Last time Pandemik came to Manchester was back in October. A trimmed down event from the one advertised. A few obligatory teething problems as with any new-born fledgling club-night and so it was with Pandemik. On the night though the crew responsible for the Noxious events up in Stalybridge put in a sterling effort, pulled together & made the event a real success.

A collective of like-minded out-of-town Drum’n’Bass soldiers includes DJs Tiptoe (deep DubStep), Stagger (Ragga), Epicentre (Jungle), Somnium, LFO and Trauma (dark & minimal D’n’B). All banded together in very complimentary company

They were done no favours on their debut by their venue of choice. Even though event organisers wisely killed off a second room & overspill bar beforehand, venue management needlessly decided to stick the boot in by insisting on charging for the hire of the original 3-room event, thereby making any profit impossible! Charging for use of empty & unused rooms, covering alleged overhead costs, before allowing a new night the chance to breathe, or to just break-even perhaps, but no: Instead a greedy old Innkeeper strangles the new-born Infant! BIG BOO! BIG HISS!

Second time around, (thankfully) tonight Pandemik has relocated to a different basement venue. Dry Bar Basement was originally a bit of an afterthought, a barely refurbished function room. In this fresh incarnation the room appears to have doubled in size, looks tidier, and has been fitted out with a sound-system that can finally do our music justice. Twice the venue for half the damage! Pandemik resident LFO agrees,

“Perfect for what we need. It’s got a real dingy atmosphere with great acoustics, low ceiling, basic-to-run vibes and big bass-lines. We hope we can settle down here & make it our permanent home”

DJ Trauma was already tearing up the room when I arrived. Before he handed over to LFO, event promoter (-& a recent back-room appearance at Hit-&-Run’s return to Mint Lounge-), I managed to grab a few words. I asked him about his simple but strong headline double-billing. Why these two in particular? 

Dubphizix, “a Manchester based artist who many people in Manchester know and know well. We feel that this artist needs as much exposure as he can get! He’s doing big, big things at the moment and I think 2011 will definitely be his year! I’m sure we will be seeing him take control of the wheels again at Pandemik in the near future”

“For our first event in 2011, and back in Manchester, we felt that somebody who has helped shape the style & scene of minimal, rolling drum-&-bass and who else better but ... Doc Scott!”

And your MC host tonight?

“For this event we have Logic. We felt that we needed a good solid host to hold it down, keep the vibes flowing and educate the masses. Logic is perfect for this, he knows how to let the music talk and can adapt very well. Next event we’ve brought in MC Fokus, recently vocalised the massive Skeptical track – Structure”

Dubphizix’s selection of speaker-shakers certainly tested the sub-bass capabilities of the new rig and wasn’t left wanting! The whole scaffold-skeleton stage vibrated. Out in the friendly, up-for-it crowd screwed-up bass-faces aplenty appreciated the rib-rattling frequencies. MC Logic certainly got down. Haven’t seen him dance like that since he was hosting Audiosalad down at Joshua Brooks some years ago!!

Straight up headliner Doc Scott is next, a producer whose pedigree is spelled out in seminal releases on Absolute 2, Reinforced, Metalheadz (he set up with Goldie), & his own imprint 31 Records. The crowd goes nuts; Doc Scott, 20-year veteran of the D’n’B scene, DJs with nonchalant ease.

When pressed afterward for his personal highlight LFO said “Without question, it’s gotta be the sound-system. Some of the best sound I’ve heard in Manchester for a while! Nice warm low-ends with crisp mids & highs. Big up the HERBAL SESSIONS Crew!”

Surprise of the Night! Highlight award, (apart from Epicentre’s industrial injury; one which might disable most aspiring DJs) for me, actually it has to go to MC Logic. His lyrics were certainly better composed than most host MCs, and he had a wealth of them! His flow was fairly impeccable, well suited to the tempo too. His timing was tasteful. Knowing when to go in & when to lay-off. So it’s not just his dance steps that have improved with age it seems! One to watch I reckon.

Somnium finished off the brain-cells of those few remaining, the very-last-tune vultures circling the floor at the end of a night. I made my way up & out onto a familiar wet Oldham St. in fine drizzle. DubPhizix was shouting “Yes! Yes! Rain! F**king love it!” It was that kind of night in Manchester. 

Pandemik seem to have got the components in correct measure, the right ingredients for a real toxic recipe, combined with a no-fuss attitude, which makes for a storming night out.

Next Pandemik event is happening on Saturday 19th March w/ NEED FOR MIRRORS (MOSUS & HLZ) 90MIN SET (V Recordings, Shogun Ltd) +  DBR UK (31 Records, Broken Audio) with Special Guest MC FOKUS !!!! @ Dry Bar, Oldham St. MCR All on the MIGHTY Herbal Sessions Sound-System!!! 

MischiefMaker February 2011