Big Bud's Quantum Leap at the Docks Nightclub - 14 Oct 2000
Happy Birthday to me. Somehow the stars seemed to be in alignment in terms of timing. Shabba D, Darren Jay, Mark EG, and my birthday. One hell of a present, eh? Add a copacetic security, and bitchin' light show (especially lasers in the Jungle room - muthaphukkin' a), and you've got Quantum Leap, the latest party rolled up by the people at Big Bud.
I arrived on the scene at 10:15 pm just in time to see a smoking set by Lush with MC P and the others. Caddy Cad then arrived on the scene to help out. In the midst of the set, Flipside came out with T.O. councilor Vivian Chow to thank everyone for their participation with I-dance. Vivian added her 2 cents on the impotance of voting for a "pro-rave" city council - it is municipal election time around these parts after all, and this gig was not immune to the usual sloganeering that accompanies any campaign. The Jungle room was packed to the rafters with people awaiting Shabba and Darren.
Some time and last-minute changes had to be made. A "surprise guest" was slated and it was rumoured to be DJ Hype. But sadly due to the passing of his grandfather, Hype was a guaranteed no-show. The ever-so-lively Mark EG had his plate full gigwise on that night, so the promoters had to slot him in for a midnight set in the techno/trance room. For me, this created a bit of a conflict, since Shabba D was also slated for that time. The crowding at the Docks didn't help matters much. So much heat and sweat from the massive created some mad condensation from the pipes and ductwork, and everyone was a pinball moving madly from one spot to another, trying to find enough ample space to dance. Or to breathe.
Making matters a little more complicated were the exlusion of a licensed area - almost at the last minute - to make way for the house/breaks room, and a very small chillout tent. Because of the crowding, security was posted at the entrance to both the stage and the tent, making the floors more crowded. I didn't mind not having some alcoholic refreshments, but more planning should have been made for the chillout area - there were quite a few pissed-off campers at the entrance.
I've managed to move around a bit - all it took was a bit of patience and agility, so I was able to get a taste of what was happening.
Shabba D got the crowd going nuts with his delivery. This was augmented by Lush's skills on the tables. Eventually, the DJ had to make room for a blazing old-school back-to-back by Mystical Influence and Marcus. Shabba didn't miss a beat, although throughout the night there were some mic and monitor problems. Other MC were on hand to relieve him, especially the nearly-ubiquitous Caddy Cad, MC P, Lal and Nai, who sounded as if he was doing his damnedest to out-Shabba D. The massive went freaking delirious when Darren Jay took over and a set of UK madness was unleashed by the two Brits, although some skipping dubplates messed the mix a bit.
Speaking of madness, Mark EG's set was elctrified by his own presence. It appeared as if we was going at 160 seizures per minute. That was good enough to get the crowd dancing and giving heavy-metal devil salutes to the stage. If only he had a mic like the last time he landed for A Higher State early in the year. In spite of his epiliptic theatrics, Mark never failed to do a good beat match and mix to his records. Near the end of his set, he manipulated one trance track and morphed it to a gabber anthem which set of a wave of insanity among the crowd. Mark has won himself a convert in me for that act. I just hope he doesn't croak too soon.
Although I don't care much for house and breaks, the linup did a good job of chilling the massive. Mark Tasse, Marty McFly and D-Monic performed good, well timed sets, given the size of the room and the relatively perilous locations of the turntables. There's nothing much to say there: I'm not much of a house/breaks person, but people got down and boogied 'til they dropped.
I left at around 4:50 just in time to see Capital J doing his world-(in)famous scratching and mixing alongside MC P, Bandit and Friendlyman. Trigger and JD called in sick at that night, hence the slight change in the MC lineup. Whatever the case may be, this party ranks among the best held in this city so-far.
The high point: I was dancing like a loony, so much that it attracted the attention of some of the partygoers who (vainly) tried to copy every move I made. Nice going massive.
The low point: Chill tent. Get a bigger one next time, dammit.
Moot or not: NO BOOZE?
Final Big Question: Did the "special guest" ever showed up?
Rating: 9/10 - It was my birthday, and I don't care.
Peace out. Jacques.
