For those of you who might want to try this venue the Vibes nightclub is situated on Aviation way adjacent to Southend Airport. It is in a relative secluded area just off the motorway. However the club shares a complex with an hotel.

The last time I was at the Zeros was for the New Year's Eve ball which featured Tuff Jams Karl and Matt doing a back2back set. That rave was wicked. I arrived at 8.45, before it opened and had a ball of a time.

My only moan then was that unlike clubs in London they do not use plastic glasses, only the glass ones. The problem was they break easily. I found to my peril when I accidentally treaded on a broken bit when dancing on the floor, which went right through my shoe and cut the sole of my foot! The friendly staff had a first aid box and help me with the plasters.

However for this one, I arrived at 10.15 and boy what a queue! The non members line was over 60 and the members line was around half that number. What made it worse was the weather was very chilly and fresh! Brrrr! Some revellers bravely waited in just short sleeves tops, some birds just in minis! A few joined the line after drinking in the hotel's bar beforehand.

I don't, as a rule wear jackets when clubbing, due to the hassle of waiting to get to the cloakroom when you get in or at the end, but in view of the queue I kept mine on We waited over half an hour before getting inside. Whilst waiting we saw Karl "tuff enuff" Brown pull up in his motor with 3 others including the singers for the p.a. His partner with him, helped carry out the 2 large and heavy record boxes out of the car's boot.

There was a buzz of excitement and some murmuring as the group made there way past the punters queuing up and entered the venue The security men did allow the women in the queue in first, when all the members had gone in. However some ladies who were with their blokes, declined to take up the offer of an early entry and elected to wait with their men. See Essex girls do stay loyal! One tip for the Zero: aim to get there by 9.30 the latest to avoid the queues.

Once inside there was another queue (well a lot shorter than the one outside) for the cloakroom. At 50p an item it is half price of what you expect to pay in the London clubs.

The venue was getting packed when I surveyed the dancefloor. However there was space to move. The crowd was mainly young without being a kiddies rave. There was sizable number in the over 25s age range, and a mixture of well dressed posers, flirting stunners (well we are among the Essex girls!), charmers out to pull, drinkers, dancers (I would include myself in that category) and general garage head ravers.

As this is the only Saturday night spot in Southend (or perhaps the whole of Essex) that plays UK Underground Garage, with the leading names on the circuit, the club has a large number of regulars or garageheads, whom I recognised from my previous visits.

The warm-up local dj was currently on the decks and keeping everyone on their toes with a fine set. I briefly said hi to Karl "tuff enuff" Brown and was told he would be on the decks at 11:30pm.

After getting a drink I decided to hit the dancefloor which was now quite packed but there was space to move. Everyone was getting down then followed an announcement to announcement to clear the podiums as the podium dancers were coming on. The two young ladies took their positions on the podiums on either side of the dancefloor. They looked in my opinion...we okay.

Nothing spectacular mind you. I did see some girls on the dancefloor doing much better 2 step garage moves in my opinion. I knew I what I was capable of so ignored them and moved with the music, allowing it to take me on a journey through sound and time as I got a buzz from the rave. They came down after 25 minutes or so and the other revellers besieged the vacant podiums packing them out.

Later on whilst talking to some of the revellers by the bars, I noticed the music changed and I heard the opening bars of the familiar sound of the Tuffenuff signature dub plate: "Tuff, tuff, tuff, tuff tuff..." That was the sign that Tuffjams commenced rocking the set and it was time to immediately rush onto the dancefloor. Fortunately there was ample room where I was, which allowed me to shock out and go wild to the funky underground sound of the tuffjam experience.

Unfortunately my pineapple top came undone and sending the dreads all over the place. Who cares I just had to get down. Others immediately rose to the beats and the atmosphere changed to ruff and funky as you expect from tuff jam. The floor soon got packed with less room to move.

The cameraman from Mixmag magazine was busy taking snaps of the revellers going wild on the floor or simply posing, namely the flirts and posers!

Later on it was time for the p.a. by Jaki Bennett as she mounted the podium in front of the dj decks.

She urged the crowd to get going who responded, but most apparently were more into the music than singing and cheering like a hard core havin it crowd at an all night rave up. They lapped it up as she went through the 'experience' number and 'need good love' TuffJams first single, as everyone was rocking. After the p.a. Tuff Enuff rocked on. I briefly had a word with the singer Jaki afterwards. Her face looked familiar as I am from East London. Not surprisingly she told me she had worked in Hackney, East London. A small world. Well if you have the talent you can surely make it no doubt. Karl "tuff enuff Brown played on till 1.30 which was quite along set. The guest djs usually leave around 1230, so we all had excellent value for money. The venue ended at 2am, an early finish being Essex.

Those who came to pull did not leave empty handed and had the rest of the night to enjoy themselves. Those who did not had to put up with the 30 minute wait in the cloakroom queue!

Cultural Vibes at the Zero is the only place in Essex on a Saturday to hear UK Underground garage with the top dj line up and is really recommended.

Solmans report....

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Solomon Malcom, London, England and Carl Brown, Ipswich, England.