Me, my mrs and two mates decided to go to this event the day before it started.. We were proper hyped about it because 1) it was a new event with some very well known brands from the South hosting the arenas, and 2) there seemed to be quite a bit of hype about it (especially considering the line up that was proposed!).

The set up looked spot on.. The layout seemed to have worked. Think that they should have made the perimeter a bit smaller because even if there was 5000 people in there, it would still have been looking a bit empty.

Regarding the artist situation.. Being a promoter of two brands myself, in a way I sympathize for the organisers involved in Southern Sound as it just wouldn't have been feasible considering the numbers they got through the gates. On the other hand, they could have gone a different way about 'editing' the line up. Like 'BigLeeLeePants' said in another thread, people do travel to see these headlining acts. We met two guys who traveled to Southern Sound from Los Angeles to see AudioBullys. Evidentally they were very disappointed that the act they came all that way to see had in-fact been cancelled, but they didn't let that spoil their weekend and got involved in a music genre they hadn't heard much about - Hardcore.
The event programme was a complete shambles!! There were SO many mistakes on there it was shocking! When I get proofs through from the print companies, I actually make an effort to check that the times are correct, the spelling of the artists are correct, there's no errors in the positioning of the print so not doubled up etc etc. I presume they cut their losses and lost out on the deposits they paid their agents, rather than having to find the extra money to pay the artists on the night. It was disappointing the artists we were most looking forward to seeing didn't turn up but if they had trouble finding the funds to pay the artists they didn't cancel then it would just have caused all sorts of agro between the event organisers and the artists/agents for non-payment etc, and I'm pretty sure that some of the artists who did turn up didnt get the full amount agreed.

I'm not sticking up for them because the funds should have been sorted PRIOR to the event gates opening to the ravers; they should have ensured they had enough to cover the costs and replace those funds with the ticket sales, bar sales, etc.
I've heard various things from within the scene that's happened as a result of the money & attendance situation but I'm going to wait until GetYrKix post a press release.. And I think that the ravers DEFINITELY deserve that at least! I wouldn't be surprised if some people asked for their money back because in a way it's false advertising. If I wasn't on the guest list and had to pay for the weekend pass, I would have been seriously disappointed as it wasn't worth £80 entry + spending, in my personal opinion.

Most of the security were friendly and enjoyed chatting to the ravers, etc.. Some were total twats!! Fair play to them cuz they worked extremely long hours over the 6 days they had to be on-site. They kept the safety of the ravers as their main priority. Searched EVERYTIME I went in to the campsite and through the front gates in to the actual event. Didn't see any trouble at all over the weekend.. Obviously there were people whos tents were being searched cuz they had either drugs or alcohol in there. I know they had to do that by licensing laws but in a way they could have turned a slight blind eye to the situation if they weren't causing any agro.
Having it as a 16+ event was a huge mistake! The brands involved are over 18 events so why have it 16+? I have a feeling that they were trying to pull in the under 18s that attend Hardcore Reborn's under 18s event at the Opera House as it's rammed in there and local to the festival site.
There are a fair few reasons why I think people weren’t interested as much as the promoters would have liked and that is down to the agreed licensing terms I guess.
It didn't have that festival vibe about it in the campsite.. A festival is all about sitting round ya tent with your mates getting drunk n what ever else. Once the event finished there was just nothing to do (you weren’t even allowed sound systems in there!!). It wasn't so bad on the Saturday night because we had the Opera House to go to, but Sunday evening come and it just didn't seem worth staying there. I think that there was a lot of people not up for dancing as they usually would because they had to stay relatively sober to be in a fit state to drive home.

Personally, I think it was a HUGE step up for GYK from hosting the size of events that they were before to hosting something of this scale. They should have probably started by hosting or co-hosting an arena as opposed to taking on the whole thing. Yeah, they had the likes of Fusion, Destiny and Resonate onboard, as well as Core, TG Promotions, Rockstar, etc. The promotion of the event could have been SO much better and to be honest, it was pretty shite for a festival, especially a first-time festival trying to pull in and attract the 'ravers eye'.

I gotta say, BIG UP all da artists who did play at the event.. We all knew the situation and I can only appreciate how they helped out the organisers in this very difficult situation. They obviously looked at it from a ravers point of view and got involved! The artists who stood out from the rest and done what they can do to keep the crowd happy are Marc Smith, Skatty, Static, Enemy, Casper and Felon. It was a big shame that the line up wasn't as per the programme schedule but I tried not to let that affect the weekend, instead got down to business and stomped on!! ;)

I gotta say, the sound system was immense! Funktion One throughout the whole thing was impressive (and not cheap I bet!!!).. You could hear the bass making the ground shake from a mile radius or so. BIG UP!
One disappointing this about the production is that there were no visuals or lasers - WHY DA FOOK NOT?? lol. I really thought there would be some awesome lasers there as Fusion and Destiny were involved!

Overall.. It was a quality weekend and we had such a laugh! Yes, there were a lot of issues with things behind the scenes which in turn effected everyone at the event (staff and ravers) but they tried to do what they could to ensure it ran as smoothly as possible.. They gave it a bloody good shot to be fair to them but unfortunately, some things just don't work out for one reason or another.
Like I said, I still had a wicked weekend and I didn't let things spoil the experience..

I look forward to reading the press release from GetYrKix!!

i went on the sat and had a wicked day! Organ donors & mark eg were immense! was really sad it wasnt a sell-out, would have been an amazing vibe if it had, but as it was the ravers there were friendly and especially when the sun went down, the atomosphere was pretty damn good :)
didnt camp so cant comment on that, but saw no trouble and security were pretty discreet and not in your face. Shame the after party was a bit flat, was confusing to have to keep following the hardcore from the main room to the upstairs room! All in all i had a wicked day and think the promotors did a fab job despite the siutation, not an easy one to negotiate without upsetting someone whilst trying to maintain damage limitations. I say well done Southern Sounds! :)

I was there for the whole weekend - I had an absolutely amazing time - reading some of the comments Ive seen on the internet, I think its a shame that people couldn't enjoy the artists that actually were there - and appreciate the event for the hard work that went into it.

Big up Get Yr Kix

I think the event was a waste of my time, I could have paid 20 quid to go to one nation for one night and had a better time. I want a refund for the 70pounds I paid, when others got in for free. What an insult?!

I Agree!!!

Whats happens if you don't like the style of music those artists were playing and went for something else, people like what they like.

i was there all weakend, Yeah some of the people didnt turn up but i seen smiles on everyones faces, Btw it was me shouting ''GreeenArmyy'' in the camp site most of the night, do appolijise for interupting people sleep Haaaaaaaaaaaa:D

Top weekend
thanks to people that run it
hope to see it next year,

Would love to see it again next year... Twas a top weekend! We stayed at a hotel nearby, cheap and could drink alcohol! I think that was a main reason we didnt camp as it would have turned out to be a very very expensive weekend had we had to get drinks at the bar all wkend. Was also a longish walk to any kind of shop etc- god knows how the campers had showers? I couldn't see any when I went to the campsite?

I don't know if they did the right thing by letting people in for free? Obvs they may have made a lil bit more wonga from just getting people in to use the bar and rides etc- better that than nothing I guess. I do feel that if it wasn't for the people who did pay 70 odd quid then we wouldn't have had half the acts that we did, but as someone earlier noted, it is an insult to those that have saved up hard earned cash in the current climate to by 1.00 on day one, be recieving emails on fb etc to come in for free?

I wonder what kind of consolation there will be for this? I understand that everything costs money and to refund peeps is not an option, I too am interested in a press release...

That said, was wicked weather, great company, amazing sets plaid and the atmosphere was top banana too! I do hope thyere will be more opf the same but with a bit more forward planning next time, licencing laws sorted for the camping blah.....

Haha so were we, we had the lad who started green salami if you heard that? haha!

There wern't many people there, not all of the artists turned up, but it was a right laugh and the music was great.. cant go wrong with that?

my boyfriend flyered there last night and apparantly ppl were gettin kicked out left right and centre n it was hectic as! so maybe southern sounds was a better bet after all!

I didnt see any trouble, and I spent a good hour + on the balcony watching the crowd, it was probably one of the most friendly and chilled One Nation events iv been to, atmostphere was top notch, I didnt feel threatened of paranoid at any point in the night (not something im used to anyway let alone at dnb raves where trouble is usually everywhere.) I was 100% stone cold sober too so I wasnt exactly oblivious to what was going around.

I did get thrown up on though... AGAIN!

I didnt see any trouble there either to be honest, normally at dnb nights i feel slightly wary of whats going on around me but was fine on saturday night

That's the reason why I'd never go to a pure DnB night.. Events like Westfest, NEC, etc are okay cuz u got a variety of arenas and atmosphere's to change upon

southern sounds was on watchdog tonight

yea i saw that on watchdog!! cldnt believe it was on there!!! guy who runs it has also left a comment on this forum. which im sure u have probably already seen if your reading this.. lol