In:Motion – Bugged Out! – A Reflection

"Bristol stands alone. It continues regardless of capital fashion. It’s got it’s own tunes, scenes, gangs and parties, and it doesn’t care whether you come or not." The Ransom Note 2010

As the Barrification of dance music continues apace in the capital, In:Motion shines like a beacon of hope that life exists outside of London town and exist it does – it thrives. It outshines pretty much all else I've been to in recent times.

Having called oneself a Londoner for the past 16 years, I'm guilty of having been more than a little complacent in believing that where London leads, the rest of the UK club scene follows. It's a bit narrow-minded to say the least on my behalf, given my West Country roots – although I often claim London kinship due to actually having been born here, oh how fickle we are. Bristol has been – not so – quietly getting on with it for years and having had the luck and indeed privilege to get to the biggest weekly warehouse hitter of le Sud-Ouest a few weeks back my humility continues to show no bounds.

InMotion takes place right next to Bristol's main locomotive artery which is handy for the likes of yours truly. A skate park by day, the nocturnal activities of the space have been such a huge success, the main room now has a permanent, very tasty rig.  On a fleeting visit from the smoke I had the pleasure of visiting Motion for last year's inaugural season and I was impressed then and it's amazing to see how far it's come in just that one short year. It's like a fully functioning, living, breathing work in progress. The levels of care that go into the production in the venue and its programming is evident throughout everything they do.

Bugged Out were taking care of proceedings the night we visited, showcasing their customary range of on the button bass, house & techno stalwarts. Opening the main room, Bowski's strangely extended set takes in all that defines Bristol and it's scene… and way beyond. Tossing off Bashmore's already anthemic, scene defining Battle For Middle You mid-set – it's greeted like a familiar friend but a friend that the city and scene's run right past already. A benchmark in all that is great and good about all that is going on in the cross-polinated world of bass and house music right now, its Discogs price of 85 quid for a copy at the moment highlights what a peak this scene is riding.

Having just arrived back from the White Isle, still reeling at the price of a lowly beer in imost of the establishments there, it's refreshing – possible pun intended there – to almost get change from a tenner for three drinks at the bar.

It's rammadammadingdong as L-Vis 1990 brings his live show to the main stage, whilst next door Heidi's Jackathon is more to my pace. She's joined by local lads Waifs & Strays and everyone's favourite wunderkind du jour; Mr Jamie Jones. I've seen the tousled haired maverick on more than one occasion and it's very difficult to fault him at any point. Pulling in all the best bits of everything you've always loved about this thing called dance and through into his very Hot Natured twist, what's not to like about Mr Jones? Set to be in the Top 5 DJs in the world by the time the year's out? Very possibly. Quite a coup for Motion I'd say. In fact this is where Motion put the only foot wrong of the night, programming Mr Jones in the smaller of the two main rooms means it's barely possible to get past the entrance to the cavernous tunnel where he’s playing. Still a minor grumble and sweatbox always makes for a better party anyway.

What else happens in Motion world tonight? Well, Pariah, Untold and the rest of the third room are ploughing an altogether unique melange of future garage and more acute bass obscurities and yes, yes it sounds very fresh indeed thank you very much.

So then Motion – unique in many ways, should be on the Autumnal itinerary for anyone with even a passing interest in the nocturnal goings on outside.
R$N recommends a journey down south very soon.

Look forward to a return journey to capital west and capital motion before the season’s out… and to the Bugged Out weekender in January. Big things.

With thanks and love to Rag, Tom & Rob @ Motion for the rather splendid evening.

www.bristolinmotion.com for the rest of the season’s line-up and the full low-down.

Oh and for extra curricular activities check the rather wonderful future boogie label run by the future boogie lot (obviously) and Mr Julio Bashmore
future boogie recordings