So a couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of opening SonicTonic – a brand new night up in Hinckley run by DJs and good friends of mine, Mono and Laura May. Aimed at re-energising an area that was once a hub of underground dance back in the 90s, SonicTonic is certainly an ambitious effort, especially in the face of current adversity and a shining light amidst the steady, progressive fall of bigger clubs.
Hosted at The Bounty in the centre of Hinckley, the once iconic club’s somewhat misleading exterior hides a gem of a refurbished venue inside and certainly has the potential to attract clubbers new and old once ’Tonic gets a foothold and gains traction. Given Mono and May’s passion and experience (they’ve DJ’d the circuit for a while but this is their first clubnight) this shouldn’t be a problem. Indeed, the steady demise of midlands clubbing in recent years could certainly help the underground migrate in this new direction as dedicated clubbers are again forced to look for equally dedicated venues. SonicTonic is it!
Mono and May’s intention is refreshingly old school, harking back to that era when music told stories and the dancefloor remained consistently energised throughout the night, building through layers and shifting through gears. There are no hour-long, quick-fix sets here. No DJs plying their pre-fabbed mixtapes. Sonic Tonic is a musical journey. It’s a night for those that want to be on the dancefloor from the start and not leave until the lights go up.
That vibe and atmosphere was certainly evident from the dedicated crowd who knew their music and remained throughout. Smiling faces. Friendly banter. New friends made. That feeling of a private party or reunion between long standing friends despite never having met any of these people before. Its a vibe unique to the clubbing fraternity and it was in abundance here. For me, the pleasure was in warming up with the kind of progressive music that got me into this scene in the first place, and though its always great to get good feedback, it was more exciting to know that there is a demand for that kind of progression and not your quick fix EDM bollocks!
To top it all off, Mono and May’s effort and professionalism was exemplary. From their application in putting the night together to looking after all us DJs, I can only hope to play for them again. Regardless, I’ll be front and centre anyway; nights like this are too few and far between!
Photos courtesy of Kimmi’s Photography
