The Queue/Security/Staff:
My friend had bought a Priority Ticket, the type you buy when you don't want to queue. You had to be there before 1am to get in. He still had to queue with me for 1 hour. When we asked a staff member about it she told us it doesn't matter. Different ticket providers give different options, but in the end it doesn't mean anything. Is this Fabric's fault or Resident Advisor's (the ticket provider) fault? My friend was quite confused and upset, and rightfully so. A lot of people in the queue were pissed off, and I could hear them talk about it. If someone pays extra money to get in faster, having to wait for an hour isn't what they were expecting. Not to mention all the people jumping the queue due to bad monitoring. Sometimes security was extra vigilant and even harsh, and others, super distracted while they were telling people off, so opportunists would jump the queue.
I've been going to Fabric for over ten years now. As most of us who have been to Fabric know (because we have experienced it), their security is rude and at times can get borderline aggressive. I'm saying this as a person who has been going to Fabric sober for a very long time. This time, most staff members were polite, and pleasant, but there was also the usual touching you and pushing you (without your consent) and shouting in your face. All that before you even entered the club. Inside, they were mostly invisible, and I was surprised to see a staff member witnessing two people (man and woman) shouting to each other (they were having an argument) and not interfering. The staff member was sitting right next to them on the couch, but he did fuck all. I also witnessed a woman get harassed by a man in the loo and there were a couple staff members present in there, not sure if they realised what was going on, but they didn't do anything.
The Music
Oh my fucking days! My brain got thoroughly and pleasantly penetrated by phenomenally good music! The sets were the following:
Room 1
METALHEADZ
Diverge 11 - 12
Loxy & Ink & Medic MC 12 - 1
Paradox (Live) 1 - 2
Dillinja B2B Bailey 2 - 3.30
Goldie & Medic MC 3.30 - 5
Nookie 5 - 6
Room 2
BASSIC10 -10 YEARS OF THE BASSIC
Naina 12 - 1
Ant TC1 B2B Zero T & MC Fokus 1 - 2
Goldie B2B Doc Scott & MC GQ 2 - 3
Grooverider & MC Fokus 3 - 4
SL8R & MC Fokus 4 - 5
The sets I missed were the first two from Room 1, the first one from Room 2 and very unfortunately, I missed Grooverider & MC Fokus as well (which was a set I really wanted to catch), but I will explain why below.
The whole night was fantastic and filled with quality drum and bass. For us jungle lovers, there was a lot of auditory teasing, in the nicest way possible. Big thumbs up to the lights people for adding majorly to the experience, and to the floor staff for being discreet while cleaning and not obstructing our dancing throughout the night. I noticed that most people also respected the no pictures/videos rule, which added to the experience. My highlights:
I am not sure I possess the vocabulary to describe the first 10-15 (?) minutes of Dillinja B2B Bailey's set and the feelings and sensations it evoked, not just for me, but for the whole room. The whole set was unreal, but the 'intro' specifically was otherworldly. From the first few seconds the atmosphere changed, the energy in the room was electrifying; we were all transported somewhere else: a musical garden of Eden. I couldn't leave the room. The set lasted for an hour and a half. During that time I went to Room 2 to check Goldie B2B Doc Scott & MC GQ's set for ten minutes maybe (because that was another set I didn't want to miss), used the loo once and got some water from the water bar (which is a great idea and more clubs/bars should adopt it). The rest of the time I was dancing in Room 1, because the set was that good. And that set was the talk of the night: in the smoking area, the loo, the chill area, everywhere. Dillinja outdid himself. I wanted to meet him and shake his hand to say "Thank you for the experience," but also, I didn't want to be a creep or cringy, so I said it internally. And the ending! When I heard those first notes from The Angels Fell, I lost my shit. A perfectly smooth ending to a marvelous set. Bravo!
On why I missed Grooverider & MC Fokus' set: A little after Dillinja B2B Bailey's set was finished, we decided to go to the smoking area for some fresh air. We didn't intend to stay there for too long, as I really wanted to catch at least part of Grooverider's set. Sadly, by the time we got there and then back, the set was over.
We heard a lot of 'Amen Breaks' last night, and each of them was welcomed and much needed by our raver souls. I'm glad I was wearing dancing shoes, because fucking hell! I could not stop dancing. Apart from the above-mentioned legendary set, there were a couple of very special moments I will cherish. The first, when Goldie spoke about music and the DNB community after his set in Room 1, and thanked us all for being part of that night. Then, when Nookie finished his set with Out of Space by the Prodigy. You could see why that tune was perfect to end the night. Both moments were magical and a reminder that music is truly a gift to be shared, an experience to connect us all.
The Creeps
A lot of the staff were wearing t-shirts reading "Don't be a creep." Now, that is lovely and all, but a creep isn't going to be self-aware enough to realise they're being a creep. So, these t-shirts are more of a marketing move, than practically helpful. What would be useful would be posters around the club, at the bar and in the toilets explaining what consent is, and telling men to NOT touch women unless they have their informed, enthusiastic and ongoing consent. Or even better, having to fill a short questionnaire on consent whilst purchasing your ticket (whether online or at the door).
My experience with men's inappropriate behaviour at the venue on the night:
Me and my friend were in the smoking area when a guy approached us. He was friendly and started socialising with us. He indirectly asked if we were a couple, which I found a tad bizarre considering he had just started talking to us. Then, he stressed how he wouldn't go out with a female friend one on one. Red flag. He asked to join us inside and we said yes, as he kept complaining about his colleagues (whom he came with), how they were only talking about work, whereas he wanted to unwind. He kept on touching my shoulders and arms from the second we started heading inside. He didn't stop touching me until the moment he left. He did not ask for my consent not even once. When we were sat on a couch I made sure my friend was sat between us. He obviously didn't get the message that he was making me uncomfortable -or he didn't care. He had asked me to get me a drink a few times (and insisted). I explained I wanted to remain sober during the night, and I would only be drinking water. When we were on the dance floor, all I wanted to do was dance and enjoy my time and the experience. He would not leave me alone for a large part of the time he was with us; he would try to find an excuse to come close to me or talk to me, when he could clearly see I was there for the music and not to talk to a stranger who was there to pull. He kept coming behind me and awkwardly touching my shoulders or arms as part of some sort of 'dance move' which was just spoiling the moment for me. At some point he handed me his mobile phone device. I looked at him curiously. He expected me to give him my number. The only thing that could come out of my mouth was 'Ahhh.' I sincerely could not speak. He said it's okay if I didn't want to, but he kept holding the phone in front of my face. I tried to change the subject by asking if he was leaving. He kept on saying something, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I the end he said 'Maybe' (that he was leaving) and he gave me and my friend a hug and left. Unfortunately, we stumbled upon him later in the night, as he had gotten lost (or so he said) and couldn't find the exit. I pointed him towards the right way. I'm sure he could have asked a staff member...
After a while and towards the end of the night, while my friend was sitting a bit further back resting, a guy started talking to me. Not sure why men think we can have a conversation on the dance floor where there is loud music, or why they think it's okay to interrupt my dancing to introduce themselves. The entitlement! That guy grabbed my waist. I was extremely disturbed by it. And to make matters worse, at some point, he came from behind me grabbing my shoulders! I turned around and shouted "You scared the shit out of me!" And he smiled at me asking why. It's a good thing my friend came to the dancefloor after that (and I made a point of talking to him so that the creep could see I wasn't alone), because he started dancing with my friend, which gave me the opportunity to move into the crowd and get away from him.
Before, I mentioned that I was witness to a woman getting harassed in the loo. I had actually seen that woman get harassed by that man even prior to that, but then, saw them again in the loo. That was before any of the two incidents with these two men had happened to me. I told the man harassing her to "Move along" and he kept insisting that he knows her. I told him I didn't care and he should go. I asked her if she minded that I was rude to him (since he said he knew her) and she said she didn't mind at all. She actually thanked me and felt so relieved that she gave me a hug for telling him off, because he wouldn't had left her alone had I not told him to.
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