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REVIEW: EXIT 10TH BIRTHDAY

The return of Bad Company

Tonight is a bit different from a normal 10th birthday. No jelly and ice cream, or candles to blow out. Instead we have moody chest rattling bass and more chopped up lo-fi pitched breaks that you can, well... Count.

What it does promise, however, is one of the most hyped reunions in drum & bass. The mighty Bad Company are to reform, for one night only! Until recently we were promised the full cast, however Fresh had to pull out due to other comitments. Regardless, the expectation is huge!

The event itself sold out weeks in advance with no tickets on the door, and the internet buzz pre-event has been like nothing we've seen for a d&b event for a long while.


We arrive at Fire, South London, to a sea of people waiting to get into the venue as expected. Inside we find Jubei vs Loxy starting the proceedings with some dark, forward-thinking grit.

Up next, Exit's Skeptical steps in playing back to back with ever rising Dub Phizix, joining them on stage by a string of MCs including Chimpo, Stratgrey, DRS and Skittles who perform 'I'm A Creator' to set things off nicely.

By this point, the room is pretty much at at capacity. Drinks are flying through the air. People's feet are getting trodden on. The temperature is rising!

Moving into room two for a bit of space, we are welcomed by thick smoke and strobe lights. The smoke is so thick that at first we can't even see the DJ, who turned out to be Digital Soundboy's Breakage. He tears up the room with a long-awaited Jungle set, smashing it in the style we've come to love Breakage for! Photek and Shy FX cuts aplenty!


Back in the packed-out main room we're treated to a set from the elusive Calibre with no MCs. And what a treat it is. 60 minutes of uninterupted, rolling beats forthcoming album tempered with classic's such as the D-Bridge collabaration 'Panderosa', which receives a well-earned (and loud) reload from the crowd.

Next up are the Legendary Bad Company crew minus DJ Fresh who must be locked away in his studio getting 'louder' with help from one of hottest acts right now. But more to the point, once Bad Company hit the stage tunes like the days of 'The End' commence, teasing classic after classic while Maldini, Vegas and D Bridge switch back and forth on the decks. It only takes one track to completely set the place on fire and that of-course is 'The Nine'. After that's dropped no-one had a drink left in their hand.

Honorable mentions also go to Doc Scott who set is filled heavilily with dub-plates which have him drawing for unreleased mixes of 'The Unofficial Ghost' and Goldie's Terminator, along with a string of classic tracks, tight mixing and a few cheecky rewinds for good measure to finish off the night nicely.

So, from us at DJ Mag, we wish Exit records a very happy 10th birthday. Roll on 20 years!