Sound Clash

[george of the jungle]

In all the parties I'v been to over the years, I must say that Sound Clash was the worst.
I was disgusted!

I will never go to an Empire party again and I'm contemplating never to party again.
This party just goes to show what the scene here in Toronto is becoming. I found it degrading the way all the people were treated.

It's nice to see that the security doesn't care if there was a fire in the building and everyone would be trapped to die. Words of one of the security gaurds when I spoke to him about the fire issue. "So what."

I hope all the other peeps that went out to Sound Clash feels the same way.

Lates

 

[RaVeRGuY]

Just got back. Full review to be posted later...

-JP

 

[krs24]

10:30 arrive at party, proceed to get in long ass line

1:00 still in line, guy in front of me pisses against the wall in front of everyone in the middle of a couple hundred people..

2:00 finally get to the door, and although I have remained calm I suggest to the security that perhaps in the future more guard rails, security, etc. would be appropriate to prevent people from budding in line and maintain order...I am called a whiner and a shit disturber and my life is threatened by the security guard.

2:30 get to the front of coat check line... They just ran out of hangers... I convince the coat check girl to check my coat anyway, but she didn't even put a number on my coat and threw it on the floor.

3:00 see Nicki blackmarket spin a borrrrrrring set, so predictable and even skibba, shabba and fearless (who were ok) couldn't save it

3:00 to 4:00 the only real high point of my night heard two wicked dubplates from Rubix and Locuss. These two tried harder and actually mixed much better than Mr. Blackmarket.

5:15 get kicked out of the party because some girl got hurt real bad when a beam of some kind crashed on her head(no report from anyone if she was ok).
Again have to wait in line to get anywhere. First time I ever saw a line-up to exit.

All in all worst party ever. The one dj I actually wanted to see ,future cut was done well b4 I got in. The venue and security were obviosly hurtin' and I saw numerous overdoses which is never positive.

The redeeming grace was that all things considered the crowd acted suprisingly well. To Numb and Empire, you did try I will give you that, and I am sure that there were things that occured that were beyond your control. Also, Empire I understand that you are trying to take jungle parties into a more concert like atmosphere, but please think a little harder about orginization before throwing another one of these. Better luck next time.

Sorry about the length of this I had to vent.

Chris

 

[Guest]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by krs24:
5:15 get kicked out of the party because some girl got hurt real bad when a beam of some kind crashed on her head(no report from anyone if she was ok).
Again have to wait in line to get anywhere. First time I ever saw a line-up to exit.
</font>

Wasn't the party supposed to end at 5am?


I'm not surprised this party sucked. I had a feeling it would be very unorganized.

 

[Rosey]

Chris, buddy, I'm sorry, I know you were looking forward to this party for a long time. Myself, Dave, and Lesley are here chex moi, being sketchy. Should've come with us tonight, had a great time at purple heaven. See you tonight?

-R

 

[lexusboy]

-three hour line ups amuse NO ONE.
-so much for the term to serve and protect
-nicky's set may not have been the greatest but the vibe inside, and especially during his set was mostly pleasing.
-from what i heard of future cut, and usual suspeccts -- both had wikkkid sets.
-no bar is a scam.


good night i guess. maybe.

 

[Myrana]

raves suck... move on

 

[noahmintz]

Hummm ... I'm kinda glad I didn't end up going

Stu

 

[[- FuNKtiOn -]]

Where was this held?

 

[MBoy]

After standing in line squashed like a sardine for 2 hours, I decided to sell my ticket. Every 2 minutes or so, there was a big crush. I picked both my feet up off the ground, and the crowd actually supported me, and pushed me foreward without letting me fall. I decided that it was absolutely horrible, and nothing.. i mean NOTHING would be worth me spending another second in the line. I sold my ticket for face value to someone who wanted a spot in that lineup. Hopped on the subway and went to a friend's house.
Hope everyone who sat through that BS lineup had fun once they got inside. But I figured that the disorganization outside was a sign of disorganization inside. That was that.
Sorry Empire. You used to have it going on. I know it's hard to throw parties, and I know you work hard. I just hope that there's some lesson here.
Unity. -D

 

[RaVeRGuY]

I think everyone's expectations for this party was a bit too high. The massive was presented with a high calibre Jungle/D&B lineup by Empire, Numb & for the first time ever, Trouble on Vinyl from the UK. Future Cut, Nicky B, Usual Suspects, MC's Skibadee, Shabba D & Fearless - what more could the junglists ask for??? But my oh my how the turnout was quite a letdown. However, I gotta give props to Empire, Numb & TOV for bringing in such sick talent - a real treat for the headz out there.

I don't think a lot of parties had this kinda hype prior to the party. Tix were sold out a week and a half before the party, & still a lot of the masses did not have tix. Of course a long line up was due at this jam. I sympathize to all the people that did not get in or had to wait in the cash line for so long. Unlike other parties, entrace into the venue was a right for ticketholders. People with no tickets had to wait in the freezing cold lineup outside until most/all ticket holders got in. The 2 or so more hours waiting time would not have been worth had I been in the cashline. But then again this party that worth it for me newayz.

Having this jam @ the Luxor was a surprise. Why didn't they get bigger venue? The docks would have been more suitable for this party IMO. But I've gotta that this club is quite luxurious. Wikkid egyptian motif and decor all throughout the building. 2 mini balconies on both sides of the main arena and a mini room at the other side. Ventilation was quite adequate.

Security was hella tight for this party. Why were towels not allowed into the party???!!! I want my towel back damnit! Coat check was also mandatory. Enough cops @ the venue. Was quite disappointed when I found out that bar was closed for some reason (Cops decision I'm assuming).

The crowd was giving off a wikkid vibe most of the time. Lots were there and represented their passion for the music! I would say the the crowd size was perfect for this party. Big up the promoters for choosing not to over pack the venue.

As for the sets that I caught...

Ruckus/Illfingas - heard them drop "Crazy VIP" while still in line outside. started picking things up when "Fire VIP" was dropped....really had the crowd going wild. the usual illfingas set....hard as fukk!

The antics of MC P, Friendlyman, Bandit, Trajedy, L Natural, & Caddy Cad on the mic. Big up TO mc's....

Mystical Influence/Lush - damn!!! these two never cease to amaze. such skills and talent. mystical rinsin' out enough new RAM & VS flava...while lush keeping the "essence" of jungle alive..haha. As if their set wasn't already hype..think again. Guess who decides to show up...Skibadee & Shabba D! (funny...at first they were dressed and covered up in all black outfits as they walked through the crowd to get to the stage) Gotta big these guys up..definitely the best of the best Mc's...enough lyrics galore. Lotsa new ones too.

Future Cut - better than what I was expecting. he can mix well and the track selection was ok, though not enough dubs IMO. "Love is not a Game" (Dilly mix) was quite a treat again...as well as "Spaced Invaders" (J Majik remix) What was up with that barfing/burping sample that he kept using throughout his set (haha..I dunno what the hell that was..anyone know what I'm talking about?) MC Fearless pops out of nowhere..."boom selectah!"

Go go Dancers - haha!! it's good to see something new at a party. da gyal dem shakin' and groovin' their 'tings to some jungle beats.

Nicky B - everyone knows the score on Nicky B. he's been rinsing similar sets for the past 2 years, this one was not too much of an exception. however...always a crowd favourite. Though the back2back2back MC business on top of this was too sweet!!!

Couldn't say much about Usual Suspects, only caught 5 or 10 minutes of their set. I think all the headliners popped "Up All Night".

Well like I said I expected too much. Not really the jungle party of the year for me. I thought it would be but I was wrong. It was still wikkid to see the back2back2back MC busines live..something I've been meaning to see after hearing them on so many sets on tape.

I think I'm done ranting...Empire keep doing your thing but I think you should stay away from the "concert" style party. Big up Numb & Clayton from TOV.


Oh yah..party was supposed to end at 6 am..but got shutdown early (5am from what I heard because a wall collapse or fell on someone).

-JP

 

[louie]

First off, don't advertise on the flyer you are going to have a 19+ drinking area if you really are not. That's like saying, don't drink, do drugs instead. It really sucks when its your friends b-day and you can't buy her drinks.

Secondly, what the hell was with the line up? Two and half hours, thats ridiculous. You know there is going to be a lot of people, organize the bloody thing properly. That just tells me you guys don't care about the people.

Finally the party itself, I thought Nicky threw down a pretty good set, a lot of ragga but what else could you expect. The highlight for me must have been the back2back2back on the mic. Shabba, Skibba and Fearless were amazing, kept the crowd moving nice and the vibe going.

All in all too many dissappoints that overshadow the good aspects, it was a great party but too many things wen't wrong.

Peace.

Was it me or did Shabba look really blitzed on stage?

 

[jungle*baby]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by [- FuNKtiOn -]:
Where was this held?</font>

@ Luxor... totally sucked tho
--thought i was going to get crushed alive in the line up... absolute bullshit

(told the security that they should have more guards outside cuz someone could get really hurt *especially girlies* you know what they told me "that's the way it goes sometimes")

so i give empire my $33 and i'm not only treated like a 3rd class citizen, told not to talk or make a complaint but also that my life isn't worth anything...

what does this say about empire? about raves?

been partying for 3 years now... but no more.
this party completely turn me off parties forever

why??????

i've realised just how much promoters exploit people

and how they don't care if we get hurt or killed as long as they've got our money

makes me mad to think that we pay a lot of $$$$ to go to a party to chill and have a good time only to be treated like a piece of shit in every respect

the question is WHY do they treat us like this?
somple: because we keep coming back

*peace out*

 

[noahmintz]

I might have missed this ...
But who were Shabba, Skiba and Fearless Mcing too?

Stu

 

[RaVeRGuY]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Disco Stu:
I might have missed this ...
But who were Shabba, Skiba and Fearless Mcing too?

Stu</font>

Skiba/Shabba started with the last 1/2 hour of Mystical/Lush.

Then to Future Cut...the trio is complete with Fearless. They also MC'd to Nicky B.

Only Skiba & Fearless & Caddy Cad MC's for the Suspect....Shabba left.

-JP

 

[terrawrist III]

very glad i missed this one!

i need a full track listing form the future cut set!! kidding

too many "junglists".....was there for 1 minute and sold my ticket for 45$, thats sad!If the british promoters knew how we would ashamingly pay 50 dollars for a fucking drum and bass ticket they would be disgusted!

rave is dead!

 

[vox]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">

been partying for 3 years now... but no more.
this party completely turn me off parties forever

why??????

i've realised just how much promoters exploit people
</font>

if you don't like what happens sometimes at big parties, just don't go to them.
but don't generalize the rest of the scene that way. look around, there are a lot of smaller parties that are kick-ass!
(and waaaaaay cheaper too)
not everyone is out to exploit people - just the commercial part of the scene.

 

[krs24]

Was that Dominik mcing in the up n comers room, wearing the light blue hat. If it was is there anything this guy can't do?
Chris

 

[Shadrach]

I really want to know what happened with this pillar/wall falling. When I got to the party at 12:30 I was suprized to still see a large line-up of ticket holders. I've been in that situation as a promoter and it can be a very stressful situation. It did seem like the cops were running the show. I never made it into to the party because they were going to force me to check my jacket. I was only popping into the party for a few minutes to check it out because I had to go back downtown to promote. I was very excited to check the triple MC's but left rather sour.

There is a time when every production company breaks through from the 500-1500 person event to the 2500+ level. This growth is usually met with lack of experience and many times can lead to disorganization. Almost every company I can think of has been caught with their pants down. The problem with out of control lines is that you can't do much once you get behind. Opening the doors even a 1/2 hour late can make a huge difference. Having enough searchers is also important.

So all I can say is that I doubt these promoters will let themselves get into this situation again. Being prepared is the most important thing when planning the control of an event.

........=aa=.......

 

[noahmintz]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">was there for 1 minute and sold my ticket for 45$, thats sad!If the british promoters knew how we would ashamingly pay 50 dollars for a fucking drum and bass ticket they would be disgusted!</font>

Most of the big "rave" events in the UK cost somewhere around $70 (when you convert to Canadian funds) so I don't think they would be that disgusted

Stu

 

[DJ Doublecross]

I think most of you are looking at this party through emotionally clouded eyes, because you went through unpleasant experiences. But, as is always the case, blame seems to be flung in all directions without any regard for logic or truth.

In regards to the lineup out front, well that was probably controlled by the venue and/or the police, not the promoters. I'm not sure on this point, but I believe the owners of Luxor are pretty strict and seem to be hard to deal with.

When the party was shut down, I believe that was the decision of the police and no one else. Again, I could be wrong though.

So the bad things, namely the lineups and the early closure, have to do with the venue and not the promoters.

So now the problem becomes: why did Empire have to use Luxor? They could have used a better venue like the Docks.

I don't agree with this at all. First of all, maybe Empire was purposefully trying to throw a smaller party to increase the vibe inside. Imagine sharing Nicky Blackmarket, Future Cut, Usual Suspects, Shabba D, Skibadee, Fearless, and all the toronto talent with only 2000 people instead of 4000 or 5000 people. Seems pretty good doesn't it? And by limiting the number of people who could attend, Empire would potentially be making less money. Yet you blame them for this decision? It seems like pretty good intentions to me.

Furthermore, what are the other options? The Docks? Please, every party for the last several months seems to have been at the Docks. That place is becoming more monotonous than the Warehouse did a few years ago! The CNE buildings? That would have been a giant party, which might not have been what Empire was hoping for. I know I would prefer a smaller party, and a lot of other people would too.

Plus, the Luxor is one of the most visually appealing venues in the city, and worked perfectly for the party's concert-like atmosphere. And it hasn't been used (except by Citrus) in several years.

Personally, I commend Empire for trying something different. Obviously things did not work out as they planned, but look at what they were trying to do: throw a small-medium sized party with amazing talent in an innovative location. Sure they were taking a chance by using the Luxor, but would you rather they simply stick to the status quo? Do you want to make it law that every rave promoter has to use the Docks or the CNE?

If no one took chances anymore, the world would be a pretty boring place.

Rob

 

[feisty boy]

^^^^^^true enough, but the fact is THEY DIDN'T PULL IT OFF.

if you're going to have the balls and be 'innovative' and whatever else you're labeling it, be sure you have the organisation in place to see it through.

no one is complaining that they chose a seldom used venue - they're complaining that they didn't do what needed to be done to ensure a good party.

 

[terrawrist III]

i wasnt referring to the scale size of the rave itself....and I wasnt making generalizations towards our parties neccesarily, but what i meant was for the talent...this was a heavy duty line-up, one that was met with HUGE,HUGE demand and by far one the better line-ups of the year in terms of talent, but it is outragous to think that we have to spend that much for a party because of the demand!

they fucken knew this party would be huge...get a bigger venue..and dont overprice, because thats insane!!!

 

[Guest]

If their were so many people there then why didn't they tell all the poeple with cash that the party was sold out? That would have eased all the craziness at the door. But they didn't, probably because it's all about the money.
I hate raves and I hate most promoters. They are greedy and treat their customers/patrons like shit. Although their are some exceptions.

 

[RaVeRGuY]

^^ I disagree ^^

If it was all about the money...then they would've let the cashline in at the same time as the ticket holders. Then that would've been total chaos inside. Though i agree that they should've just told everyone the party was sold out plain and simple.

-JP