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| Koolwaters
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Date: 7th
March 2003
Address: The Wharf, Bridge St, Taunton, Somerset
Occurrence: Monthly /
Friday (Tours Weekly)
Hours: 10pm - 4am
Ticket Price: £10
Dress Code: Wear what
you like
Genre: Hard House, Trance,
Funky
Capacity: 850 |
Main Room: Lisa
Lashes, Scott Project, Lee Thomas, Marc Vedo
Bar Room: Marcus, Matt
Thorne, Ben Dobson |
Somerset: home to Scrumpy Cider,
Cheddar Cheese and an awful lot of sheep. Not, one
might think, an ideal place to go for a banging
night out (unless you’re into that kind of
thing!) Having lived in Somerset for the first 17
years of my life, I’d have to admit that the
most fun we ever had of a night involved a field,
some fairy lights and someone’s Dad’s
Simon and Garfunkel collection. Returning on this
occasion, I was more than pleasantly surprised to
discover that I could leave my wellies at home.
One young man, a certain DJ/Promoter named Marc
Vedo, had been rather busy in my absence - making
it his mission to provide something fresh, fun and
mud- free for dance music lovers in the South West.
As a result, Somerset is now home to Kool Waters.
Although not a household name in the clubbing world,
Kool Waters has been hosting parties for several
years now, travelling the length and breadth of
the West country from Bristol to Exeter, to Truro
and back again. Its main residence still remains
in Taunton, Somerset and once a month, doors at
The Wharf (previously known as ‘Dellers’)
open to almost 1000 of Taunton’s 43,000 population
for some serious party mayhem. Friday 7th March
saw another averagely blinding night for Kool Waters,
bringing Scott Project, Lisa Lashes and Lee Thomas
to the Main Room, alongside resident and founder
Marc Vedo. Local boys Matt Thorne, Marcus and Ben
Dobson made up the funkier side of the resident
base upstairs in the Bar Room.
We are warned to get there early, as queues for
The Wharf have been known to last more than an hour.
On this occasion, we’re lucky. Arriving at
about 11pm, we walk straight in, only to meet Lisa
Lashes walking straight out, having played the early
set. Dedicated Kool Waters fans, it seemed, had
known the set times in advance and got there early.
But we meet the party in full force and Marc Vedo,
up next, builds inspiringly from where Lashes left
off. Watching Marc Vedo play, it’s a wonder
he isn’t up there with the A-lists. Granted,
his biography boasts a wide array of national and
international gigs. 2002 saw him paying in China,
Egypt, Malta, Turkey and Sweden, to name but a few.
But you get the feeling fame’s not the important
factor here and that for him, Somerset is where
his heart is. And for that, you have to take your
boots off to him!
The Wharf is a pretty impressive club, built in
an old warehouse, growing straight out of the River
Tone. On entering the front door you’d be
forgiven for thinking there isn’t much room
here, but once up the stairs, you’re greeted
by a wide expanse of high-ceilinged, carpeted entrance
hall, something like that of a plush hotel. A mirrored
bar runs down one length of the room, with chairs
and arched windows overlooking the river on the
other. One corner sports a cocktail bar and opposite,
an inviting cavern-like entrance to the main room.
Leading up, a wide and bending stairway takes you
to what is known as the ‘Bar Room’.
The shear quantity of wood in this room reminds
me of being on the deck of a ship. Combined with
the view of the river down below (or maybe something
to do with the serious amount of Aftershocks that
seem to be falling off the bar into my hand) I feel
as though things are starting to sway a bit! Luckily,
there are plenty of friendly crew members on this
ship to see me on my voyage safely!
The Kool Waters crowd is diverse and the attitude
relaxed, which certainly adds to the overall atmosphere.
There is no dress-code and pretty much anything
goes. It probably wouldn’t have mattered if
I had worn my wellies after all, as everyone from
the ‘Taunton townies’ to the cyber glowstick
posse are happily gathered together on the same
dance floor, moving to the same beats. Refreshingly
there is no attitude either (from staff or clubbers).
Everybody I meet, including the resident DJs, wear
happy faces and take the time out to stop for a
chat. It is clear that Kool Waters attracts a regular
fan base, but also that any newcomers will be offered
a true West country welcome if they wish to join
the fun.
Our Kool Waters expedition ends at 4am when we return
to the quiet market streets of Taunton town. Stopping
in a chippy on the way home, a sign at the bar catches
my eye. “This isn’t fast food, it’s
good food. Relax – you’re in the south!”
Like Scrumpy Cider, Cheddar Cheese and…er………sheep,
many a fine thing begins life in Somerset. And,
after the night I’ve just had, I’m keen
to agree that Kool Waters is certainly one of them!
For more info, go to www.koolwaters.com |
Venue: 8
Music: 8
Crowd: 8
Sound System: 7
Total: 31 / 40
Rating: Silver Award |
Review written by: Pammy T pammy@uk-cl.co.uk |
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