Sundissential

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Sundissential is a music event formed in Birmingham, England, that started in the mid to late 1990s. Hosted in various venues in the city, the event started as an 'after club hours' event designed and crafted for clubbers who refused to 'go home' after a night of dancing to their favorite DJs. The events take place across Birmingham and the world.

Culture

Sundissential was once the biggest & best Hard House night in the country. Now with Nathan The Rug Muncher & Paul Mad Dog madders at the helm this one time institution has become a hasbeen in the world of clubbing. Crack anyone?

According to its often fanatical followers, what sets Sundissential apart from other clubs is its open and friendly atmosphere.Fact|date=March 2008 This atmosphere was a feature of the club that had carried over from its key influence - Tin Tins of which Paul Madan, Sundissential co-founder, was a regular in the early nineties.Fact|date=March 2008 Commonly people arrived at the club in fancy dress or elaborate outfits making them immediately appear dramatically different from other people attending more mainstream nightclubs. Paul Madan (or "Madders" as everyone called him) realised early on that these people were going to help put his club firmly on the map. I might go in the shower in a bit.

A few groups were allowed reduced entry for deals (some for free) if they dressed up week after week (or let madders touch them in intimate parts). Most popular of these "artists" were Garry and Clint (washer women who handed out squash) and also Lee, Sue, David and Lou (The Wizard of OZ and her merry men and the Valentine's Day Wedding just two to mention). The club even had a "foxhunt" complete with horseriders, foxes, dogs, shovels and a fox. People dressed in varying stages of fancy dress, from a complete Superman Outfit one week to just wearing a pair of Cat's Ears to dance in front of Lisa Lashes the next.

This mode of dress was restricted to events in this particular club. Regular attendees of Sundissential had their own styles of hoovers differing from those indigenous trots to other clubs, usually consisting of fancy dress or outfits of a 'mad' and 'outrageous' nature.

The Sundissential phenomenon also spread to London during the summer of 1998, hosting an all day event at Heaven nightclub every Sunday for a duration of 8 months, before taking up a weekly Saturday residency at The Aquarium club in Old Street.The Resident DJs were Pete Wardman (Kiss FM/Trade) and Kei (Wag Club/Aquarium) joined by Boy George, Anne Savage, Lisa Lashes, Sonique and Judge Jules.The London promoters were Dan Prince and Kirk Field from Mixmag.

Music

Music played at Sundissential is primarily of the hard house subgenre - a fast and hard electronic form of music that has much in common with techno and trance. In the early days Sundissential was unusual in its promotion of this style of dance music, whilst other contemporaries of the time were concentrating on less frenetic house variants. This distinction in musical styles evidently served to increase the identity that people felt with Sundissential.

Many other clubs now play Hard House music and other genres that are synergistic with it. Indeed many of these clubs recreate, or attempt to recreate the 'fast and hard' ethos of the original Sundissential. Some of these clubs arose out of the demand of Sundissential regulars for yet another place to go after Sundissential on Saturday nights (an additional event to the occasional and original Sundissential on Sundays.)

Notable DJs include but are by no means exhausted by:

Tony de Vit, Fergie, Lisa Lashes, Paul Kershaw, Nick Rafferty, and Andy Farley.

undissential North

In 1998 Sundissential started a northern version of its parties, originally in Leeds at Club Uropa and is now called Discotheque. Sundissential North has also held residencies at Evolution in Leeds. 2008 also saw two sold out events at Discotheque.

Sundissential North will celebrate its 10th Birthday back where it all began 10 years ago. Date and lineup TBC

Controversy

In later years Sundissential was a troubled entity. Most notably because in 2000 three people died at Sundissential events. These deaths were linked to the taking of drugs including ecstasy.Fact|date=February 2007 Subsequently the club was raided by police, causing problems for venue managers and the promoters of Sundissential; Paul 'Madders' Madan and Danny Kirk and the promoters had difficulties in finding suitable venues at which to hold their events. A series of changes of venue from 2001 onwards coincided with internal problems and falling attendances.

Today 2008

The club is now the world's biggest hard house club with almost weekly events all over the UK. Sundissential's promoters are now Paul Madan (Madders)(Founder), Ed Myers (PA to Paul Madan and co owner & Nathan (Promo Manager) and resident DJ's James Ellis and newcomer Steve NRG. Other regular DJ's appearing at Sundissential include Nigel B, Shaun H and Caz Wood. Sundissential is and always will be the king of hard house.

Sundissential - Be Part Of The Hard House Nation

External links

* [http://www.ssentialworld.co.uk Official site]
* [http://www.dontstayin.com/parties/sundissential Site that keeps track of the current happenings of Sundissential and other clubs]
* [http://www.2Klub.com/sundissential.html Site about dance clubs, clubbing, club promoters and hard dance music]