A Champion Night - Welly Club 16th January By Cilla and Greg

One cold night in January (actually it was bloody freezing) my mate Greg and I went along to the Welly for a night with Champion Sound, the Reggae and Dancehall magicians who are currently gracing the Hull night club scene with their individual and blistering repertoire. We arrived early - about 10.15 and the club had a cold feel.

There was a steady trickle of people arriving and after an hour or so, so the music began to build from a more ear-friendly sound to a driving bass rhythm, matched by an increasing flow of new arrivals onto the dance floor and bar area. There were lots of 18-25's in evidence and a smattering of people whose appreciation of reggae would have originated in the 90's, 80's, and for some of us, the 70's!

We soon realised that we were not in for a night melting with Augustus Pablo .... The set from about 11.40 got a bit heavy and 'hard' for Greg, but it was certainly appreciated from around the dance floor and generated a lot of movement in the bar area - and most of it to the beat rather than the beer! I just had to dance - there's just something about that beat ...

We went for a 'wander' around the club. There was lots going on and the sound was completely different in each room. Lots of friendly faces in the ballroom where Eat Your Words was under way.

The light show in here was cool, as was the atmosphere, although we had to see it from a distance as we didn't understand the bracelet system for moving between the different rooms. Our enquiry to management was shrugged away - so will someone please tell us how you 'circulate' in the Welly? The door staff were friendly. It was good to be in a venue where, whatever night you had come for, you could sample the flavour of another two.

Back up to Champion Sound and a swelling dance floor. The next hours music was softer-edged but still with a driving beat with MC Nigeria at the helm. As we made our way to leave we chatted to Lewis, Vicki and Lisa who go to lots of different nights at the Welly. Lewis told us; There is nowhere else in Hull where you can listen to such a diverse range of music from underground through funk and hip hop to reggae. The Welly is a haven for alternative heads.

Last memories of the evening - strobe lights playing over a darkly lit, swaying dance floor well into their nights grooving. A good turnout and atmosphere for a cold January night - a new year buzz!

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