Clubbing
Atomic Energy SIX, As Above So Below
By Maria Lewis.
Feb 5, 2005 - 4:23:00 AM

ATOMIC ENERGY was my first attendance of this event. Hearing so much about it from Lisa and Tony.P over the past MONTHS, this kind of event has always interested me and I have always wanted to go. It’s much different from the mainstream events such as Frantic and Wildchild, as the music policy doesn’t fall into the same category as hardhouse ! This event was brought to you by Psy Trance, Freeform, NRG etc – the most intelligent form of music that takes you on a journey throughout the whole process of the night, in fact, it’s the type of music that attaches itself to you and grows on you. I found myself in a ‘state’ of ‘disbelief’ as to why I hadn’t attended to any of these type of events before, to which I am kicking myself very badly for ! Unfortunately, Atomic Energy was the last event for a while to which I am real saddened by, as I thoroughly enjoyed this night but it was sods law that the time I DO get to be a part of it, it’s the last one, but, I am hoping it makes a come back with a more successful future in terms of being PERMENANT. The event was held at Mass in Brixton, and what a lovely little club it was, too. I had never been to Mass before. In fact, I had never been to a club in Brixton before, and more often than not, when going to completely new events that are held in new clubs that I have not been to before, it would usually take me a while to ‘settle in’ and ‘suss out the crowd’. Thankfully, through being in regular contact with Lisa and Eryk, they rest assured me, that, the Atomic Energy crowd are the friendliest people you could ever meet and that we would be well looked after ! Anyway, lets cut to the chase …

We started off in the Prince Of Wales Pub in Brixton to meet a few fellow clubbers whom we had planned to meet up with to go in the club together. These people had been to Atomic Energy a fair few times, so it was nice to sit, have a drink and talk about the event itself and be told what to expect, what the club is like, how many STAIRS there are (a winding spiral stair case going up to FOUR floors !) and such like. Totally excited, I just couldn’t wait to get in there, look around and hear some ‘different’ music, for a change !

We got to the club around 10:30pm(ish) and were fronted with all these stairs. It was quite funny, because not only does this club cater for your clubbing and musical needs, but they also help keep you fit with the amount of stairs that were fitted into this building ! I know I counted them all, just to add to this review, but sadly, I think I lost count after 40 ! We first checked out the Balcony Room (after putting in our coats) where Mattie C was playing. Words cannot describe at how, as soon as I got into that room, I was immediately roped into this music he was playing. For a warm up set, infact, for the FIRST set of the night in this room, he was amazing. The music was so intelligent, so moving, and so journey-like .. I could go on and on .. It was just spot on. The better thing about his set was, that, sometime after the event, Eryk had said that he played with NO monitors for most of the duration of his set ! This in itself tells me, this guy is good, and the quality of his set was unbelievably MIND BLOWING. Well done that man is ALL I have to say ! This room had a fair amount of people in and I think I only seen around THREE people sitting down and everyone else just being pulled into the quality music that was being played. I loved the décor, the funny stuff being displayed on the projector screens either side of the room like a PARK BENCH, just, THERE on the screen. Random, but funny. I love the kind of ‘un-normal’ stuff I see on these things in clubs. It’s quality ! I was also VERY impressed by the ‘bar fashion’ in this room. In fact, in ALL rooms. No hanging around waiting to be served, the staff were very consistent, unlike other clubs I have been to, I find I am always stood there waiting for the staff behind the bar to finish chatting about ‘whatever’ with each other. So thumbs up all round up in here !

Next room we took a gander to, was the Psychedelic Room. Iain Coleman B2B Fordy were playing. This room had SUCH a comfortable feel to it. Again, the décor in here was bloody fantastic. UV material of different yet interesting designs, plenty of sitting spots, a bar and a stall for Chai Tea ! It was like a little home from home in terms of the comfortness in here. It’s wasn’t a HUGE room, but I MUCH prefer the small ‘back rooms’ in clubs these days, where it feels, personal, if you like. The dance floor was half crowded, as the Psy Trance they were playing, was unbelievable. I wasn’t even a quarter of the way to being in the slightest bit drunk yet, but I was again, taken away by all these little noises in these tunes being played, and picking out little samples that I recognise from some excellent Psy Tunes I have spent a lot of time listening to in my own time. I was sat very comfortable listening to it all, until Gamma Goblins came on. Oh boy, never have I jumped up so QUICK from my seat to get up on that dance floor and tell everyone ‘This is mine and Lisa’s favourite tune ! It’s off the Hallucinogen album !’ haha dear god, I was like a little kid jumping around like a loon being over excited because it’s almost Christmas Day (or something like that). This tune put me in my place for the whole duration of the night .. I was WELL up for it. Hearing this tune assured me even more this event is something my inner soul has been EAGERLY waiting for (haha). It felt good and got me up on the dance floor for the best part of an hour until I looked at the time and thought .. ‘right, time to go check out Group 185, a recommendation from Lisa’, so up we all went back to the Balcony Room.

Coming back in here, more people were filling it. I started to recognise some faces from www.harderfaster.net, which was nice, because the people I had already met previously at other events, were all sound, so I was really looking forward to talking to some new people, which is the best part of my night, at any event, as always ! It was fully kicking off in here, the music was great and the Group185 DJs were playing ! They were amazing ! Nice to hear some different style again. Some nice Acid pumping hardhouse. Not the usual samey music you hear at other mainstream clubs – this was just a constant euphoric ‘heartbeat’ that you just didn’t want to take yourself away from. Some people have said to me in the past ‘why do people love the bass line so much ?’ well, people have different opinions when it comes to the composing of music and beats, and for me, the bass line is the outline of a good track, especially if it is an acid bass line and has a thriving feeling to feel the natural adrenaline of excitement running through your body and blowing your mind apart. I just love this feeling ! I remember telling one of the dancers .. ‘some people come out to get extremely messy and drink silly amounts, fall over and not remember what their night consisted of, but listening to this type of music certainly puts things into perspective …It really IS, about the music’ but in my own opinion, you have to be into it, to totally appreciate it and it’s many forms, and listening to the 185 DJs really rocked it for me, I enjoyed every single minute of their set. I couldn’t possibly tell you what track names they banged out, because if there is one thing I am particularly useless at, it is definitely recognising track names. I just think I need to take some time out and listen and revise then get put to the test on The Weakest Link haha !

All I was really looking forward to now, was meeting Eryk Orpheus and be there for his Live PA. This guy has really grown on me since listening to his own produced CD that Lisa and Tony brought with them to Tidy Summer Camp, last year. Everyone LOVED his stuff, it was very different from what we all would go out and listen / dance to, and everyone wanted a copy of this CD ! It pushed to 01:45am when Eryk was set to play – it was like ‘waiting for the grass to grow 10-inches in the space of as little time as possible’, that’s how excited I was to see him play, haha. I just had to get down on the main dancefloor to be there and see him behind his set up. Everyone just had the look of ‘let’s av it’ on the their faces, and in no time at all, Eryk started playing some wicked tunes, some of which were my favourite and got me going like a nutter in a nut house ! Tunes such as; ‘Atom-E’ ‘What Must I Do ?’ and ‘I’m The Daddy’ really WERE, crowd pleasing tunes indeed, BUT, the best part about this set, was Eryk behind his set up. None of this boring type just standing there waiting for the next tune to mix in, but just going with the flow to his music. When a beat kicked in, he went with it. He progressed his ‘up-for-it’ actions with the direction to his music. This is the type of LIVE ACT/ DJ that you would recognise / believe, they are well into this industry, because, they LOVE it, and I think it was down to Eryk being so into his set and seeing the love for his own music and the crowd, that it added a blast of energy to his crowd who reacted in such a unique way. I had a lad come up to me saying ‘You know what I love about Eryk, it’s the acid he supplies to his music … more acid Eryk !’ haha CLASSIC. Another thing I was pleased to see, was the fact that already composed CDs by Eryk Orpheus and Group185 being handed out as a ‘freebies’ to the ‘supporters’ on the dance floor. Absolute quality.

I really enjoyed being part of the crowd at Atomic Energy after being nagged to go so many times in the past. Not long after Eryks set, we headed home as we were shattered as we had a bit of a late night before (but I made it this time hehe). The club itself I thought was fantastic and I don’t have a bad word to say about the whole night. It definitely seems that this type of music is far more to peoples preference than I had originally thought, and now I am questioning myself why I have not attended these type of events before now. It was such a good feeling to be out when the majority of the people were actually there for the music and not out to get ‘nutted’ as most do week in, week out ! The atmosphere was spot on, the people were friendly and on the same level / wavelength as every other person there, and the comfort level was just the best.

Although I was really looking forward to going out to meet new people and be in a different location / scene, instead of the usual same thing like Wildchild etc, one of the main reasons I came out to this event was to see the DJs that I have heard nothing but good praise about from Lisa. She has always nagged me to attend this event but I never managed to get to one. Something ‘last minute’ had always cropped up, or, ‘I was feeling too hazey from the night before’. Lisa has shown me some light in the music that they play at Atomic Energy, the times I have spent weekends at her house, and it was thanks to her that my musical preference has been extended over the last 12 months, and there is nothing better than being OPEN MINDED about music, something I never was when I first got into the clubbing / music scene. A few friends were going to Atomic Energy that I hadn’t seen in ages so I wanted to see them also, but primarily, I wanted to go show some support for Eryk Orpheus and put a face to the most amazing music he has composed and sent to me, to which puts something ‘different’ in my disc changer at home ! The guy is great – it was great to meet him and get chatting to him and see how excited he also was to play his set. I also got introduced and was chatting to Dave from Group185. Eryk and Dave I have to say are two of the most friendliest, normal people, who are DJs, I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Totally coming down to the same level as yourself, and I’ll be honest, you don’t see this with most DJs in today’s music circuit. I do hope that Atomic Energy will make a re-appearance, because I can assure you, I will most certainly be making that regular re-appearance at this event in the future !

Big up Atomic Energy !!!


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