FREESTYLERS AT MANOR QUAY

As soon as the cab pulled up to Manor Quay it was fairly obvious that more than a little effort had been made for the night, as a big projector lit up one side of Manky with the Orange mobile phone logo, and Clannad's haunting 'Theme from Harry's Game' echoed out of a huge set of speakers. It became more apparent on entering the club, and after negotiating my way past the door staff (sometimes it seems easier to get into the Free-Masons than it does to get into Manor Quay…) I could see that even more effort had been inside the club.

The Roker Bar was kitted out with white material over the walls, upon which more crazy projector style antics were going on, this time in the shape of mad child like drawing and photos of all sorts of people grinning away, as well as the obligatory Orange logos, which were everywhere from mad space hopers (that everyone got but me, sob!) to groovy little orange bean-bag type seats (known in some circles as 'poofies', which are anything but groovy…). Taking it in turns behind the decks in the Roker Bar were Kyri P and Lee Bright of BBE records, both playing a well chilled out eclectic mix of tunes that quickly found their own enthusiastic crowd for the evening, many of whom didn't even venture into the main room as they were more than content with sounds in The Roker.

Those who did set off into the main Venue Room were greeted with the kind of change that would have made Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen jealous, as the normal open plan room was made to look completely different, the dance floor surrounded by a huge square of scaffolding on which plasma screen televisions were fixed.

The effect was to create an enclosed dance floor, closer to the DJs, which made for a snug, happy atmosphere for dancers. As well as the alterations to the dance floor, the rest of the club had also been 'Oranged', and yet more projectors lit up the walls of the room, and coupled with a various assortment of text screens (where, apparently, you could send text messages to all and sundry. Did anyone?), interactive mobile phone games (never got near those either. Must have been out of my reach. Perhaps they were away from the bar...) and listening/viewing posts that were dotted all over, it was like a different place. Manor Quay with a Prada coat on. Maybe only Prada Sports, but Prada never the less.

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