RAs always when It comes to International bookings the excitement and nerves kick in right before the trip starts. Do I have the right tunes? Wheres my wallet? Will I get stopped at the airport for looking shifty in this hat? Did I remember my passport this time? (Lee actually forgot his passport once travelling to a gig in Germany) But after a mad rush, falling over, nearly missing our coach then flight, we were relaxed and in the air with the worries and headache part of the journey behind us.
Booked for the Bedlam Records Album Tour were ourselves (Lee UHF & Gazy J), Beatpetite & Dj Smackdown. The gig in question was Neo Rave, ran by a group of like minded ravers, passionate about their hardcore, and situated in Budapest, Hungary.
Arriving at 9; 30pm Hungarian time we meet up with our Ultimate Tour guide (More on this later) László (Leslie). We drop our stuff at the lovely Appartments and as all good English do, Ask Leslie to take us to a pub for a chat about the Hungarian Hardcore scene.
One thing we found quite astonishing was that the ravers here into UK Hardcore, did not have a big drug culture much like the English do, But like the smaller events in the UK it was more a family vibe as everyone knew each other from posting on the website www.rave.hu, Neo Rave is also the only Hardcore rave in Hungary, A great accomplishment I think as you know not many people will like this style here in Western Europe.
After a good nights rest Gazy is awoken a good 2 hours earlier than expected, by Leslie to meet Smackdown at the airport, its then back to the hotel to drop off his Luggage, and then venture into The city to do some shopping (Lots of) and site seeing. (Even more of)
To say Leslie knows his Hungarian History I think would be an understatement, the guy is the most relentless tour guide Ive ever seen, this and Beatpetite’s unbridled passion for shopping every 15 minutes got us all aching by the end of the day with sore feet and ready for bed. Neither of these 2 were having it when we suggested a stop for a beer in the sun heh. But to our advantage I can now say I know a hell of alot about Budapest, Cheers Leslie.
We get back to the Appartments at 6; 30pm where we get ready for the night ahead. Then back on the tube alone this time to arrive at Nyugati pályaudvar which is the station situated next to the main shopping centre in where we attend a meet up with a few of the ravers. Leslie tells us this is a tradition now which they all do and we are honoured to be asked along to say hello before the night ahead. We get to the food court where everyone is eating and drinking spirits, get chatting and put faces to names the guys are very friendly enjoying a little banter with us and all seem extremely enthusiastic about music and us performing for them that evening, Its then a short walk to the club not to far away.
Club K2 is a large Ex-Military base so the underground vibe hits you instantly. Its set on 1 level with 2 arenas’s playing Hardcore & DnB and other corridors and smaller rooms with large sofas for chilling out. Kind of like a mini Que-Club.
Early on the crowd is quite mellow as we catch `thecount` in the DnB room then `Futurewave & Riker` in the hardcore room but as the night progresses it fills up fast.
At 11; 30pm Beatpetite starts her set in the Dnb room which quickly gathers a crowd. Budapest is well known for its techy dnb nights and the tracks she plays such as `Noisia- Sigma` & Donny- Symptomless Coma Remix` go down well, perfect mixing and a great set structure really shows she is a force to be reckoned with on the Tech DnB Scene.
Without any time for a break 12; 30am hits and its time for our 2 hour main stage set, I try to keep the set quite euro orientated, and this works to my advantage. With tracks like Darwins`Like A Dream` Remix, Lee’s Remix of `Scooter- Jumping All Over` & Gazy J & Mozz’s Remix of `Scooter- Back In The Uk` A few Recon & Darren Styles tracks for good measure and surprisingly Electro styled tunes like `Kurt- I Dont Like It` & `Gammer- Rippin` whip them into a frenzy. This along with throwing out some free Bedlam Records got the crowd going absoloutly mental, it really did leave us gobsmacked, the energy & Passion the crowd gave out, like a Prodigy concert, it seriously had to be seen to be believed.
The crowd were then given an extra helping when Dj Smackdown took to the decks with Gazy J to perform. Alot of Gazy’s own productions featured including `Shadow Deamon` & `Back in the UK` Remix with smackdown finishing off hard and dirty with `Lee UHF & Riddler- Wake Up Call`
An amazing experience for us all during these 2 hours but now it was time to chill and catch some of the local talent. Protonic was up next in the hardcore arena playing a very uplifting set featuring alot of his own productions such as his remix of `Kid Cudi- Day & Night` & `Turn Up the Volume` Very enjoyable and kept the pace going after our mental 2 hours,
A few laughing gas balloons later, UHF hit the decks in the Dnb room for some filthy mayhem, The room looked pretty empty early on due to everyone hitting the main arean but again it soon filled and I seemed to be making alot of friends in the crowd due to dropping some favourites like `Spor- Dreadnaught` `Donny- The Drill` & Noisia’s Remix of `Messiah` I was having so much fun with one raver I let him come to the decks and pick out my track selection for abit of fun which everyone seemed to find amusing.
Alas all things must come to an end and our taxi ride home at 5am was waiting (We lightwieghted the last hour) so it was off to bed to get some much deserved rest and a good lie in before sending Smackdown home and chilling on our last full day in Budapest.
Waiving goodbye the next afternoon to Steve Smackdown Ourselves, Beatpetite, Leslie & Fellow Neo-Rave Promoter Riker go for an evening Meal which is followed by Leslie insisting on one final tour to see some local churches. (I told you, he is relentless) 6am is our flight the next day and we are exhausted but thankfull of our experience here with some very passionate ravers. The Cultural difference are quite obvious but the love for the music is just as much a big part of their lives as ours, we would definetly advise anyone to go out here for a rave up, flights are real cheap, The scene is very young and the clubs are fantastic, and you never know, Leslie might give you a tour ;)
If you want to see more pictures etc. From our experience or more about forthcoming date’s onthe Bedlam tour, please visit some of my networking sites you can find them at www.leeuhf.com
Words by Gazy J & Lee UHF
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