Caravans, hundreds of them, homogenised hip-hop heads, over 1,800. A multitude of red-eye stumbling bumblers. It's the Dedbeat Weekender in Great Yarmouth.
An event which sold out a few weeks ago after the announcement from Big Beat Boutique that they were going to cancel their March event in the same place.
For those that haven't had the pleasure of attending these Hi Di Hi raves, first impact is usually one of surreal freakishness.
Tribes of kids under a collective roof usually reserved for screaming children and crying toddlers and group games. Mixmaster Morris is up to no good playing scary 60s psychedlic electro in the Mong lounge; Maddog Wallace (who started Rephlex records with Aphex Twin 10 years ago) is on is the backroom playing lots of old skool and cutting up constantly.
Red Snapper are doing the witching hour slot in the main room, Beat Ranks. The reverend Snappers groove on stage and the break dance circles break up. 'Keeping Pigs' starts up the Red engine (appropriate for the current spate of Foot & Mouth). It's pretty much the same set as they played at the Astoria a month or so ago but feels closer and faster, smoother and sexier.
Of course it helps if you're a fan, which most of the identikit youths appear to be. I like their older stuff so the second track, 'Hot Flush', slowly warms my cockles. 'Sleepless' sees MC Det add to the equation, he's a modern pineapple head dred with a soft rap which alternates between dub skank and a Craig David breakneck speed (so I'm not that impressed then!). Ali Friend, on double bass, is in his element, looking well stoked that the kids love it.
'Suckerpunch' has a Playgroup-type bass and the gig is well underway.
Leaving the photography pit to see what they sound like at the back of the room the beat seems to slow down. It becomes so slow I could fall over and I scope a few who have -doubtlessly unrelated to the music but I hear there's a lot of puking going on in the urinals...
The ether of melody turns vaguely fish tank-like as 'Jazzy' (not too original a name for a pioneering acid jazz outfit, methinks) and 'Space' are played.
The layers are jammed and spread to the audience and despite a feeling that Red Snapper are more Barbican than rave, the kids love it.
The old Swordsmen re-mixes did a lot for Snapper and personally I think a brainwave of equal proportions needs to be repeated. But still good value on the all round entertainment sweep. But I have more fun when Peshay starts playing and the break dancers kick off again. One boy's wearing a green thong!
