We arrived at the venue, Bowlers Leisure Centre, around 7.30pm, but actually got on the dance floor at 10pm, that’s two hours queuing outside and half and hour thawing out in the queue for the cloakroom. The queues were no more than expected really and I’m sure that by the end of the night most people would have done the same again given the chance.

By the time we got dancing, Bowa was two hours into his first set, the remaining hour was mainly House and it wasn’t until we saw the first glimpse of Nipper at 11pm that the party really got going. Nipper upped the tempo and worked the crowd up nicely to what I can only describe as one of the best experiences of my life so far.

At 11.45pm the LIFE light show began and was accompanied by brilliant trancy music which turned out to be the theme tune from the cult television series 2001: Space Odyssey. The music set the scene as everyone looked up in awe at the show. As the music came to a dramatic end, the time had come for the finale of the year. Big Ben’s chimes echoed around the huge venue and slowly but surely the mantra of the crowd began to rise: 5…4…3…two huge fountains of fireworks erupted …1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!! The feeling of sharing that moment with 9 of my closest friends and 2990 other people will always be a permanent fixture in my memory.

We were allowed 5 minutes to give everyone a hug and a kiss (5 minutes when there are 3000 people to get through), and then the party started again with the ever impressive Dream Frequency, voted LIFE P.A of the year. As everyone’s attention was focused on the group on stage, Ian Bland, (the groups creator, writer, keyboard player and part-time MC) spoke to the crowd, “LIFE I wanna ask you a question …. Do you wanna play with my balls?”
At this point two dancers walked on stage each carrying a large inflatable spheroid which they hurled into the crowd. It is amazing how two glorified balloons can give a crowd of grown men and women so much pleasure (especially you Lee Harrison!).

Dream Frequency, who began as a one man group four and a half years ago, played a storming set which began with the club classic ‘Take Me’ and finished with the recent cover of Jimmy Somerville’s hit ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’. In the middle was perhaps their most ‘famous’ track “Feel So Real”, which achieved chart success in 1991 on the City Beat label, which they have since dropped. Ian, along with the vocalist Debbie Sharp and dancers Joanne, Josephine, Laura and Otis hope to have a new track out around the end of February which will be on their own label. Also look out for the Dancing Divaz (?).

Next up was the ‘Pull Yer Face’ resident, Stu Allan. As far as I am concerned a good DJ can mix well, play to the crowd and turn up on time. Stu Allan has every one of these attributes but what makes him a great DJ is the ability to play one record – Technoage. Now for those of you who don’t know it, my feeble description probably won’t help you much. It’s the one that goes, “Slam, nine, automatic, honeychild … Arr Yeah!”. I know you’re all thinking to yourselves, “It doesn’t say that”, but after many arguments that’s what I’m sticking with!

Anyway, back to the point, it’s a mighty fine song and I like it and so do the DJ’s because they played it twice so there!
Classics like ‘Peace and Harmony’ and DJ H featuring Steffy also helped the crowd reach over-drive and when the LIFE favourite, ‘Son Of A Gun’ by JX was played, I swear the roof raised a few inches … no it did … I saw it … honest!

Nipper took over at 1.30am and kept the crowd on the same level that Mr. Allan had left them on. I can’t really tell you much else about the set because I was interviewing Dream Frequency at the time who are, by the way, very nice people and they asked me to wish you all a very happy new year! (They didn’t really, but I thought it would be a nice touch and I’m sure they would have done if they’d had thought about it!!).

With the two residents off sick, it was left to Bowa to keep the flame burning for the last hour and what a good job he did too. The music policy at LIFE is basically if it’s good we’ll play it. If something gets released into the charts, but the crowd still likes it, the DJ’s still play it.

To sum up, all I can say is that if one person out of those 3000 didn’t have a brilliant night, then they need to give it up and check out their local Ritz next time they want a night out.

The policy at LIFE is simply enjoys yourself. The crowds are from all over the North with personalities that span right across the spectrum. They all dress differently and prefer different sorts of music, but on a Saturday night when the sports attendants go home and the LIFE promoters take control, all these people club together and unite because as my old friend Esther once said … “That’s Life!!”