Getting down in the dark

Dark Forces (James Smith Market Carpark, Saturday 28 October)

It was the weekend before Halloween and the darker folk from all corners of Wellington went all out for a huge hell-raising night.

Crowds of witches, goblins and even a Darth Maul were greeted with massive bass as they ventured into the inner regions of Dark Forces to stake their claim on the dance floors.

Wellingtonians like their transient venues and there was the usual exploration of all zones before settling down at a favourite one. The James Smith carpark was unrecognisable as the U-entity team adorned it with skulls, skeletons and lasers. The dark and smoky realms of each zone were distinctly different.

If the devil made dance music, The Bassment (Drum and Bass zone) was his chapel tonight, with a steady influx of worshipers in the carpark’s largest zone. With the Bass Frontiers crew keeping it flowing, the bass line was heavy and the dance floor consistently full.

The Haunted House (Techno / House zone) was hard and fast. The Fun Poison crew provided the beeps and bleeps. Energy levels were high and the crowd was happy.

The "inner sanctum" was in the deepest darkest region of the carpark. Low-fi Hip-Hop and trancey dub were the sounds to be heard in this zone. The crowds were smaller and the space more intimate. Here people could relax and groove at the same time.

Many made the Chill-out zone their home. With UV light, palm fronds, couches and a circular seat this area was small and quiet . You could see and talk to people while listening to mingling sounds from the other three zones. There was never a free seat as people supped beverages and "chilled out".

Apart from the state of the port-a-loos (but there never really is a need for loos in a carpark is there?) and the rigid ID checks, all went well. It was a huge night and there were thousands of people. Big ups to all who came to the party dressed up to spook the rest of us.

Not even the early morning downpour dampened the spirits - the sounds kept going and people kept dancing until dawn.

Reviewed by Rebecca Thomson and Emma Philpott

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