Mossop's Rave Section

My favourite mix compilations...

Postion	DJ	Compilation Featured On
1	Sy	Helter Skelter - Masters @ Work 1
2	Hixxy	Bonkers 1
3	Sharkey	Bonkers 2
4	Sy & Unknown	Fusion - Best Of British
5	Hype	Moondance

Raves I've been to...

20/6/98: Flashback @ The Que Club, Birmingham

My first ever rave and it was an all night affair of old skool making me realise how much old skool I actually knew and liked. Barnstormer of a night with Gershwim, Pilgrim and Mistress Mo warming us up then the Ratpack playing the all time faves along with some new tracks they had.. Grooverider playing some old Jungle tracks.. Most memorable point of the night was here when arguing with my mate that we should be in the old skool room - not the extra house room they had going, GR put on SS's Lighter on a rewind and we knew where to go.. I remember at 5:45 thinking I was gonna collapse but when I heard Sy live for the first time in my life I knew I wasn't leaving that dancefloor for anything. This event was voted club of the month for the Midlands in Ministry Magazine - See their review by clicking here. (c)Copyright 1998 Ministry

21/8/98: Fusion @ Brunel Rooms

Not sure when this was exactly but me and my girlfriend Bridie got together again, and it turned out she liked raving as much, if not more, than me! Music from the likes of Wink (not Josh though), Shaggy (whose birthday it was) doing some old happy hardcore, Sy of course and I forget who else, but this really enforced my liking of hardcore and Brunel rooms has since become my top favourite nightclub now.

3/10/98: Club Dreamscape @ The Sancturary, MK

What a night!!! Stonking, if I do say so myself. Sy & Unknown trying to out scratch each other. Vynalgroovers set at the end was great along with him competing with MC Storm for the scratching.. Man that MC Storm sounds like a pair of technics! Whole array of DJ's were there I can't begin to list here. Techno upstairs and hardcore, jungle, etc. downstairs.

31/10/98: Helter Skelter @ Denbeigh Leisure Complex, MK

Timeless:Tell me something... why is it that the only DJ that seems to play as good live as on a mix CD is Sy? I expected more from Hixxy but I could hardly hear him scratching and his music was too cheesy. Hype was okay but without fail Sy has always done a good show! What a Man and this set was no different DJ Sy vs MC Storm - both scratching in their own way. 4 arenas were here with dedicated techno and old skool rooms with jungle and the happy stuff mixed about in the main two rooms, but there was a bit in the middle where there was nothing that interested me in any of the rooms. I think I prefered Dreamscape but it was wet and rainy and I was so tired you wouldn't believe. See Dream.UK's review by clicking here. (c)Copyright 1998 Dream.UK

6/11/98: Club Dreamscape @ The Escape, Swansea

Originally I'd planned to goto Fusion @ Goldiggers, but had a great time in Wales instead. Nicky Blackmarket doing some stonking Jungle, Cally & Juice with some great Trancecore, Lomas an amazing Old Skool set - loved that and I shook hands with the great DJ Sy. I didn't wanna wash my hand again. He's just so good! Hardcore - I Luv it!!!!!!!

20/11/98 Fusion @ The Brunel Rooms, Swindon

This left me knackered for the entire weekend. Last event I went to in 98 til New Year's Eve. Calley & Juice were just finishing as we got there and the place was alive. We went down with our friends Colin & co from Northampton and our friends from Swansea & Chippenham were there too. Mickey Finn played a good set, then Slipmatt was on and this time I did notice him doing a bit of the old scratching.. We bought our camera to this event - Sy obviously finished off the night to a tee and he even posed for the camera.. See photos of that night in my Ravers Photo section

31/12/98: Helter Skelter @ Denbeigh Leisure Complex, MK

Bringing in the new year.. Well it was massive... full of people but was not worth over 100 quid (for me & my girlfriend) I felt ill come midnight and had to sit down during Sy's set but when a remix of What Is A DJ (If He Can't Scratch) came on with Sy scratching all over it & Storm joining in that kept me going. Not as good as I'd hoped for though. See Dream.UK's review by clicking here. (c)Copyright 1999 Dream.UK

1/1/99: Club Dreamscape @ Brunel Rooms, Swindon

Yep on New Years Day we were out too for damn good night with the ESP crew. Much than better than the eve rave. Not as long but a far better do and better value for money too. Calley & Juice, Nicky Blackmarket & Slipmatt B2B Vibes all played damn good sets and some good old skools sets downstairs too. A kickin' night.

9/1/99: Club Labyrinth @ The Pleasure Rooms, Tottenham

Yep finally checked this place out and it's bloody good I can tell ya. Got there for DJ Unknown's set and it was the best I think I've ever heard.. Stonking.. just my cup of tea. Doing hardcore, then came Hypes Ready or Not, then back to hardcore with the Bad Ass bassline kicking in. And obviously scratching was second to none. Amazing set! Stompy set was pretty good too. The drum n bass room I did enter a couple of times but it was very hard dnb when I went in there so I didn't really stay in there.

4/3/99: Hardcore UK @ Embassy, Cheltenham

Yep an event finally happened in Gloucestershire. I was there. I got there whilst the Old Skool set was playing - wasn't very exciting, The following hardcore set was okay but the mixing was pretty bad at points. The limiter kept coming on which wasn't helped by the MC.. Some hard Drum & Bass was next then Vibes & Dee came on. Half way through his set I couldn't dance anymore - The flu had taken it's toll on me. Vibes even played a couple of Garage tunes in the midst of his set!? It was a good night. My friends Pete, Kate & Cheyla were there and they loved it so much, they can't wait to come raving again with us lot..

19/3/99: Fusion @ Goldiggers

I was here for Legs birthday but he ended up pulling out at the last minute but it was cool never the less.. Got there when Sy was playing so I was straight on the dancefloor.. Met up with my mates Jayne, John & Sarah, etc. and was well into it.. First proper rave type affair since Jan and boy, had I missed it. Vynalgroover did some stonkin stuff too with Storm on the mic too..

27/3/99: Helter Skelter @ Denbeigh Leisure Complex, MK

Lost In Music: What a night??! The best Skelter I've been too.. Pete was along for the ride and what a ride it was.. I don't think there was a point where I once wanted to stop dancing.. No rain for a change.. Met up with Jayne and co.. however it was disappointing not to meet up with Colin. Storm & Sy played a blinder as ever.. Nicky Blackmarket play some good old jungle.. Seductions classic hardcore set starting off with Toytown really got the place kickin'. A good night was had by all I feel..

15/5/99: Yabba Dabba Doo @ The Pleasure Rooms, Tottenham

Old skool galore here.. with an old skool jungle room, an old skool hardcore room, and Robbie Dee in a 3rd room doing the gong show along with Fred n Barney who were there for the party too! The gong show involves DJs showing off their talents for 15mins and if they were good, they'd stay on longer but if the crowd (or Robbie) decided they were naff.. GONG! It was good when Robbie was gonging this one guy off but the crowd were disagree-ing cos he was putting on The Man Of Steel, so Robbie let him play that last one to the crowd's apporval.. Some trancecore in that room too which was top notch. The jungle room kept playing this one song everytime I went past it, which I did dance to once, but most of the night I was in the hardcore room.. Most memorable set was Ratpack at the very end.. They know how to get a crowd jumping!

21/5/99: Fusion vs Adrenalin @ Goldiggers, Chippenham

Great night!! Met up with Jayne & Colin, Bridie and walked down the event with a couple of ravers from up north way, who hadn't been raving for ages and were dying to see Mark EG live.. He was first up and they weren't disappointed with his style of mixing where he goes a bit mad inbetween each mix! We had Force n Styles, Vinylgroover & once again Sy, who all did good sets as usual.. They played that happy hardcore version of the old skool Awesome 3 song Don't Go, which I like. At the end, M-Zone didn't turn up til the last 20mins so Juice stood in and his set was wicked.. Most memorable bit was when MC Storm handed over Robbie Dee and Rob said, 'Who do we thinks gonna win between Man Utd,' & whoever they were playing back then. Storm grabbed the mic back said, 'Man Utd are the f**king best,' etc. to which the crowd relished.

29/5/99: Helter Skelter @ Denbeigh Leisure Complex, MK

Night Life:Ahh.. I went down on my own.. But I knew full well I would meet up with plenty of up for it people who I could befriend.. I was meeting up with Colin, Bridie, Jayne & Colin inside the place anyway.. The flyer where a womans breasts had turned into tunnels turned out to be a good event.. When I got there Hixxy's record was jumping and he gave up and the next DJ come on.. I caught Producer and Scorpio's set and got into some of that. Slipmatt didn't put any effort in his hardcore set he played.. Mixing the next song is as the other one fades out.. Anyway, thanks to Hype being late, I hadn't realised Sy was playing next door so I off I ran and what a set I caught! Off Yer Nut stylee with Storm turning up who wasn't even on the flyer. Stonkin' sounds of Toytown and 6 Days On The Run.. Most memorable bit was the end of Dougals old hardcore set (yes, I actually have to admit to liking Dougal that night), when Antisocial's My Way came on - Pete, I was thinking of ya, as I gave it some.

9/7/99: United Dance @ Bagleys, Kings Cross

United in Sweat, we were as this place was so hot you would not beleive.. We had Junior on the stage with Force & Styles belting out a couple of his tunes that he got the crowd singing too - The mood was pretty good but it wasn't long til the heat really kicked in and the sweat was dripping from the ceiling.. I got a new pair of white gloves but my hands couldn't breathe. The old skool dnb room which wasn't originally advertised was amazing.. Badass, Peace Love & Unity & when Lighter started getting sneaked in by the DJ who was amazingly fast & skillful at mixing and the guy near the front held up his lighter, the crowd was really up for it.. However upstairs in the hardcore room the sound system was too quiet, you couldn't hear the tunes sometimes for the whistles, horns & mcs and the DJs all played the same tunes.. Got fed up of hearing shooting star 4 or 5 times, etc. Hixxy & Seduction were no shows.. Some good tunes like Steam Train just forgotten.. However Sy & Unknown with Storm did do there stuff at the end.. This night could've been so much better though..

23/7/99: Fusion @ New Trinity Centre, Bristol

Train was 45 mins late, got given wrong directions so we missed Mark E.G. & Calley & Juice's sets. Not be disheartened Pete & I wondered into the hardcore room. I'm not sure what happened but Molee seem to be on there scratching I think instead of Vinylgroover & he'd even replaced Clarkee at one point during Clarkee's hour?! Managed to catch Unknown mixing some old skool but without Sy as stated on the flyer.. Hixxy did a trancey house type set, which I'm told is where his music tastes were moving towards.. What a SET? It was damn good.. He played an old favourite of mine called Access and I really loved that when I heard it coming in.. Nicky Blackmarket did a stonker of a set going from Whistle Posse Pump It Up.. into Bad Ass, to start it off.. I loved that remix of the superman Man Man Of Steel song too.. Sy & Storm and did a sorted set scratching more than Pete had ever heard them do.. There was a bit where Sy was scratching a fart sound and Storm was looking around going, 'Who did that?' which was funny.. All in all a damn good night out...

30/10/99 GBH Halloweed Ball @ The Depot, Bristol

It was damn good.. I missed Sy's set as he must've been on straight away.. Having not raved since July, one thing did get on my nerves.. All these Sy & Storm immitators.. The DJs' are ok but these MCs just aint got what Storm has.. The don't reach out to the crowd.. Need to practice on their livelyness I think.. Anyway, Hixxy's set was silly.. He played hardcore at the end and some damn good house music too, but he was listed as playing hardcore and they could've put him in the house room.. It was a damn good set, mind! Vinylgroover played the hardcore version of the drum n bass track, Lighter, which is pretty cool and his set was pretty stomping along with On 1-2's set too.. Lisa Pin Up was getting the cheers in with her set, and they played a new Acidy remix of my old fave Access which was amazing..

19/11/99 Fusion's Last Party @ The Bath Pavillion, Bath

There were tears in a lot of peoples eyes as we had to say goodbye to the rave phenomenum that was Fusion. But they went out in style partying.. The play order was messed up but who cared. We were there to dance are arses off one last time. Bridie, Dave, Jayne, Colin, Laura & all the regulars were there and it was ace. Two rooms playing the best tunes.. Loads of stuff from the Bonkers 1 & 2 eras played in the old skool room and even Sy & Unknown had loads of old choons to play too.. Heard the Toytown remix, and too many good choons to list.. A top night was had by all, and I'm sure I speak for the many of the Fusion-fans when I say we're gonna miss Fusion in a big way..

12/2/00 Spunky @ The Jailhouse, Hereford

Spunky - Was it ever! Mark & myself went up to Hereford to see the duo that are Sy & Storm and what a night it was! Sy did a stonkin' old skool set with a couple of newish tunes for good measure. Loads of Off Yer Nut style choons got the crowd really into it. They loved it so much they were chanting, 'SY! SY!' over & over and we even had a juggler on the dancefloor..