Now you should know by now that we love a bit of a birthday bash, indeed it hardly seems a month (well it isn’t quite yet actually) since we were celebrating our very own at Beyond, although with ours wrapped up in pre Christmas partying, we have come to expect that the emphasis is more on festive thoughts rather than birthday greetings. However, with Christmas well & truly over & NY to boot, there will be no such worry come Wednesday (19^th Jan), when a veritable feast of birthday celebrations loom, very much belying the phrase “…two’s company, three’s a crowd…”, although this celebration crowd is likely to attract scores more, making it, we highly suspect, the biggest birthday bash in a long time. So, what’s it all about Alfie?, well first and foremost, it is the queen of social splendour’s birthday, then a globetrotting D.J. lands back in London to mark his own yearly anniversary which he celebrated on the day itself while down under, then to cap it all, the protagonist of the lot, celebrates three years in euphoric existence and at its new location and timing too.

So, while the “official “ billing is Minty’s birthday, and why not, she is the main mover at Industri, well the figure head at least (and what a figure head!), in actual fact the combined birthdays of Paul Heron & Industri itself should make for one truly amazing concoction & a celebration crowd like Barcode Soho has NEVER  seen before. But that said, clearly leading the way is our Minty, this dynamic dame having strutted her social stuff around the scene for well over 10 years (we daren’t say how many more) and has pretty much been the face of clubbing in the capital throughout that time, especially at clubs such as Crash, Beyond (The Colosseum days), Matinee, A:M, & Salon, the sophisticate at the Shadow Lounge which ruled supreme on Tuesdays for years under her helm. Indeed, while Vauxhall has played a big part in the Minty story, it is Soho where she is known just as well, if not better, we realising just how much, when an impromptu evening in December with this hippest of hostesses, along with our French fancy pal Leomeo, landed us in the thick of her patch, hardly a minute going by when she wasn’t recognised, stopped in the street, acknowledged at the bar & treated royally in the restaurant, such is the extent of her popularity & notoriety.

But whilst all this familiarity & (dare we say it) fame has elevated Minty to incredible highs in the echelons of the well known across the scene, a more down to earth, honest & kind hearted person would couldn’t wish to meet. From the first day we did, way back when Crash started, we have always held her in high regard and she has paid us back in bucket loads, a distant friendship becoming quite close when Industri was launched and a companionship that has since then, gone from strength to strength. And, this whole persona is Minty, you only have to ask anyone that knows her, yes the fierce & strict side comes out when she is on door duty, although for very good reason, as Minty is quite majestic in managing a queue, a list or picking out the chaff from the wheat, hence the fact she has gained the huge amount of respect she has, but resoundingly, it is the kind & considerate Minty that everyone remembers.. So with a pedigree like that, it is a foregone conclusion that we will be right by her side come Wednesday, celebrating in style and no doubt joined by a cast of treble figures (that’s 100 plus), all landing on Barcode Soho to toast the celebration of the social scenestress, and just take a look at this amazing video viral of the dame in action, which should be persuasion enough, http://facebook.com/video.php?v=489737478228.  

As if that wasn’t enough, Industri resident D.J. Paul Heron will surely still be in birthday celebration mood, afterall his big day was spent on the other side of the world, so he will have much catching up to do when he gets back to blightly in time for Wednesday. But that said, there is no rest & relaxing (well not completely) for Paul, as his D.J. duties will be required, not least as it is the clubs third birthday too (we didn’t ask Paul his age), although Mr Heron loves being behind the decks, well nearly as much as having a J.D & Coke in his hands (we heard about Rome Mr H! – leading poor Danny astray), as we are sure he will have right through the night to celebrate in his inimitable style (get him on early that’s what we say). Now, like Minty, Paul’s youthful looks actually belie just how long he has been cutting a stride on the scene, indeed we remember the Crash & Heaven days and that was before the turn of the century, although while he hasn’t quite earned the reputation as the Peter Pan of the D.J.’ing fraternity, give it a couple of years and you never know Paul. So, reason two why Wednesday (19^th Jan) is a MUST in your social diary.

And the third reason?, well Industri itself of course, a club that launched (yes you guessed it) three years ago and immediately made a huge impact on the scene and our lives. Without exception (and we include even Beyond in that), Industri holds a special place in our heart (just check out our review at http://discomatt.com/web/2010/12/special-review-a-shut-open-case-industri-thurs-8thwed-15th-december/), rarely fails to get us out and given the friendships we have formed & bonded in its short history, there can be no better place in our books, to socialise & dance to the best music in town by two of the scene’s biggest D.J. stars, the other being Brent Nicholls, who, we are reliably informed, will be playing at the party on Wednesday (playing being the optimum word!), & if he plays up with us & our poorly ear again this week with his wicked (although hilarious) humour, he will be in for some Disco Matt abuse or even “a Hopkins” (we love it really). But we digress, Industri being the subject here and whilst the move from Vauxhall to Soho & a Thursday to a Wednesday was an initial shock to our system, you know, we are getting used to the change and as Brent has rightfully said, it’s time for the club to re-invent itself, Wednesday being our day one in Industri’s new world, so yet another reason not to miss out.

So, that’s the sentimental s… over with (joking folks!), now to the all important detail and Minty, Paul & Industri, in the inimitable words of its events creator (wonder who that was!?!), “…combines to make the perfect threesome…”, in the celebratory way of course, the further “official” blurb being “…come celebrate at London’s sexiest soiree where gossip, groove, chat & drink at this most social of soirees will be the order of the day…”, although reading between the lines & looking at the current list of attendees, it’s going to be a birthday bash to beat them all and a right royal bender to boot. And on the grove front, Industri boys Brent & Paul will be joined for this special party by A:M’s supremo & downright Deutschland D.J. Oliver M, while the hugely talented Chris Brogan takes to the Industri decks for the first time, no doubt adding his own twist & spice to proceedings, this extrovert & enthralling (well it will be won’t it?!?) event kicking off from 9 p.m. at Barcode Soho, entry being free and the infamous Industri shots of Sambuca (or as we like to call them, Sassy Bitches!) flowing faster than Victoria falls. Plus rumour has it that an Industri regular is also celebrating his birthday & a couple more will be jumping on the bandwagon, all combined with an appearance of off duty D.J.’s, scene workers, club kids & many more besides, meaning that this will be THE place to be & you have NO excuse not to , as we say, Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)

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