Visit Sedgemoor Union for all your aural needs...
With the summer months firmly behind us this time of year isn't known to be the most jovial so I thought I would fight the damp November evening and hibernation tendencies and attempt to lift my spirits by checking out Friends and Family, Eat the Beats monthly residency with Manchester's Grand Central and Fat City.
The impressive Level was the venue for this occasion with its squeaky-clean interior, striking views and blue Perspex map making a fine setting for the evening. The Level's reputation seems to be growing rapidly with a full weekly schedule of big Bristol names and a more than adequate sound system both up and downstairs, something which seems to be regularly lacking in many of Bristol's bar/club venues.
My ears have not been tuned into many Grand Central releases (nor much hip hop) since the much-respected 'Central Heating' five or six years ago, so I was in eager anticipation of what was in store. As Mark Rae came on to play around midnight to a congested dancefloor the mood was more of Friday evening revelry than Thursday evening caution due to a seemingly student dominated crowd. Not that this was a negative thing as it created a good atmosphere for the evening.
His musical selections moved from more generic but solid hip-hop, more funk influenced breakbeats (almost in the jazzanova style) and even some 'charty' hip hop (Mary J Blige). Many tracks also had a disco/soul feel, a hip hop track sampling Marlena Shaw's 'California Soul' springs to mind, all of which aided the feet of many people to move. My only qualms about the music was the use of some hip hop crowd pleasers (Sugar Hill Gang samples etc) which get played at many hip hop nights and seem a bit too obvious sometimes, its always nice to hear music you haven't heard before and can only hear from certain dj's.
As an alternative, upstairs had a nice vibe, its enticing view of Bristol a good setting for some high calibre soul and funk from the residents. This is a night worth checking for both the quality of music and atmosphere which surely merits a return for some more Thursday evening capers.