 |
Features
|
|
|
| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna | | A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! | | 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! |
|
|
|
|
|
Hard House Academy (HHA): The Preview
Reported by Dickon Laws
/
Submitted 11-03-03 05:50
Pundits describe the Football World Cup as the greatest show on earth. They clearly haven’t ventured to the Brixton Academy for the thrice-yearly king of Hard Dance clubs. HardHouse Academy. Having seen a glimpse of the plans for the forthcoming Spring Edition it would be no exaggeration to say this is going to be the most breathtaking show Uprising Clubs Ltd have staged.
On Saturday, 15th March 2003 euphoric mayhem is predicted for this usually secluded area of south London, with clubbers from all walks of life descending to the sleeping giant that is Brixton Academy. If we rewind the scene by 48hrs then the story is very different! The Brixton Academy is classed as a dry hire venue. Meaning simply that it is hired as a shell, no lights, no sound, no décor and no stage.
During the 48 hours before the Academy doors open the Frantic team and a mass of engineers from no less than five production companies will swarm over all areas of the venue. They will meticulously prepare all aspects of its vast main arena and 3 sub-arenas to enhance every aspect of its soon to be bustling halls!
4 sound systems totalling 60k of unadulterated power will be moved into the Academy in these 48 hours. Over 50 high powered lighting systems will be installed across the 4 arenas, including a monster blue argon laser that requires its own independent cooling van! More computer technology than it took to fly the first manned space flight to the moon will be painstakingly installed to turn the shell of the Academy into one of the biggest clubs in the, UK for one night only!
And it’s going to be some show! The range of artistic talent that will be performing on the night means any other venues are going to be hard pushed to find enough DJ’s for their own nights alone! Lab 4 are going to be playing their first London gig in 2003 and are looking forward to their long awaited return "The last time we played at Hard House Academy was 18 months ago for our Official Virus Album Launch party, which was an absolute blast. We chose for HardHouse Academy to be our first gig back in London for nearly three months due to the fact that the production and also the accompanying line-up is second to none”. “We’re particularly looking forward to the massive stage production and a massive and up for it crowd - this will be our first chance to floor test some of our newest material in London, which has been written in recent months."
The DJ’s in the main arena also span a broad range of styles and read much like a who’s who of the biggest DJ’s in the land. The darling of the London club scene and a living legend, Phil Reynolds, is headlining the main arena along with his fellow Nukleuz DJ’s: Andy Farley & Tom Harding - resident for the massive HQ in Holland. Making his way down the northern fortress that is Sundissential, Rob Tissera, and one of the Hard House Academy favourites: Steve Hill.
Steve’s repetition of the show stopping, award winning performance at the last event is eagerly anticipated “ ….it was a bit of a blur really. I spent 5 days I the studio working on specials for the 90 minutes I was on. Walked on stage to see near on 5000 people up for a big night! The reactions to the tracks were amazing!” says Steve “One minute I was mixing, the next CD’s are flying out into the crowd, then the lasers came on, hands in the air moments galore!”
Amongst the list of established artists are two of the scenes newest and brightest stars: Guffy & Donna Birt. Amongst his other bookings such as GoodGreef and Judgement Sunday in Ibiza, Guffy has recently been made resident at London’s mighty Frantic and is playing for the second time at Hard House Academy in the infamous Foyer arena. “I'm really looking forward to playing Hard House Academy again. Brixton Academy is an amazing venue and I'm being let loose in the legendary Foyer. Playing in there is crazy! People pour in the doors and start boshing even before they have took there coats off - fierce atmosphere and great fun!”
Donna Birt has become a regular guest in the London scene recently. Her faultless mixing and charismatic performances mean that it won’t be long before she takes her place as one of the leading female DJ’s in the capital. She makes her debut at the Academy on the 15th March “I’m really excited and looking forward to playing HardHouse Academy. It has been one of my favourite parties since I started clubbing. I love the energy of the crowd and the atmosphere is just electric,” says the Kiwi born Donna “Playing in London is mad, the atmosphere and energy of the crowd is amazing. Its such a good feeling to be playing in such a charged atmosphere.”
HardHouse Academy veterans are well acquainted with the 4 renowned arenas of the venue. Here’s how they break down:
Arena 4: Balcony Room: Frantic & 4clubbers.net present FUNKAHOLIC
If you’ve got time to chill out at any point during the party then this is the place to be. Described by Will Frantic as ‘sexy, stylish and funky. When ever you need a break from the hard stuff there is always the delicious sounds of Funkaholic’. The outstanding residents, The Trophy Twins, will be joined amongst others by Tom Neville & Matt Williams from the Ignition Crew to funk you through to dawn!
Arena 3: The Metropolis: The True Sound of London Underground
Showcasing a broad range of talents from all over the UK playing their interpretation of London’s legendary hard but uplifting underground sound. The compact, tunnel like acoustics means that the atmosphere is unique amongst the venues arenas. It’s a chance for some of the lesser profile DJ’s to mix it up with some of the more experienced artists and get up close and personal with the clubbers – the perfect place to begin your weekend manoeuvres!
Arena 2: Foyer: The Resistance
Infamous for being the hardest arena in the venue it’s the first point of call for clubbers entering through the massive Academy doors. With its glow stick stall lined walls and access to the other 3 arenas its one of the pivotal areas of the entire night. People meet up for random ‘hellos’ and even more random dances, others are in there for the long haul – so enticed by the earth splitting bass lines and manic percussion loops that they making it their base for the night and rarely relocate to other rooms. Not for the faint hearted!
Arena 1: The Main Arena: Hosted by Frantic & Nukleuz records
Literally the nucleus of the entire night, the jewel in the crown of HardHouse Academy! Over the past few years it has been host to more exceptional talent (both on stage and on the dance floor) than any other club in the capital! 9 hours of pure, unadulterated Hard Dance! 7 of the countries top Hard Dance jocks. Cutting edge track, anthems of the past, present and future and 3000+ crazed clubbers stomping their way to the daylight hours! This is the pure essence of Hard Dance!
Apart from these 4 inimitable arenas ‘HHA’ wouldn’t be anything without the clubbers themselves. For Academy virgins and long-term addicts it’s a rare opportunity to see their extended clubbing family all under the same roof. With dance floor stompers coming from as far a field as Brighton, Southampton, Manchester and The Netherlands, it’s truly an eclectic gathering of clubbing minds!
The weekend of the 15th will see the capitals clubbing grind to a halt apart from this one isolated area of south London where mayhem is due to breakout. There are only a few all too brief appearances of this celebrated club each year and to miss it is unforgivable. As the saying goes – “Don’t hear how good it was from someone else”.
See you on the dance floor!
With thanks to Sim Pat for the use of his photos 
Share this ::  :  :  : 
Follow HarderFaster :: 
Other Features By Dickon Laws:
Extreme Euphoria preview: Interview with Jay Pidgeon
Strange things happen when you DOUBLE DROP for the first time - The Innovate Interview!
Inside Frantic: Interview with Will Paterson
Interview with Steve Hill
Interview with the Energy UK Djs
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.
|
|
|
|
|
![[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!](/images/mainbanner_top1.gif)
