The 8th Wonder was another brilliant HOH party and probably the best of them all to date!

It was great to see the dancefloor fully rocking all the way until the last track and still wanting more! Really well done to Insane & Mind with Spenno who as a trio have more or less certified over the last few years that nobody can do a final hour better than them. I wish HOH could shake the jinx of a headliner dropping out at every event, as the night is always spot on and doesn't deserve that (Sy again). But when the HOH team goes to the rescue with their own team playing such fantastic sets in place, amazingly HOH has somehow made a tremendous positive tradition out of something that would normally break or tarnish event's legacies with its audiences. Now The hour of "HOH Will Save The Day" is something that all the ravers would probably not have any other way, as no one complains given it doesn't get any better than seeing the talent of London Hardcore's top ambassadors (the HOH crew) play.

A fabulous set from Scar & Uplift as always playing one of the top sets at every rave they attend. Flipside & Nostalgic's upfront was very good. It was also great to see Slipmatt playing in London Hardcore again. Bubble of JB Project played an interesting hour from 2-3, although as the night went on the rinsing of popular top tunes across sets since the night's beginning gradually became apparent. Nevertheless the crowd's enjoyment never let up.
Then came the NEC crew with Kevin Energy's set which was absolutely unreal! Normally I'm always super busy stomping away enjoying all the music in everyone's sets when I rave, but during Energy's set the stomping had to be put on hold to simply stand, listen and witness one of the most amazing, flawless DJ performances I'd ever seen for a whole hour in amazement. I have to do a separate write up on this seriously.

The NuEnergy Collective boss' set was perfection in every single way. Mixing wise, with fabulous scratching (the great thing being it was appropriately executed to feel specially included and musically complementing rather than a standout feature & demonstrative perk some DJs tend to boast). The track selection was astounding and sheer musical intrigue. It was pretty much completely non-vocal, not freeform but hardcore focused purely on the effect and power that the actual sound of music can have in it's raw energy. This brought complete freshness amidst hearing the same top vocal slammers 5-6 times in the same room in one night, and the crowd were absolutely loving it! Not just reacting to fav tunes because they could I.D them, but reacting to the sound of Energy's selection instinctively without choice and regardless of desire, not knowing what was caining them but still loving the caining!
Despite a few ravers within the last 10 minutes of his set changing room for a break, perhaps owing to their sworn allegiances for vocal upfront hardcore that dominated the event throughout, Energy's set to all the masses who witnessed definitely went down as a spectacle, rewarded graciously by the NuEnergy crew with vinyl freebies and inflatable party giveaways that had audiences leaping for the rafters, enhancing the shared party experience with the ravers, showing the NEC crew were enjoying themselves just as much as everyone else.

All this combined with the sheer entertainment displayed by Energy, and his MC SpecialG whose animated stage antics & minimal MCing were ideally suited to let the music do the talking + the additional flavour of NEC crew's Freeformation style randomness, made that 1 hour the most perfectly timed and suited musical injection I've ever witnessed at a London rave. Something that people afterwards wouldn't ask if you heard it, but rather if were you there to experience it. Because it was exactly that, an experience in it's own right. That's credit obviously to their performance but also exceptional credit to the HOH team for the booking and strategic set timing to deliver the effect that was.

I didn't get much chance to stay in the second room as I wanted to see how the bookings for the upfront hardcore room would go down with the crowd responses across the night. But from the times I ventured in the 2nd room, there was a nice chilled out offering of 90s hardcore and old skool. A great balance to the wicked upfront mayhem in the main arena.

Overall definitely the best HOH so far in my opinion, and from those I spoke to during and afterwards, I'm certain in that thinking. Well done HOH crew, always getting better and better with every event. You really outdone yourselves again this time crew. Congratulations all who worked hard on the night and to the ravers who all came along and stayed solid until we all had to go home.

Bring on the next event HOH! When you do, we'll all surely be back!

Awesome review mate
Glad u liked the set
Thanks to Insane & Mind and the HOH crew for the booking
What a wicked night - my first HOH - the atmosphere and tunes were quality!
Can't wait for the next one!

We love you Gordy :-p

Alex how you doing mate!?

awesome write up Alex!

cheers hun for that comment by the way xxxx

Awesome review mate
Glad u liked the set
Thanks Gordy! Glad you liked the review. I sure did enjoy the set!

Alex how you doing mate!?
Craig! I'm very good thanks matey! How are you? Hope all's well amigo! We should catch up on MSN or something.

awesome write up Alex!
cheers hun for that comment by the way xxxx
No probs Kay hun! You did great. Glad you liked the write up too.xxxx

Great review alex.. Thank you for the positive words mate! How you can write so much and so well after so little sleep is just amazing! lol
I still feel like i could sleep for a week,,

Sets of the night for me had to go to

Old Skool - Vibes & Live Lee,, Proper Helter Skelter style set! And Druid! Oh my gosh! As always! Pure legand!
And for what i caught in the Hardcore arena - Bubble bouncing things up good and proper!

Anyway should of left for work, a few hrs ago.. Look forward to reading more later!
i'm outta here!
Booommm!!! Hardcore!! lol
:D

I still feel like i could sleep for a week,,

ha ha lazy arse lol

thought ur the nutcase whos hads a rave the night of thier wedding! lol i still aint gotten over that fact

Good read Alex..

Yes the night was wicked really enjoyed myself was a bit worse for wear... ;0
It was good to see everyone jumping around the place...as always..

I wish HOH could shake the jinx of a headliner dropping out at every event, as the night is always spot on and doesn't deserve that (Sy again).

haha very fair comment BUT...i firmly believe that they don't need the healiner thing going on, sunday night proved once again that (as good as he is) Sy wasn't needed on the night! and Slipmatt is as good a headliner as anyone else IMO

Insane & Mind with Spenno who as a trio have more or less certified over the last few years that nobody can do a final hour better than them

couldnt agree more, i felt like pants on sunday night, had a cold and was really ill but was still stomping my heart out at 6am just because of the buzz they give off and their exceptional tune selection

perhaps owing to their sworn allegiances for vocal upfront hardcore

hehe so true, didnt change rooms but definately didn't feel the same bouncy vibe that more upfront hardcore produces from energys set, as always its an each to their own kinda thing, technically energy's very good but for me his music just doesnt quite get me going :(

lovely words as always alex :D

I love hoh

nice one alexxx, good seeing you matey... sorry i stole your flower power ;) i'll make sure i have a present for you next time.

Glad both Bonnies enjoyed yourselves! :-)

nice one alexxx, good seeing you matey... sorry i stole your flower power ;) i'll make sure i have a present for you next time.
Pete! I was so happy to see you & the FF crew. Were you the mystery puppet-master up top during Energy's set? I remember ravers pointing up and loving that stuff. And yes I soo wanted to keep the flower power :-( Looking forward to partying with you again next time!

haha very fair comment BUT...i firmly believe that they don't need the healiner thing going on, sunday night proved once again that (as good as he is) Sy wasn't needed on the night!
I did say so up there hun ;-)

hehe so true, didnt change rooms but definately didn't feel the same bouncy vibe that more upfront hardcore produces from energys set, as always its an each to their own kinda thing, technically energy's very good but for me his music just doesnt quite get me going :(

I understand how you feel Kaz. Naturally you wouldn't have felt the same bouncy vibe as you did the rest of the night because Energy was the only one who played it differently and that hard. His set was loaded with filthy ripping acid riffs, but that's what made others go completely & utterly wild as a contrast from the happy boinky stuff. I could see the sky-blue within people gleefully melting away, as the walls of Jacks did the same finally wetting up while Energy tore the place down. It was like an act of nature consuming everyone! Until that time, the night served like a build up of the calm before the storm in that set which was sheer beauty in devastation! Then Slipmatt & HOH crew afterwards playing it happy to rebuild the peace and shine rainbows again for a happy ending. I'm getting too carried away lol!

Seriously though this HOH was an absolute Fk'n masterpiece! An epic story told through the music that you could even visualize the raving atmosphere like a dream or film! The most impressively booked event lineup I've ever witnessed come through across a night. Seriously there are so many Hardcore events out there, but never has it ever come across so vividly and effectively that the DJ bookings and set time arrangements could work so perfectly. It wasn't just a case of a regular lineup and getting some big name draws and rotating them per event like others, or let's shell out on the biggest money can buy. This was so much more deeply thought out than that, where you can actually see that the organisers thought how can we make this event a story of the best raving atmosphere that people will remember experiencing long after it's happened.

The fact that HOH visibly pulled off that vision is really remarkable and shows that their parties are truly unique and London is lucky to have them. It's the sort of thing where now ravers may not even care what the advertised lineup is and still come in masses, simply because they can trust that whatever happens HOH will always prioritize them and their interests in providing the best raving atmosphere. It really makes HOH so much more special and bigger as an entity where the ravers are treated to feel most important.

One More Cheer for HOH! Really it must be done!

and what about the 9-10.00 set. ?

A great way to kick off the night from what I saw. Unfortunately I was very busy on the Epidemik stall setting things up and running to and fro around the venue as the raving crew gradually began coming in, so I didn't get to watch the whole set as I did the others. But from what I heard with my own ears and did see of Martin Rise on the decks and DHD on the mic, the early raving crew were treated to a warm up set that had all arrivals gagging for the rest of the night to unfold. Far from being just a humble warm up set or one to just get out of the way as an early formality like some events treat warm ups, the HOH opener wasted no time getting things started with "in your face" upfront core letting everyone know the party was gonna go off right from the start. The warm up did, followed by Vibes & Livelee, and every set from start to finish playing its part as importantly as each other. The rest as they say is History!

Right that's everything, I'm done reviewing! Probably worn everyone out by now lol.

Top night guys allways a pleasure dj 4 u awsome wicked
Bring on the next Big up thanx D