It all started when DJs from Niche began stripping back the tracks they played, getting rid of the vocals and turning up the bass. Bassline was born. This fresh, new perspective of the garage sound that the late 90s had to come to love so much attracted ravers from all over the globe, let alone the nation, to get a taste of what it was everyone was going on about. As the UK underground rave scene entered a new millennium the whole experience of going to a club was changing. Drugs were becoming more and more frequent and the fashion was modifying week by week, and it was all thanks to the bassline genre. Around 2005-2007 the genre was at it's peak. Tunes like 'Love Shy' by H20 and 'Heartbroken' by T2 forced their way into the charts and introduced the scene to a new audience. By this time the garage and bassline explosion was already making it's way to other areas of the UK and one of the places that it majorly affected was Birmingham.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTsHWzvJWDQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEff5b8btfQ
Suddenly DJs in the West Midlands were speeding up the tracks they played out and throwing in a, now growing, selection of speed garage and bassline bangers. Clubs like Platinum became more popular by the weekend due to the rise in ecstasy and a fresh culture that completely challenged the meaning of 'going out' for brummies across the West Midlands. Digbeth, especially, was the centre of the rave scene at that point in time and it has, to this day, maintained that reputation in the house and garage scene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70GM5IoMtvQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpx7IWPda8A
Since the explosion of garage and bassline in Birmingham, Digbeth has risen to be one the greatest clubbing hotspots in the UK. Bassline eventually died down and steadily formed Jackin' House. It holds many similarities to certain aspects of Speed Garage but has a more bouncy vibe to it. This sound will always be heard if you find yourself walking through the Rainbow Warehouse (an iconic club in Birmingham, known for it's endless house music and incredible DJs).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdzFD4-wR84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcYAEuR0ia4
Artists like Tom Shorterz, Pete Graham and Cause & Affect have pioneered the Jackin' House scene in the West Midlands and their 2:31 parties (which will be celebrating it's 3rd birthday this Saturday) have proved to be extremely popular and haven't failed to draw huge names from all over the globe. Tech house and Techno is also showing signs of a being a big hit in the Digbeth area with places like Lab 11 and Spotlight focusing on more of a minimal and international sound. The vibes coming out of Birmingham are always evolving and drawing new crowds.
So, all in all, the nightclub scene in Birmingham hasn't really changed too much from back in the day. People still go out to big warehouses and sweaty basements and lose themselves to 'mandy' and endless repetitive beats. The only thing that's changed is the clothes people wear and the music people listen to. One thing that has never wavered in the Birmingham rave scene is the positive energy everyone has. People go to nightclubs such as Rainbow on a Saturday night and they do it, not for a fight or to get absolutely plastered. They do it because they want to listen to good music and dance until the ridiculously late hours of the next morning. I personally don't have a shred of doubt that this vibe will ever change, even if music and fashion do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTsHWzvJWDQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEff5b8btfQ
Suddenly DJs in the West Midlands were speeding up the tracks they played out and throwing in a, now growing, selection of speed garage and bassline bangers. Clubs like Platinum became more popular by the weekend due to the rise in ecstasy and a fresh culture that completely challenged the meaning of 'going out' for brummies across the West Midlands. Digbeth, especially, was the centre of the rave scene at that point in time and it has, to this day, maintained that reputation in the house and garage scene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70GM5IoMtvQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpx7IWPda8A
Since the explosion of garage and bassline in Birmingham, Digbeth has risen to be one the greatest clubbing hotspots in the UK. Bassline eventually died down and steadily formed Jackin' House. It holds many similarities to certain aspects of Speed Garage but has a more bouncy vibe to it. This sound will always be heard if you find yourself walking through the Rainbow Warehouse (an iconic club in Birmingham, known for it's endless house music and incredible DJs).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdzFD4-wR84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcYAEuR0ia4
Artists like Tom Shorterz, Pete Graham and Cause & Affect have pioneered the Jackin' House scene in the West Midlands and their 2:31 parties (which will be celebrating it's 3rd birthday this Saturday) have proved to be extremely popular and haven't failed to draw huge names from all over the globe. Tech house and Techno is also showing signs of a being a big hit in the Digbeth area with places like Lab 11 and Spotlight focusing on more of a minimal and international sound. The vibes coming out of Birmingham are always evolving and drawing new crowds.
So, all in all, the nightclub scene in Birmingham hasn't really changed too much from back in the day. People still go out to big warehouses and sweaty basements and lose themselves to 'mandy' and endless repetitive beats. The only thing that's changed is the clothes people wear and the music people listen to. One thing that has never wavered in the Birmingham rave scene is the positive energy everyone has. People go to nightclubs such as Rainbow on a Saturday night and they do it, not for a fight or to get absolutely plastered. They do it because they want to listen to good music and dance until the ridiculously late hours of the next morning. I personally don't have a shred of doubt that this vibe will ever change, even if music and fashion do.
