This was undoubtedly the best night out I’ve had since the January INSEKT, the most danceable night of our lives. This was a total EVENT. A fantastic light show, INSEKT and Storm décor, massive INSEKT TV screens (some of the viewing a bit rude actually – oo-er, missus!), sexy Twisted Bliss stage dancers, a quality massage, and a lovely mental up-for-it crowd of friendly hyped up clubbers (the INSEKT swarm) who know good music when they hear it…


But the best thing of all of course, and what made the crowd so excited, was the DJs and their music. With the decks on the stage again, it was a great chance to see and interact with them, and for them to get off on the crowd as much as we got off on them…

Musically it was quality ALL THE WAY; every DJ really hit the spot, each with their different styles, but all HARD and nearly all fresh and new. The 8 hours just flew by, leaving us begging for more.

I simply cannot choose between the DJs, there were so many of my favourites playing at their best; so here’s a potted account of each in order of appearance…

COMBATive ;o) Chris Comben kicked us off, with some hard hitters to get us in the mood, including his own ‘There it is’ (‘There it is, Jim, there it is, baby…’). This one’s getting played out a lot now in all sorts of places.

Next up was one DJ I have wanted to see for a very long time, the super-talented young prodigy Tom Basquil, who is clearly destined for the top. Tom’s got a reputation for being pretty damn hard and would have filled the end of night slot quite comfortably, but is also versatile enough to play a warm up. His ‘Monsters’ is such a wonderful driving TUNE; but he followed that and ended his set with a newer and even better one of his own compositions, 'Move along': a super-sexy punchy groover that had me yelling with pleasure!

I knew little about Garbo but was blown away by his relentlessly driving hard set – totally banging! Here’s another DJ I’d love to see again!

By the time superstar guest and Trade/Superfish legend, pioneer of hard house, Steve Thomas, took to the decks, the place was rammed.



Everyone was excited about this rare appearance. This was a set of the best classics (no, not ‘the Dawn’!) but including the joyful ‘Music is moving’, and one of my highlights ‘Where are you’ (the Captain and Steve’s fantastic remix of the early Glaz hoover tune).

Ilogic, the other Storm guest, was another DJ I hadn’t seen play before (though I’ve got plenty of his stuff on CDs, of course). A technical wizard, he delivered an extremely powerful, hard and impressive set, including his (and Paul Janes’s) stomping remix of Paul King’s ‘Odyssey’. A top quality set again!

James Nardi often plays earlier at these nights, but was well suited to banging out a close-to-end-of-night stormer, with his trademark dirty growl and plenty of that wonderful acid sound. One his crowd pleasers was ‘Evil genius’ (did we really take all those drugs back in the day? Surely not!) but my own favourite was the deeply funky sexy ‘Flux’ by Curve Pusher. Phwoar!!!!

Marc Johnson was up next, the classic end-of-night deck-master and perhaps the hardest man on the scene (despite his friendly, smiley face!) He blasted us through such recent hard rockers as ‘Reactivate’ (with Ben Stevens), his turbo-charged remix of the clubber’s favourite, Frank Farrell’s ‘Etherwave’, and, topping that, a right hands-in-the-air moment, his own rave-echoing ‘Rapido’ – you know the one: push the tempo, push the tempo!

Who could possibly follow this but the unique and legendary hoover king and pioneer of hard house, a man who has stuck to his guns for over ten years and is now perhaps more in fashion than ever, judging by his legion of fanatical fans (like me!) and loyal imitators – Karim.



Starting as he meant to go on Karim kicked off with one of the greatest tunes of all time, ‘Rock da spot’, by his old mate RR Fierce and DMF. Other highlights included the following: the new limited edition ‘Music power’ a tuneful funkster with a fierce fierce sheer hoover madness break; the other side of the same record, the hugely popular ‘Rampage’; the spine-tingling classic ‘Dreams’ - this time Karim's own rmx rather than the Glaz one someone dropped earlier. (Thank you, Tom! x ;o) The encore was ‘Cheap rent’, but was unfortunately cut short by the management… Karim is a true clubber and music lover and is loved by his fans not only for his musical talent but for his passion, and enthusiasm, which shows in the way he interacts with the crowd like no other DJ. He’s having a great time just like we are!

The INSEKT swarm was a massive, enthusiastic, friendly crowd that night, and I want to finish by mentioning just some of the lovely folk that contributed to my enjoyment and for making such a great atmosphere (sorry for missing anyone out!): Jane Celica Girl, for being a loyal clubbing buddy and listening to me talking non-stop about music all the way to the Fridge and back! Brighton-Phil for being an outstanding clubber, incredibly together and reliable, and one of the nicest clubbing buddies we’ve met.




Paul ‘Durty Den’ Dennis for being such a good mate, my musical oracle and a future DJ hero; lovely friendly FoxyRox (Georgie to her mates) – great taste and a music-making star of the future; Frantik Dan – always warm and friendly, topping the night off in the Funk Deluxe room, and already on the road to DJ stardom; gorgeous Cheeky Cara – sorry we didn’t see you play after all, but look forward to seeing you back in Brighton; Scorchio Helen (‘best hardhouse DJ in Dublin) and her partner from Ireland, a lovely warm couple who know the names of all Karim’s tracks! (You’re my mates for life!!!) Roy (‘the legend that is’) for being a distinctive part of the ambience for this and many hardhouse nights I’ve attended over the years….. And not forgetting OF COURSE the ‘spawn of the devil’ (in the best possible sense), the most friendly, dynamic, passionate, thoughtful and creative promoters (and DJ-producers!) of quality filth in the known universe, and who made all this fun possible: Marc, James and Chris.
So many more lovely people but I’ve run out of space and time now!

Many of those who were there will tell you that INSEKT is just the best big hard house party in London/ the UK/ the World! (just check the message boards if you don’t believe me!) Next stop, then, is INSEKT with Innovate at Heaven (22/6/07), INSEKT (with an international line up) outdoors at the massive Anti-world festival (7/7/7), then the final INSEKT of the year, 15th Sept, back at the Fridge, I believe… BE THERE!!!

If you like hard house, you will LOVE INSEKT!! Take it from me – I’m still on a high 48 hours later!!!

:o) x

PS any comments and corrections welcome!!!!

well i have to say as insekt pr on there events and promoter off FUNKdeluxe this is my top 3 nights in london no expense is spared to make insekt a night to recon with !! always an honour to do the fridge best event there by far , roll on sept 15th cant wait hats off to james and marc and chris and the team WIKED

Hi Vince

Was nice to meet you outside of cyber-space!

John

:o)

Hi Vince

Was nice to meet you outside of cyber-space!

thought that was where i was ??????

Another top review as always John. :)
The music was spot on all night long!
Insekt just keeps getting better & better.

Fantastic review for a fantastic night!! It was one of the best I have ever been to!
....and John thanks for the mention...
Your loyal clubbing buddy and very good listener!
JaneXX

Wicked review John!!
We are all really pleased how well the night went!
The music was amazing all night long.

We going to take a short break over the summer & we'll be back with a lot more of everything on Saturday September 15th.

Cool... nice to see!

Maybe see me as a clubber at next one... shame I can't make Antiworld :(

wicked review John, glad you are still on a high 2 days later haha

as james said we are taking a break for the summer but will be back in sept for what is IMO our best line up that we've ever put together, prepeare to be gobsmacked!!!!

sexy Twisted Bliss stage dancers, a quality massage, and a lovely mental up-for-it crowd of friendly hyped up clubbers (the INSEKT swarm) who know good music when they hear it…

awww bless thanks hun i had wicked time entertaining you all!!! I tel ya what i had such an amazing time just wish had started dancing earlier on in the night as it was more bouncy but was outside entertaining there lol, roll on the next one!!!! i made 60 quid that night from some lads shooving money in my fluffys hahaha.
cant wait for anti world its going to be mint!!!!

james is there no way of me getting a day pass just for the sunday at anti world?if not im going to have to learn old skool hehehe.

Glsd everyone had great night i didnt want it to end cant wait to see everyone at anti world or next insekt!!!!
good work james and crew!!!
xx

as james said we are taking a break for the summer but will be back in sept for what is IMO our best line up that we've ever put together, prepeare to be gobsmacked!!!!

ooooh can we ave whitby?plzzzzzzz
or paul glazby again?
x

whitby

At Insekt? lmao

i no but cud get him to play early on in the night as the begining was a little bouncy but you wouldnt of known as u was outside til bout wernt ya?
x

or maybe james condon?
x

It's a filth night... Insekt along would not get this in... another versus night is when you'd get them in, but for the flow of DJs, someone like Whitby would be on insanely early, and also Mr Condon!

james does play hard!
x

sorry guys, enjoyed the music but the crowd ???... couldn't see those clubbers throu clouds of chinesse everywhere u looked.. had to leave early coz it was f...ing riduculouse !!!!


love insekt but i'd like advise the promoter not to put on this wikkid event in fridge which is clearly becomming china town!

;O)

Somewhere like the Colesseum would rock hard!

ive never been there yet im dying to go!!!
the fridge does have a good set up tho but yeh they do need to sort out new place.
doubt it wil end up movin tho.
x

ooooh can we ave whitby?plzzzzzzz

Please dont do it, lol!