'RUN succeed again at curating quality and variety, while the Bristol crowds possess both class and party spirit.' Flora Snelson reviews the second annual RUN All Day @ Motion.
Memories and rumours of last year's epic sell-out drew hordes of happy Bristolians to Motion for the return of RUN All Day. Having experienced the madness of Motion at full capacity before, I was anticipating a day of oppressive scrums and scrambles, but RUN had pitched the area map perfectly.
I was pleasantly surprised; a one-way system was in place to prevent congestion, no sound bled between sets, and an atmosphere of calm reigned in the disused main room (which, incidentally, looks unsettlingly small with the house lights up.) In spite of the volume of traffic, the event was passing without a hitch and the stage was set for one last party of the summer, where everyone was in a sunshine mood in spite of the grey skies.
The layout design allowed for real variety in raving experience. The Marble Factory served up the most familiar DnB consumption space; under warehouse cover a tighter crowd enjoyed the enhanced visuals that the outdoor stages denied them - only some of them were shirtless, but all of them were jumping.
Just around the corner, the vibe was worlds away in the Lockyard, where ravers traded a hard skank for some easy bouncing. The reach of the sound system meant there was only a couple of true sweet spots a few yards back from centre stage, but this accommodated a more relaxed environment where people were chatting on the riverside without having to compete with a pounding bass.
The Lockyard hosted my favourite set of the day by the charming DJ Trimer. His energetic performance was infectious and more than compensated for spectacle in the absence of an MC. A couple of fanatic boys were clawing at the decks, playing hypemen to Trimer who repaid their worship with smiles by the bucketload to everyone’s delight.
The Craneyard created a corridor of sound which could easily be enjoyed from all vantage points, with some ravers clinging to and swinging from the rusting metal buttresses that frame the compact outdoor space. Many were even bouncing around at the back by the toilets, where having freedom to move did not come at the cost of missing any of the beats.
For a couple of hours, the Craneyard was a veritable jungle haven, where MC showmanship took centre stage. At one point I found myself right under the noses of the Ragga Twins, who spat casual bars at each other across the stage like serving tennis balls on a lazy weekend afternoon. MC Navigator dropped in periodically to contribute, posing as honorary brother and adding fuel to the anarchic spirit that was gaining momentum as the light began to fade.
What a day, thank you to everyone who joined us! What was your set of the day? Photos dropping next week 👀 #weRUNtings #RUNarmy pic.twitter.com/zShXkUR3Mt
— RUN (@RunBristol) September 11, 2018
As the sun went down on Motion, the energy building over the day began to bubble over and the atmosphere was soon charged with a different flavour. Everything was pulsing at the main stage as Dimension mixed in some crowd-pleasing Wilkinson to get people jumping. Sub Focus followed suit by opening his set with ‘Take You Higher’, and on this promise he certainly delivered; alongside MC ID, the 36-year-old Surrey DJ served up a set that was classic in taste and epic in delivery.
Everyone was engaged and excited; I even caught a member of security at the front hardly able to keep his trigger fingers to himself. Sub Focus treated the eager Bristol crowd to his brand new track with Dimension, ‘Desire’, which was gladly and raucously received across the yard.
The closing set was truly the crowning glory of a fantastic day of drum and bass. RUN succeed again at curating quality and variety, while the Bristol crowds possess both class and party spirit. I am already looking forward to next year’s offering as RUN All Day is becoming a valuable staple of Bristol’s raving calendar.
Featured image: Epigram / Flora Snelson
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