Crunch
CRUNCH, a bi-monthly all nighter in
Birmingham, is approaching it’s first birthday
and continuing to widen it’s catchment area
across the west Midlands, thanks to favourable
verbal reports. Held in The Attic, a club whose
name believes it’s size, (2 dance floors, a
chill out room and a café) Crunch has as yet not
failed to sell out. The last event attracted in
the region of a thousand people, with a further
2 hundred having to be turned away at the door.
The success of this club has been unprecedented.
The cynics may accuse it of simply cashing in on
Birmingham’s huge student population (it began
at the university) but considering that the
events in the Union’s still fill up, it is
obvious that Crunch is attracting a far more
diverse, and discerning crowd. It’s popularity
is made all the more unusual by the fact that it
does not ride on the backs of supposed “big
name” DJs, relying instead on home grown talent,
the likes of whom are well known and respected
in the areas.
Organiser and resident DJ Jon Hollis is joined
on a regular basis by Heaven (who never fails to
delight the crowd with her set of deep house
mixes), Scott Bond of Cream fame and Jules from
Marco Polo’s. The last event saw, for the first
time guests from further a field. Tim and
Laurie, down from venue for the night did
themselves, and the crowd justice as did
Belfast’s Paul Savage and Dino.
The fact that Crunch has managed to establish
itself in Birmingham, where there is certainly
no shortage of decent clubs, is in itself a
tribute to the appeal of this night.
The un-pretentious attitude and easy going door
policy give Crunch a very relaxed atmosphere and
it has managed to maintain its freshness in the
face of popularity, without becoming obscure or
aggressive. The lack of a comfortable chill out
room, however, is a bone of contention although
it is up to the venue rather than the promoters
to sort this out. At present, those who feel the
need to replenish themselves will have to do so
whilst sitting on a cold stone floor leaning
against a soggy wall. This is fabulous if you
want to reminisce about Spiral Tribe’s early
events in North London squats, but can be
uncomfortable and irritating for the
sophisticated cushion fan. The two room set up,
however is always approved of, providing choice
and preventing boredom.
Entrance to Crunch is surely one of the cheapest
good quality all nighters in the Midlands, and
an ideal warm up for a Birmingham weekend.
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