XXXChange
Cargo, London
16.08.08
Sitting outside Cargo chowing down on a freshly barbequed cheese burger is what is known in the business as “the life”. Getting to the venue five hours before The Nextmen took to the stage might have been taking it a bit far, but let’s be honest, you can’t put a price on a slab of cooked meat in a bap. Dun no the crusty bap.
When The Nextmen did get behind the decks with MC Rage hyping the crowd, Cargo was rammery. Getting into the main part of the venue was near-impossible until the first wave of people who couldn’t take the heat trudged out in search of air and water.
Once amongst the throng, there was no letting up – Brad Baloo and Dom Search worked the crowd into a frenzy with an inspired mash up of Wearing My Rolex and turning the room into one giant skanking entity with The Specials before sending the entire place loopy with High Contrast’s sublime DnB mix of Adele and finishing up with the Hot 8 Brass Band’s version of Sexual Healing.
XXXChange had a tough act to follow, but follow it in style is exactly what he did. The Spank Rock producer stepped up in his trademark New Era and geeky specs and proceeded to drop hit after hit after dancefloor hit. Thumping drums, glitchy beeps and groggy basslines kept those who stayed beyond the 2am mark throwing shapes into the night. The Crookers remix of Kid Cudi’s Day N Night was the highlight of a great set and B-More’s finest sent everyone home happy.
Abjekt.