We’ve just been sent this at Mr Elephant Hq. A proper review by up and coming event journalist Dominic Brotherton and photographs courtesy of the very talented Alina Ha. The Night Times & Mr Elephant Presents: “Celebrate Birmingham’s Underground” (Saturday 20th September, 5pm till 5am @ Rainbow Warehouse & Beach)

It’s all in the Mix Magnetic, Evolve, Trigger, Breakthru, Osmosis, Drop Beats Not Bombs, Jam Jah, Mr Elephant, House of God, Custom Made, My Bass, Broken Minds, the list goes on… It reads like an elaborate and complex cocktail of contrasting ingredients that bears the danger of becoming explosive, much like the often schizophrenic face of the Birmingham underground. However, like the coffee of Kahlúa that binds the unexpected combination of vodka and milk in a White Russian, the mash up of genres slipped down wonderfully thanks to the open mindedness of the spectators: the key ingredient so core to the prevalence of the Birmingham underground scene.

Attracting such a crowd, as disparate as its line-up, the plethora of different backgrounds the night drew on was reflected in everything, from the faces at the bar to the moves on the dance floor: a spectrum of styles, but consistent smiles. The smooth production of the event also lies in the contributing organisations that themselves embrace a wide range of styles. Custom Made, Drop Beats Not Bombs, and of course, Mr Elephant are no stranger to exhibiting genres such as samba, break-beat, ska and hip-hop on the same stage.

Aside from the eclectic range of DJ’s which kept the herd dancing, there were some amusing quirks which got the crowd involved too, such as a selection of craft stalls, a truly bizarre poodle making competition and hilarious performance art from map-bearing characters known as The Tourists, who could be seen roving around the dance floor asking for directions to their hotel, picnicking on the beach, and commenting on the friendliness of the locals.

Once again, club favourite and skilled beat-boxer, Bass6, was in control of the mic, filling gaps with banter, beat breath and being an all-round brilliant host of the beach party, which it must be said, was certainly the epicentre of the joyous occasion, leaving the Night Times’ hosted Rainbow Warehouse a little under-populated at times.

R-Caine stole the show, however, with a flawless B2B appearance with fellow Drop Beats Not Bombs representative, Boogie Dave; never letting the beat become monotonous, sustaining the audience’s energy with quality break after quality break, and never a sloppy drop.

There aren’t many raves that offer the chance to make sand castles with tourists, get your fingers messy making masks, witness a hand-made poodle parade, try a selection of organic curries, buy clothes (I purchased a fantastic purple shirt which I am sure to don at the next elephantine event), and learn how to turn an old juice carton into a functioning wallet, all in one night.

For the parties of birthday boys and girls present, a member of which told me they “didn’t usually go out to these sort of things”, it must have been the most wonderful fiesta to walk in on, and I am glad they didn’t miss it. Even better was hearing from those involved in the curation of the event, for whom there is usually little time to frolic, that they too had enjoyed themselves. Last Saturday, Mr Elephant and The Night Times were without doubt hosting the best party the second city could offer.

As the 5 O’clock finish line got closer and closer, co-curator Marc Reck stepped up to the decks to provide a perfect concluding set, bringing the curtain to a close with the sublime lyrics “daylight come and we wanna go home” echoing around the venue. An idyllic outro, if not somewhat ironic, as it was clear that no one was yet ready to become bed bound. The rare pleasure of an encore at the end of the night is a true testament to the success of the celebration, and we will certainly be asking for more where that came from. Dominik Kai Brotherton