HENTUCKY BREAKS - The Beginning
Thursday 1st July 2004, Matecana - In support of Teenage Cancer Trust
Ivan Madeira
Ok so how did we do? As you can see on the main page we managed to raise £610 for Teenage Cancer Trust. To see how this money will be put to use, then click H E R E . This is an excellent figure and a higher amount than anticipated. For an event that was held on a Thursday night, which was unknown was a great achievement. First things first though, I have to give a massive shout to John & Maria at Matecana for their support in helping putting this together. Also their generous contribution from the bar helped to give us this impressive total, and was just...outstanding. Thanks to the staff working for free on the night, namely Gus, Tia and Catherine, and to everyone else who I may have left out.
The night started of a little later than expected. The doors opened at 7pm as stated, but DJ Hope & Disco ML where stuck in the lovely London traffic. "MJ Cole - Back to Mine" was the CD of choice though and with the football was on the tele, (well done to Greece on that lifesaver silver goal by Dellas) the few people who where there where kept busy. Rebecca from Teen Cancer popped in to say hello and asked if she could help, but due to the amount of help from Matecana all bases where covered. So Rebecca said her goodbyes and was on her way. Big thanks for popping down though! Just to see the place gives would give TCT a better idea of what Hentucky Breaks was trying to do. Eventually, Dave (Hope) and Disco eventually found the place and the Technics where quickly set up, and the DJs began their b2b set.
Underway
Dave and Disco played a lovely house set which got the crowd in the mood. Admittely people where chilling rather than dancing, but it had that proper bar atmosphere where everyone was enjoying themselves. It was early still, and well with the schedule over running it didn't really matter. With the footie in the background and that lovely silver goal, the TV was turned off and people started to focus more on the music in hand. I was up and down the club, checking the door and then popped out to check my University Results. As I've just finshed my degree (Systems Engineering at Brunel), it was results day at the same time of HB. Lovely timing hey? I'd been trying all day to find out what I got, but thanks to the 'excellent' computer system installed by Brunel, it was proving to be a hard task (almost as hard as my dissertation). I half found my results at a computer system in Kings College computer suite (don't ask), where I got the raw grades but not the actual definitive classification. So this put me in limbo for the night as I thought I had a 2:1 (which is confirmed now), but wasn't entirely sure.
So after running back to the club to see how things where progressing, and a 'few' stiff drinks to boot it was time for the second act, Affirmative Action to come on. But they where running late/lost, so Hope and Disco where still behind the decks doing an excellent job. Eventually Affirmative Action came and set up and started their set. MCs Koast2Koast, Fusion and Connector with a Hip Hop DJ laying the beats where Affirmative Action. With only one MIC due to a technical hitch the boys performed an excellent showcase of tracks from Hydro Volume One and a variety of grime tracks which they just spitted over. The crowd where more taking in and listening to the crew rather than full on skanking, but appreciation was shown all round with nods, occasional gun-shot sign and a few cheers when Koast hyped up the crowd. A good performance to break up the night, and afterwards it was time for my set.
Too Many
At this point I was a little bit worse for wear, but had a set planned already. This set by myself was to represent the Hentucky Sound, and show the crowd what it's all about. Started off with a few hip hop joints, Souls of Mischief, Nas, Beastie Boys, Coldcut, moving up the pace to a few known tracks such as Summertime. Then dropped a few funk tracks, mixed up with some beats numbers, 80s cheese, breakbeat, 90s cheese, themetunes, Michael Jackson...basically you name it and it was played. The mixing was dire, thanks to the drink (yes that is a legit excuse officer) and the headphone cutting out on me (had to use the classic telephone headphone) put all my set pieces out the window. So basically just played all the tunes I had in mind, but had to freestyle. Overall people where loving the set (not my opinion just others, I was too busy mixing/stumbling in the booth to recognise how well the set went down) and was glad at the response. Apart from the comment from some random girl who came to the booth "Can you play something from this decade". Though her previous question was "'ave you got any R&B", so well...there you go. Good music is what Hentucky Breaks is all about, not playing Generic R&B anthem in a different order to what every other man and their dog plays. But the people who she was with where skanking away. I ended off with a couple of D&B numbers to allow Genocide to take over.
Genocide, an up and coming old skool, breaks whatever really DJ was the main man for the night. Starting off with a few hip house/breaks numbers and building the tempo progressively with a great old skool selection was playing the right tunes for the crowd. I know this guy knows his Rabbit City Records from his Reinforced, but he was playing the upfront stuff for the crowd. Great stuff, everyone was shocking away, and as the tempo progressed peoples dancing got more outlandish. One of my friends looked like a Russian on crack with his beautiful dancing, was amazing, but thought his circuits where going to overload at the speed his legs where moving. Overall a great set from Genocide playing an hour over the stated time (but within the license off the club), people where dancing till the end
Conclusion
And the general concensus of the night? "Brilliant mate, love it". (Here comes the Oscar moment) Basically I was really chuffed that people loved it. The turn out was great, for a small bar on a Thursday night I was so happy at its success. I'm very thankful for the good turnout of my friends on the night, and thank you for bringing your friends/family whatever. Thanks to Matt for bringing the So Solid Crew... well he did bring a big group, so it felt that way. But nah seriously big shouts on that as you did trek it all the way from Uxbridge, so respect. And respect for Tracey for coming all the way from Bristol! I hope that this night was worth it, and I hope to see you at the next one? THE NEXT ONE? Yes there are big plans for the next Hentucky Breaks, hopefully in August @ Matecana (TBC). Also hopefully trying to bring Hentucky Breaks around various venues in South London and London...but looking at bringing it further afield to Brighton, Leciester, Bristol etc.. Even abroad!! It's all about looking at the bigger picture. Also with Hentucky Breaks mix CD two (GM Beats) in the pipeline already, the live recordings of future events (technical hitch again for recording this one!) and trying to build the Hentucky Mix series with a few other recordings of straight genres and getting other artists involved....well basically things are looking ahead. With a degree under my belt, I'm now able to focus on this with my full attention. So I hope to see you lot at the next Hentucky Breaks, and thanks again to all who supported this event. Thanks to TCT for their support, and I hope this first cheque of many to come, will go to helping the TCT cause.
Oh yeah the Goodie bag prize wasn't rigged, but it did seem that way, couldn't believe Edward won! But hey it was a fair draw, but damn even I feel I should get investigated by the Goodie Bag Fair Draw Federation (probably exists). Cheeky. More photos can be found here.
To check the out the profiles of the performers on the night and other people who have helped contribute to Hentucky in any way, check Click Here. If you would like to contact me regarding Hentucky Breaks then please do so.
