I'll be honest. I had mixed feelings about this night and I was a bit nervous about the whole event. I don't really go clubbing much these days, but I knew I'd love the music.

When the news about Turnmills closing first hit my Inbox I was surprised and in some ways relieved. I've felt for a long time that Turnmills has had it's time for a good six years at least. To me, it had become a large, unspectacular pit of a club with wasted space and years of wear and tear with no decent attempts to overhaul it inside. The toilets were always in a state of disrepair, the hot uncomfortable rooms linked by congestion corridors and a layout designed to frustrate you after two hours inside. Fortunately, the promotions had swayed more towards the trance / hard dance side of things so I had been left with very few reasons to go. Maybe I've just become old and boring, but that's ok because I've had my time. And besides, I had to let go and let other people have an amazing time clubbing every weekend. Everybody wins.

However, after reading the interview with Danny Newman I had the urge to begin pulling out my Live at the Social and Fatboy mixes (CD and tape) from the early and mid-90s. For the next few weeks I was auto-reversing my walkman on the tube everyday and my journeys to work became pure nostalgia. I knew I had to return one last time. I was guessing he would be trying to get the Chemicals to return and when I saw the line-up I smiled a big smile. And remembering Fatboys' punching arms at his Big Beat nights, well, there was no decision here. I was going to go.

As ever with the big nights people were arriving at different times so I agreed to pick up the four tickets at 9pm and we'd try and meet in a pub. However, upon arrival I saw a bouncer yelling at some guy before sending me to the wrong queue. He was clearly not in a good mood so who was I to argue with him. After queuing up twice (the bouncer wasn't great with the alphabet) we get to the door. I'm about to ask about the ticket collection and manage to say, 'Hi there. I'd like to pick the tickets...' before a barrage of abuse and yelling at me occurs. He rants on about not standing there all night telling us stupid people that we can't pick up tickets, etc. He was rude, offensive, and extremely aggressive. We decide to back off. With bouncers like that I'm happy Turnmills is closing. I hope they never find work again as they epitomise everything you hate about nasty bouncers. I wasn't the only one as well - I saw them abusing many punters. I nearly went home I was so angry. The door staff (carrying the lists) seemed too scared to argue with them as well. I still went in rather begrudgingly.

Inside, things were as expected. The toilets were a mess and people queuing up and down the corridor and to the stairs. The dancefloor was rammed (no change there) and if you stood in the wrong spot you were shoved aggressively and to the point you could imagine fights breaking out. However, bar the usual small percentage of chavs, wannabe gangstars, wide boys, etc, the crowd was really good. The bar staff were friendly and it wasn't difficult to get drinks. You had a find your space and stick to it. So we did. We made some friends and we danced all night.

The music was why I was there so I'll get to the point. The Chemical Brothers had clearly changed their style over the years so it was less breaks and more techno tempo'd tracks mixed in with some of their own classic productions. I half expected this having seen many of the gigs over the years and owning all their albums. It was still good with some very dirty basslines and samples. There were a few moments where the sound stopped or the mixing dropped and it sounded like there were technical hitches, but I couldn't see them to see if they were wasted or not. I guess I wanted something like I remembered from '96, but hey, I haven't heard them DJ for over eight years so I can't really complain. As for Fatboy, well, he was as he always has been. Jumping around like a lunatic in the DJ booth, messing up the odd mix and similarly to the Chemicals the sound dropped occasionally. He really did supply the party vibe again. Loved it. For a good four hours I was jumping around, pumping my arms in the air drinking water, diet coke, and vodka and diet coke. I didn't care for fools that still stand around the edges of the dancefloor slightly swaying and looking at people. They weren't there for the music clearly like me.

I really enjoyed it and haven't danced like that for a long time. But, I'm still glad Turnmills is closing. I wouldn't have gone back there again. If the bouncers hadn't put me off, then the club, the building, and the mess it still is would have. For me, Turnmills had it's time in the 90s. For others, they were still enjoying it and that's fine. We live for our moments and mine has passed and I want to leave it at that.

Farewell...

I really don't see where the idea of "you could imagine fights breaking out" came from at all.

and the fact that he says "imagine" means that he didn't actually see any.

A full circle argument? Thanks. It's nice to see my use of the word 'imagine' realised.

Maybe I'm not used to that level of pushing, but I felt uncomfortable with it all the same.

Maybe I'm not used to that level of pushing, but I felt uncomfortable with it all the same.

Sorry if we were talking at cross-purposes a bit, Yao. I have to say I do agree with the above, but that my experience of it was that it was limited to the MOST packed areas and a lot of people pushing couldn't actually control the tide of people surging behind them (I got carried about 30 feet without even trying :-( at one point.)

there was more aggro on the saturday night which was a shame but then there was a lot of people there just to see fatboy and the chems and not for the end of turnmills. but friday and sunday made up for this...

Friday's crowd was truly amazin there was such happiness pulsating from everywhere in turnmills it was brilliant and sunday was the same.

I went to the Friday night and can honestly say it was probably one of the best nights out of my life! Turned up outside about 10:30 and was checked off the list and inside within about 30 seconds! I absolutely loved the atmosphere...so many happy people just loving the music! The queues for the toilets were long, but then they always are; I've learnt to time it so that I join the queue just before I'm really desperate lol! I did think it was busier than usual, but everyone was lovely and I didn't get anyone pushing me about even in the busiest part of the main room dance floor. I thought the music in T3 was the highlight of the night...John Askew had a fantastic set and I had tears in my eyes when he played Solarcoaster! What I heard of the Viceroy was brilliant too... I'm definitely gonna have a place in my heart for Turnmills forever! xxx

Friday's crowd was truly amazin there was such happiness pulsating from everywhere in turnmills it was brilliant and sunday was the same.

Dunno if you're the bloke to thank, but you seem to have done of a lot of promotion on DSI, so thank you and your team for not selling too many tickets, and for ensuring it was a quite brilliant night.

there was more aggro on the saturday night which was a shame but then there was a lot of people there just to see fatboy and the chems and not for the end of turnmills. but friday and sunday made up for this...

funny, when i first saw no A-list names on the final friday (AvB, PvD etc) i was a bit disapointed, but I soon realised there was no need. It wouldve ended up like the saturday when the main room gets silly busy for the big names.
I'm SOOO pleased now you chose the DJ's you did chose. Like johnny-See says, well done on the ticketing policy :) :)

when i first saw no A-list names on the final friday (AvB, PvD etc) i was a bit disapointed, but I soon realised there was no need

personally i was pleased that it was mainly residents playing... they're the ones that are there week-in, week-out (like us!!)