in high regard, not least due to the legendary Trade, the equally iconic FF & Warriors, the delight that was DTPM & even clubs like Sherbert, Factor 25 and, who can forget, Salvation & PSP. Yes, Sunday’s were certainly very special in our world back then and looking at all these clubs, they had two things in common, firstly, central locations with a capital C & secondly, style with a big fat capital S. However, as time has moved on & trends changed, Vauxhall is the place now, other parts of South London sparkling on Sunday’s, although for us, both the C & S words are too often missing, therefore leaving a considerable gap in the market.
However, one man has very much grasped the nettle and with his new club T.T.D. (still waiting to find out exactly what it stands for) has combining those magical ingredients of Sunday P.M. clubbing in a central location. But not only that, creator & visionary behind this new clubbing brand, Billy Richard, ticked the central London & Sunday afternoon/evening boxes, with T.T.D., the plan is to bring a little bit of sophistication back into clubbing, not so much the pompous A listing of certain venues that see themselves as select and not the mundane weekly happenings that occur south of the river, but something delightfully in between the two, dare we say a kick back to the halcyon days of Salvation, Factor 25 et all. The question is, did T.T.D. achieve this on the launch? & how did we find our first experience in Sound?
So, in true style & feeling a little perkier after being laid low for a few days, we got ourselves organised nice & early, meeting up with friend & D.J. Brent Nicholls at just turned 3.30 p.m., he himself having started early at a private Cowboy/Cowgirl party over in The Shadow Lounge, a brief snack & catch up then finding us at Sound’s doors just on the strike of four & ready for the planned opening time (if but a little early in our estimation). With promoter Billy Richard running around finalising what preparations still needed to be done, it was down to the cool, clam & collected Simon Patrick to show us up to the main (3rd) floor, giving us a brief tour around the rather impressive venue, before we settled at the makeshift D.J. booth, Brent finding his bearings and firing up some uplifting & funky sounds to fill Sound with music.
Looking around at the space, it certainly had an impressive feel about it, the industrial chrome look, blending well with the striking lighting & furnishings, although the paint splashed wall panels around the dancefloor were a little too garish for our liking. However, with two further floors to the venue, there was certainly plenty of space, although, in our fragile state, the fair hike to the toilets was always going to be a challenge, but even given this we were suitably impressed with Sound as a host for T.T.D., Billy having added his own touches of production & lighting to give the main space an extra special feel, vivacious visuals playing on the bank of screens & imposing three dimensional lettering floating behind the D.J. booth where Mr Nicholls was now in full flight, even if he was challenged by not having a monitor to accurately mix tracks, although some of his attempts were cause for some hilarity on our part, we get more than a taste of our own medicine back from a jovial Brent, who’s quips as well as music kept us & the select few around entertained
With people slowing beginning to drift in, including the dancing crew, the gorgeous Mark bounding up so say hello to Brent & us before heading off to change, the gauntlet was thrown down for us to warm up the dancefloor with our energetic moves, some of them being caught on video, especially as the crowd began to develop & join in with our antics. With other clubbing pals joining in on this T.T.D. launch fun, Andrea, & co, Chris Brogan, Industri pal Stephen & occasional visitors Jeremy & Andy, the magnificent Minty, who made her usual commanding entrance, friends David & Stuart ready to party, we were certainly getting into our stride, soaking up the full on funky & latin twisted sounds Brent was serving up, one moment of hilarity being followed by the next, from a collapsible chair behind a speak, to a very interesting energy drink we were consuming, “Pussy” very much being the word of the party, even if it did taste a little odd.
With the arrival of incumbent D.J. Nick Tcherniak, we were looking forward to trading some moves with pal Mr B, although the absent monitor was causing continual concern, but with equipment on its way, Brent extended his two hour stint, eventually handing over the reins at not long before 7 p.m., by which time a healthy, if but eclectic crowd had developed, the brighter lighting of before traded for something much more appealing, the previously absent smoke effects now in full tilt & improving the atmosphere on the dancefloor considerably, encouraging even more people to join in with our overt antics. Nick was now himself adjusting to the lack of a sufficient equipment behind the D.J. booth, selecting some superb sounds, that included the massive “Deep Water” & “My People”, partner Tom also in situ exchanging latest bits of news with us, as the pace of the party continued increase momentum, minute after minute, the arrival of the dancers onto the main floor attracting attention, especially Mr Mark who was fetchingly dressed in thigh length boots & a tight fitting bodice, all which was showing off every asset (& my has he got some tasty ones) to their best.
Now the launch sequence of T.T.D. was way behind up, Billy’s spaceship of a club having reached the upper stratosphere in terms of atmosphere, we totally engrossed in our dancing, our continued hilarity with Brent, Stephen & Andrea and our “pussy” providing the rocket fuel we needed to keeping us from plummeting back down to earthly reality. And it was only going to get better when the Italian stallion himself, Pagano arrived, ready to take on an extended set to add to the already brilliant time we were having, surrounded by one of the most fun filled & carefree crowds we have been with for a long time, even arrivals Mis-White, Andrew Harris, & Dimity K blossoming the bountiful brigade of party people wanting to get their slice of this new Sunday sophisticate. With the Sicilian splendour taking to the decks, shrugging off the absence of a monitor & diving straight into action with classic Pagano tunes that brought even more people onto the square dancefloor, the bevy of beautiful dancers exchanging positions & moves each side of the maestro D.J. at work, completing the pulsating picture of perfection that was now T.T.D. However, with a good things unfortunately, they have to come to an end and with an eye on the clock which was creeping up towards 11 p.m. & commitments the following day, we were forced to call a halt on our terrific time dancing at T.T.D., saying our farewells and heading home to reflect on a successful start in the life on this new extremely enjoyable Sunday clubbing experience.
So, what was our conclusion on T.T.D. as a viable venture & what should the team concentrate on for future parties? Well, first & foremost, there was no doubt in our mind that this new kid on the gAylist scene block is such a refreshing change to the now normality of Vauxhall, the central location a real winner in many people’s eyes, even if Sound as a venue took a little getting used to. It was clear that the music was the main statement, all three D.J.’s putting up prolific performances, the whole essence of a musical journey being satisfied superbly and with the combination of that Sunday socialising feel to it, we can definitely see T.T.D. increasing with popularity, party after party.
Yes, Sound was never packed, but when you consider that the team had to face inclement weather & tube strikes, the numbers they pulled in were impressive enough and whilst the party lacked a little polish here & there, the absence of certain equipment & proper podiums for the dancers, the in balance of lighting early & the lack of smoke & laser effects which made a huge difference, are all things that can be put right quite easily. Given this was Billy Richard’s first ever full on clubbing event, he can be proud of what he has achieved, his team truly committed to the cause & the result a party that everyone (and we mean everyone) we have spoken to since, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, so like us, will be back for plenty more of that terrific time dancing that we had, come 7th November & you should be there too. (DISCO MATT)
Postscript.
Why not check out the specially commissioned compilation for the T.T.D. launch party by Brent Nicholls, which you can grab by either going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/music or by downloading the mix at http://speedyshare.com/files/24364407/1009_TTD_Pre_Launch_Warm_Up-_Welcome_To_The_Club_128.mp3
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