THE FIRST LINE IS NOW A TOTAL LIE AS IVE BEEN JUST WRITING RANDOM CRAP FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS
Ive just received my last novelty item through the post which ill discuss further in the thread I used your server and resources to facilitate, needless to say, I am extremely satisfied, but my mood is through the roof as, per instruction re: the Friday Thread subtitle, I have had the 'choons' cranked up for about 5 hours now, and I mean cranked - this week I found out that I am going out dancing for my birthday for the 1st time sine 2008.
I have been out dancing since, just not on the anniversary of my parents biggest mistake, something that was of course a summer highlight for me for many years as being out most weekends meant that my birthday weekend would involve something optimal club / rave wise, a large poss of the wonderful and mad friends 'longside'...
(I had quite a few until I decided as a lot of them were addicted to speed and their had been a couple of hospital trips over the years for life threatening amphetamine overdoses but, despite the recklessness of their behaviour I was instantly ostracised by some of the worst fuck ups you have ever met because I developed problems with the one drug that is just not acceptable even amongst a peer group of daily cocaine, speed users and 20 year olds with such severe alcohol dependencies that they already looked like Hans Moleman from The Simpsons, in both colour and the way that their heads had become physically pickled, never mind psychologically but here I go again yada yada)
...and they were usually in Birmingham (which has always been one of the best 4 or 5 cities in England for dance music) or further afield (i.e Cream or Passion or a showcase rave at the Sanctuary in Milton Keynes during my teens). This week I got the most amazing birthday present that a sad old 'back in the day' type twat could ask for from one of the kindest and most amazingly understanding friends I have ever had (what I lack quantity wise is made up for in quality when it comes to the company I find I now find myself keeping - he reads Bluelight at times and will hopefully realise how I cannot overstate how this is one of perhaps 2 or 3 of the kindest, nicest gifts I have ever received) - Those of you familiar with Birmingham's longest running club night, Godskitchen, who, despite only starting a weekly club at the Digbeth Institute in 1998 (one of Birminghams and the countries most beautiful clubs) at a relatively late stage in the game, became one of the biggest superclub brands in the UK and on the planet as after 2 years at the institute, (and a fantastic debut season @ Amnesia in Ibiza) they opened their own venue 'Code' around the corner from the Institute..... (Both of the clubs are located in the 'Custard Quarter' of Digbeth just outside the city centre, an inner city area that has been at the centre of the Birmingham and UK dance music scene since the explosion of fully legal and licensed Hardcore Raves in 1991, and is now home to 4 of Birminghams biggest dance music venues, all of which are visible from at least one of their 3 neighbours) ....a brand new venue created from converting what was a double decker bus spray shop ,spending approx. £1.75 million to convert it into a 2000 capacity futuristic industrial playground with the most advanced surround sound and intelligent lighting I have ever seen in a club (helped by polling the punters who voted to include 2 green scanning lasers which cost £25,000 each and with 400mw output from each unit these were ridiculously powerful beams for such a relatively small space (the main dance floor could accommodate just over 1200 boppers at any one point) which simply swallowed the club whenever they were turned on. Aside from producing a guestlist, Godskitchen did not sell any advance tickets to the opening night, leaving access for regular attendees who would be admitted (or told to fuck off by the door picker) on a first come first served basis, rather than sell 2000 advance tickets in 2 minutes to any random fuck who simply wanted to jump on the bandwagon just because one of the countries biggest and most progressive Superclub brands had just built an actual brand new Superclub. By all accounts the first customers arrived on the Thursday morning armed with a tent, and over the following 30 hours the queue steadily grew up until they opened at 10pm on the Friday, by which time nearly 15,000 people were waiting on the off chance that at least 13,000 of the folk in front of them were too scruffy to get in. I gave it a couple of months before going over for a look, but they were still attracting a full house for Fridays Godskitchen week in week out, and although I considered myself a semi regular (I would try to get to the Friday night @ Code at least once a month) I never left my entry to chance, as advance tickets for every night the club hosted were available through ticketmaster and I would buy my tickets from the t-master kiosk in Wolverhampton on the Friday afternoon in between leaving work and heading out. Soon, they were blowing my mind beyond the confines of the club, for instance, in 2001 they decided to enter what was already a crowded market for summer dance festivals but despite the competition they sold out over 3 weeks in advance, using Long Marston Airfield, a veteran festival venue just out Shaky's Stratford in Warwickshire.
(as a pose to the one in London that was home to the Olympic stadium and village) which was already famous as the venue for the huge Phoenix festivals during the mid 90’s which were so big, spectacular and so badly organised that the standard 48 hour queue to leave the venue at the end of the festival was as famous as the event itself and which was responsible for them losing the licence to put them on. The original dance music festivals were defined as they were just overnight jobs, as long a decent rave should be, with more modest sized crowds than one would expect at Glasto et.al. and for their first year, the club kept it modestly sized when compared to the well established Creamfields and Homelands. The modestly sized festival – Godskitchen Global Gathering - attracted a sell out crowd of 25,000 who were in the longest, straightest queue I have ever seen, but as well as just happening to be the hottest day of the year, the thing was one of the most spectacular and deranged collection of drug addled music areas and people that I have ever seen. They didn’t open until 4pm (as advertised) when all of the music was on with the systems stable and soundchecked but with the main gate open, and the entire crowd supervised by stewards, the huge queue that I was at the back off just started to disappear in front of me and in less than 5 minutes I was at the gate, with the stewards ushering folk in as fast as possible, pausing only to collect tickets, with no search, no bouncers or a single policeman in sight. With the heat, and multiple circus marquees of various sizes hosting the different types of music everyone was spectacularly messy by the time that the sun went down. A windless haze had developed over the site, which was centred around the simply spectacular Godskitchen arena, held inside what was the biggest marquee of its type in Europe at the time with a standing capacity of 12000. Although it dwarfed the other arenas, they were still all huge, ranging in size from the smallest which held 1000 to the 2nd biggest tent which held the Tidy Trax (Hard House) arena along with 5000 nutters. Mental isn’t the word, and with a license to keep going until 7am it was at least 7.15am by the time a technician from the council pulled the plug mid record.
And that was the first year, in 2002 they did the same again, but with an extra 10000 in attendance on what was again the hottest day of the summer.
2003 saw it rain for the first time, but as well as Global Gathering Godskitchen brought their spectacular showcase to the NEC Arena complex, which I found particularly special as between that night, named ‘A Gift From The Gods’ and the 4 events that Gatecrasher had already staged at the 15,000 capacity complex (The Arena is part of an annexe to the NEC, as the main halls are far too big and are unsuitable for concerts, and the 8000 capacity main building is flanked on either side by the Forum and the Pavillion, both huge warehouse type buildings in their own right, holding crowds of 3000 and 4000 respectively) it was to me the ultimate evolution of the music, which had first attracted my interest as a sound of course before a complete subculture, and this 2nd golden age of dance music, the superclub era that surrounded the 5 years prior to and following the millennium, as by staging an all night event at one of the countries premier venues, we got to see the best production, hear the most progressive dj’s at the height of the most futuristic and intelligent electronic dance music created while being treated like a customer (rather than a piece of shit as is standard when dealing with the usual security types at these sorts of things) I knew that the most spectacular British music movement in history was no longer 3000 day – glo scruffs in a warehouse but the most indescribably beautiful equalised thunderclap of Mauro Picotto’s Italian club techno rumbling around the NEC arena, a building I had been in many times before for ‘square events’, was proof that underground dance music had grown from a scene into an industry and from there it had now become a National Exhibition.
I went to the first 4 Global Gatherings alongside the club and other showcase events they put on and despite the poor weather for the 3rd festival, Godskitchen Global Gathering 2004 was the 3rd event in 4 years that they had held on the hottest day of the year, and although none of the subsequent GGG’s were as intensely messy as the first one (the police had turned up with the dogs by the 2nd one) the 2004 festival was as amazing and spectacular as any of the previous summers, helped by the inclusion of a huge outdoor stage for the first time, which was allowed to host various DJ’s at a lovely volume until midnight, the last hour consisting, bizarrely as I have always seen him as overhyped, of an amazing select by Paul Oakenfold, who fucking smashed it in the best possible way. I had made the effort to see him twice before and I thought he was shite both times.
2004 was the last perfect year out for me. I started the year immediately after mdnight on the 1st January to the sound of DK8’s ‘Murder Was the Bass’ played by Marco Bailey at Atomic Jams NYE event at the Digbeth Institute. By the end of February I had made my first trip to Godskitchen, whos club had received a second multi-million pound makeover and was now called Air to see Carl Cox, and the following month probably saw the best night I ever had in there, as the company was perfect, I was as high as you could be from ees, and with the club now featuring a second sizable room on its brand new first floor, I had a choice of sounds, the night was called ‘Absolute Armin’ with Dutch Trance producer, DJ and GK regular play an 8 hour set in the main room, now called the Oxygen Arena. I then spent the mid section of the night upstairs in the clubs new Nitrogen Room, which saw Fergie host a night of pure club techno, featuring Canada’s legendary Mistress Barbara, GK’s resident techno jock Petrae Foy (who was always spectacular being a professional DMC scratchmaster, something you don’t often see done over club techno) and Ferguson himself play for 3 hours, and after the room wound down around 4am, it was simply back downstairs where we were allowed to trance our pants until a licence warping 7.20am, pretty good going for the most famous club in the city which could only open as late as 6 (officially). The off to Afters at Subway City,a mixed event in the gayest club in Birmingham that went from 8am till mid afternoon, something that I couldn’t do often as I was generally the only person who wanted to carry on dancing and the only one comfortable to vougue while simultaneously attracting more men in the space of an hour than all the women I have attracted in my entire life. They don’t half love to try and get a hetro to crack – due to my inherent sexuality it’s something that Im not wired to follow through on but the attention is lovely and flattering all the same.
More 2004, more nights. September saw me in Ibiza for my first visit for the closing parties, which included the final Manumission of the summer and the subsequent Carry on Manumission @ Space at 8am the following morning, when the club was still proper with its 24 hour entertainment license and world famous Terrace, which was still open to the sunshine (the council have made them put a roof on it now), and two visits to Amnesia, firstly for the penultimate Cocoon of the season (Featuring a fantastic select by guest Oliver Lieb and the only time I have seen Sven Vath) and finally of course for the CreamIbiza closing party, which featured the worst set I have ever seen Tiesto play (he used to be really good but this wasn’t a result of his over-commercialisation, his select was just really boring) only to have the night turned around 180o by seeing Paul Van Dyk play one of the best ever trance sets I have ever heard, and he was generally good anyway whenever I got the chance to see him. I made the epic but always worth it drive down to Slinky at the Opera House in Bournemouth for their annual and legendary Halloween Bash, finishing off the year at Air for Godskitchens NYE party which was quite original for a GK club night, it was called ‘Midnight with Morillo’ which of course saw Eric Morillo, who I had really enjoyed on the last couple of occasions I had seen him play, with his style of funky house coming across as more tribal and more banging than I would have expected from a Jock of his nationality and nature. Then 2004 was over, I never went back to Air or any Godskitchen night as it was around this time that I became properly physically hooked on gear, and even if I had have been up to it I completely lost interest in Global Gathering, as 2005 saw it become a weekend festival with camping and the like. That’s not a dance festival, if your going to do something like that then Glastonbury is the only real choice (on a large scale) for me due to the variety. I know there’s loads of cool small festies every summer now but as I fell behind back in 2005 I don’t know anything anymore.
I spent a full 18 months at the smack before going out dancing again, and although I have kept at it, including co promoting a successful old school rave for 2 years at Wolverhamptons Canal Club, I’ve just stuck to free parties and some fantastic D&B raves. But I haven’t been out dancing now since 2013, which was on my own, partially down to losing the phone that had the only number I could source crystal mud through – I wouldn’t know where to buy an e as since the mdma drought and flood of 50p pip tablets I have just stuck buying grams of molly and making my own ees out of them using emptied out apap capsules. But mainly I havn’t been out as my most recent period of dependence has been the most painful and since submitting to a methadone script I no longer have much control over getting clean. I’ve always rattled the gear off CT – its super painfull to body and soul but at least your over the worst of it (physically) by the 5 or 6th day. But my plethora of successful rattles has been equalled by my superb ability to relapse within a fortnight 9 times out of ten, but this time around I couldn’t do it. I got clean once, relapsed within 48 hours and since then my mothers behaviour has ensured that I can’t get past day 3 (usually one of the worst) without cracking, and as I can no longer afford even a moderate dependence on the amba nekta I had to take advantage of the only free daily supply of a full agonistic opioid available and accept the methadone prescription, which while being somewhat of a ball and chain is still a superb drug when generalising and as opiates and opioids go its pretty po considering the ROA is oral. Ok so long term MMT does erode your soul and blunt your ambition, but depending on your tolerance level and well thought out timing one can catch an awesome nod from the stuff – I know it’s a poor ROA but the only morphine I have ever knowingly taken (I know heroin is the same thing but as a prodrug it does have a few extra perks that one can experience before its quickly metabolised after 5 minutes) is Oramorph and MST’s in huge strengths and got fuck all from them. As I don’t crank linctus type drugs or tablets they went down the hatch doing exactly jack shit, where as a good slug of physeptone can provide a lovely epic warm cotton wool gouch, even though it’s primarily sedating and doesn’t have the euphoria that heroin induces at times. Its also miles easier to kill yourself with than heroin due to the latent onset and long duration that would require either regular Naloxone shots or a continuous infusion for at least a day. Kills more people than heroin, especially children. But Im back here again – its my aim in life for so long to spend as much of the day unconscious as is possible that I don’t go out at all now, and why my birthday present is so perfect.
As I have burnt out so has the superclub scene, including Godskitchen who while maintaining a presence in Birmingham and internationally have fucked up the business and lost the use of Air, a perfect club now gathering dust as Godskitchen haven’t kept up with the bills. So, although Global Gathering is no more (It was sold off as a separate company anyhoo) and Air is beyond use, GK have managed to keep a presence in Digbeth by holding one off events at the Custard Quarters newest and largest venue, the Rainbow Warehouse, and at the Institute, the beautiful listed building on Digbeth high street that was their first weekly home.
So they have decided to put their necks out and call time. As they are a popular night down under, they held what is to be their penultimate event at Melbourne Park (home of the Australian Tennis Open) called, appropriately,”Godskitchen – The Last Dance”.
But over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th of June, they are returning to the Digbeth Institute to stage what will be the last ever night held by the club, which I would have dreamed to go to as it unsurprisingly sold out within hours of the tickets going on sale (the venue only holds approx.. 2000).
So when it transpired that what can only be described as my guardian angel as well as one of the kindest people I have ever met had bought VIP tickets for the pair of us, I’ve been living on a cloud. With the final stage of my detox and rehab to look forward to in the summer, this is the last proper night Ill ever get to with unrestricted hedonism, and the fact that it is the last night put on by a club that has embraced the height of the UK dance scene through real conceptualisation of the club, the showcase events and the music. And for 6 years it was my club of choice, local and the best weekly dance night that Birmingham has ever seen, and Birmingham has seen a lot of good clubs and still does. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect night to go to period, never mind it being my first time out in 3 years, so this ridiculous post about what must read as the most boring shite ever with its length providing rival all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings by now only adds insult to injury, but is not the postmans fault, its unadulterated childish excitement and I won’t stop wittering on about it until I either get arrested for being a public nuisance or as soon as we get in their where the music should drown me out.
Thanks to birthday santa love you bud xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fucking Godskitchen – come on. I’ve always been the most Brie – esque of the cheesiest of Quavers but I fucking love it, and this amazing opportunity my buds present has given me will enable me to be the best me I can, the old me, someone that people always gravitated towards, for just one more night.
As for my weekend plans just films and weed and playstation which is hardly original but the content of this post should be more than enough to show how boring old farts get over excited over what is just normal to a lot of folk
Right Id apologise for the post but It took ages and was born from the deepest of my enthusiasm so I wont - If any actually vomits as a result of reading it due to the length, content or a combination just get one of the mods to fuck it off out the thread.
