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Nicky Smood was the DJ that was playing at the moment. He had his head down, and was firmly concentrating on his mixing. He didn't seem to be enjoying the moment. It seemed as if he was too scared to make a mistake. And rightly so. The crowd would have lynched him if he slipped up now.

Boy was it packed. A group of girls infront of me where letting themselves go. But in the same period they had attracted a number of men over to them whom they hadn't noticed!

Other clubbers that were around me, had drinks in their hands. Ranging from Champagne bottles to Budweiser's beer bottles, and all swaying time with the music I have to say. The music that was playing was "Music" by Eric Sermon, which used the sample from the late great Marvin Gaye and another track that was being blended in at the same time which was "Breathe and Stop" by Q-tip (Formally out of the HipHop group called "A Tribe called Quest").

Once a while the Mc that was within the DJ booth, dropped a few lyrics of his own to try and get the Clubbers Hands waving in the air. It worked up to a point. One part of the club took part in this. The other either ignored him, or couldn't hear him, or just carred on with what they were doing previously

It was at this time that I got myself a dance. It was with a gorgeous looking, black girl. Tall, but not taller then me, and was all in all, a very attractive looking.

I still don't know how I got her to dance with me? But I wasn't complaining. I just asked her if she wanted to dance. I was already starting to walk away half expecting to the "no reply", when suddenly she just took one look at me, and pulled me towards her.

As we were dancing I tried to ask her, her name, but because the speakers were so close by, and so loud. I couldn't make out what she was saying. Great Hey?

After about 3 or 4 songs of dancing together. She decided that she wanted to go back to her friends and rest abit. With a smile and a twinkle in her eyes, she then turned and walked over to a group of giggling females.

Other men weren't as lucky as me. Many, were being pushed away, or were being stared at in utter disbelief for them even asking in them first place!

At this moment in time I thought I better do my job and take a few pictures of the night in question.

It must have been about 12:45/12:50 time as I noticed that clubbers were milling out of the Box area of the club that was originally roped of. Yes, here was where the UK Garage music venue was situated within the club.

As I made my way around the corner, the space that was available really shocked me. From momentarily being in a sardine packed like area, to now being within an area where you could walk around was such a surprise.

I looked up towards in the far distance and I could see a DJ that looked like Master Stepz..

He was playing a heavy, ragga infused UK Garage Dj set, that wasn't inspiring the small crowd that was within the room

People weren't dancing as if they enjoyed it. It seemed as if they were going through the motions to be hoenst. I stayed within the room for next 20 minutes, hoping amongst hope, that the next record would be better then the previous. But the mix was heavy and dark, with the occasional soulful vibe Garage tune to lift the spirits.

"Too dark man.. much too dark", I thought to myself, and I left to go back to the room that was dropping RnB music.

As I went back into the Bar room. The was even more crowded then when I left it. In only about 25 minutes ago that I had left this area to go and listen to Masterstepz set.

The crowd that was assembled here was out of control but in a nice way. If that can be explained! Yes, people were getting pushed about, and their feet were getting trodden on. But everyone was in a surprisingly high spirits. Girls that were being "coy" only a few moments earlier on, where beginging to dance with strangers who previoulsy they gave the "Cold Shoulder" to a few hours before earlier on.

The DJ who was in charge now was Matt White. I have to say it, that he was dropping some bombs at this present moment in time. When he dropped Missy Elliot's "Werk it", the area went crazy.

The Mc who was with DJ Matt White had to ask him once or twice to, "Hitch it back. Hitch it back selector"..... Rewind star"...which eventually happened. At the same time the Mc tried to gain the attention of the crowd. "To all the men in the crowd tonight, please calm down abit, and remember that there are females in the crowd with you"

Once and a while, Matt white and his Mc crew stopped proceedings again, but this time they asked the crowd who would like to be given free tickets to attend the Ministry of Sounds New Year Eve 2002 Party, at the Dome, in Greenwich, London. This at first bought halfhearted appeals, but when the tickets appeared in sight. Then the hands went straight up after this I can tell you.

It was getting too hectic for me, so I decided to return to the Box arena of the club, where the UK Garage muisc was being played. Yes, it was getting more packed in here now. The DJ had changed as well within the booth. I made out evetually that it was Norris the Boss Windross whom was at the helm. And to be fair his set was good. He was playing a track called "Ramp" by Mc Dynamite, when I entered the area. This track had everyone grooving. Ragga infused Uk/2Step Garage track, which was funky as hell I have to say..

Funky UK/2-Step Garage tracks were being dropped within Mr.Norris "the Boss" Windross DJ Set,. As I looked around the crowd were appreciating his set. One dreadlocked Rasta, even got out his lighter, flicked it on, and started waving it around as a mark of respect. Girls were getting down, and men weren't trying to look cool anymore. People were at last interested in dancing.

I must of entered the set of Norris Windross Dj set near the end, as he was now being replaced by Matt "jam" Lamont...

Matt started off his proceedings well enough. He was playing a number of tracks that made "Tuff/Jam duo" one of the most respected names within UK/2-Step Garage music circles.

The track "Better with time", bought a smile to my face, as did "Catch a feeling" which got me shuffling my feet. But all around me, people didn't seem bothered, or lacked the enthusiasm which I had. They jigged about, but their hearts didn't seemed to be in it. Matt mixed up his set more frantically featuring, darker Uk/2-Step Garage tunes which seemed to work for the crowd that he was playing for, but for me did nothing..

One girl to my right seemed like she was "polishing a wall", whlist trying to dance his set, and eventaully was immediately joined by what looked like her partner. They where going for it in a "dancing" sort of way...

I felt that Matt's set was fast becoming just too dark for me to take, but the crowds that had assembled here seemed to be enjoying it.

I decided to go and rest my feet within the VIP rooms above, and just take it easy for a while. Whilst there I had a couple of Red bulls, where I wished I could slip in a measure of Vodka. But I was driving. Secondly, there were a steady steam of beautiful girls coming in or leaving the room all at the same time. Was this where the beautiful people came to chill out I wondered? Yes, men where around, but they were out numbered by the fairer sex. All shapes and sizes. And all of them looked good. I managed to break into a conversation with a lady whom was based within South London.

I can't remember her name now I have to be honest, but she explained that she regularly made the trip up here on a once a month to the Smoove night to hear her favourite music - RnB. She was tall, blonde and had hazel coloured eyes, and I have to say, very good looking. I wished she could have stayed longer as we seemed to be enjoying each other's company. But she threw into the conversation that her boyfriend was waiting for her downstairs. She had just come up-stairs to "powder her nose". I left it as that, and we both left it on pleasant terms.

I stayed around the VIP lounge area for quite a long time after this. Longer then I expected. I tried to go out onto the balcony area of the VIP Lounge, but it was packed. Real packed. It was a case of waiting for one person to come out before another person could go in, and try and have a look over the balcony. Forget that I decided. And chilled even more in my comfortable seat which I wasn't prepared to give up to anyone at this moment in time. I was luckily to get a seat so quickly after trying to queue like everyone else to go into the balcony area to witness what was going on within the Uk/2-Step Garage room.

Another further 20 minutes had passed by when I decided that I should go downstairs and "sample" the atmosphere.

After making it through the vast crowds with the bar area of the club that was playing "RnB music". I eventually got over the box area as they call here at the Ministry of Sound - where they were playing Uk/2-Step Garage music. This visit to this area saw me hearing the DJ set of Karl " tuff enuff" Brown. The other half of the Famous UK Garage team known as "Tuff Jam".

From what I could hear he too was trying to "drop" a few old school UK Garage cuts that weren't really working on this crowd. They made me smile, and even got me to move my feet yet again. But others weren't so appreciative. His set gradually got "darker and darker", as he was trying to feel for the audience's vibe and what they wanted to hear. Even the Mc, who I couldn't make out was having difficulty in getting the crowd to "jump up".

As the set got "darker"( more bassline/ragga infused Uk/2-Step Garage numbers got played) the crowds response to him got better. People weren't milling around anymore, and generally getting into the music.

For me. No. This wasn't my style of Uk/2-Step Garage music. What he was playing was "working" for the crowd, but for me I wanted the music to be more breezed with a Soul/Funk vibe.

I stayed within that room for about 45 minutes, and I noticed that some of the girls that were originally locked within the RnB room were now here. They revelled in having a more, spacious place to dance, and to "drop foot", without having to watch out for men, who wouldn't take no for an answer.

Some of the people here could really dance. You know what I mean? Really dance. It was a joy just to stand back, and watch them perform. At times, it looked like they were giving a performance for us. And they were just like me and you, coming out to have some fun. But their dancing made them stand out a mile. Brilliant.

Soon enough, I thought it was time to go back into the "Bar area" of the club. The place where all the RnB music was being dropped by Matt White, and people were responding to it like a Snake charmer, who was playing his pipes, and charming a deadly snake at the same time.

Boy, was this place rocking. Matt White is just one of the big players within RnB music when it comes to London. He was at the helm at this very moment, which he was aided with a few Mc's. But I liked the way these Mc's performed. They "occasionally" made themselves heard. Not talking over tracks themselves. They let the track/s breath. People want to hear the tunes - not them!!

It was a roadblock. I haven't seen such scenes since when I used to go to the Twice as Nice parties in Vauxhall, London, England - 1998. It actually did look like a Pastor delivering a sermon to his congregation.

Most girls now had completely lost all inhibitions, and were dancing with the men that they were trying to avoid about 2 hours previously.

All the tunes were being dropped, where making a great impact on the crowd. The DJ knew what the crowd wanted, and every so often would do be forced to do a rewind, as the record would "jump", when the crowd would became too rowdy.

"Come on. Ease yourselves. Remember fella's. I know the tunes are banging, but please remember that there are ladies in the crowd with you. And its nealy Christmas...."urged one of the Mc's of Matt White..

A big cheer went up as he finished, as most people understood the need for calm.

Yes the dance moves were still ex-rated, but many didn't care in the small exposed spaces that they were given. That's all I could say. Still the excitement of the moment, and of the music that was being dropped by Matt White, once again created a wave of people pushing into one another. And yet again, the Mc, had to come to the microphone, "Now fella's, relax yourselves. Come on..."...

Again with that statement was met by cheers from the crowd..

The crowds within the Bar room where locked in a spell. Also it seemed as if all the good-looking girls had timed themsleves to come out all together at this moment in time. However, many were dancing between themselves to the disappointment of many men within the same area!

I decided to give the Uk/2-Step Garage room another look.

The room that wasn't as full as when Karl "Tuff Enuff" Brown, was performing. Once again, from what I could make out, I could see Masterstepz up in the DJ Booth. He was in full flight, together with his Mc.The tunes coming out of the huge speakers system seemed to be very dark and menacing. No soulful vibes from him again. "Whats was it, with these dj's tonight", I thought.?

I stayed in that room for about another 20 minutes. However, the music which Masterstepz was playing that night wasn't moving me. Yeah, a few people were getting down, but.. the music wasn't creating the right vibe. Or it seemed like that it to me. Too dark man. Much too dark. I know that he could play a set that was more Soulful then this.

I stayed right to the end of the night, which saw me partying to the last sounds of RnB music ringing in my ears. Many wanted one more song, but that's was that. No extra's tonight.

I managed to still make my way up stairs via the steel spiral steel case to the VIP room. This was to say my last good byes to the girls behind the bar up there. After a few hugs and smiles later, and I was bounding my way downstairs these stairs.

However, on reaching the bottom there were still a few "stragglers" still milling around the place. People were either chatting away, even though the music had finished 15 minutes previously. Or Groups of men and women were swapping telephone numbers by giving each other scraps of paper, or inserting each other numbers into their mobile phones..

Bouncers and minders of the club were trying to move these "stragglers" at least to the main entrance of the club. They wanted to get home. You could see it in their or faces. Already the bar staff were out in force, sweeping up the nights debris, which was a mixtures of broken glass, flyers and general grit that had been dropped in the party atmosphere of the night before.

Stepping out into the morning air, I smiled, as I had just had a really witnessed a really great night out. No where's that Bus Stop

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