Universal June 15th 2006

It's not a new idea, that the pleasure of arriving at a particular destination is mostly derived from the activity of getting to that particular point. Ask any travel writer. Better yet, ask those who emerged from a basement somewhere in South Manchester one Saturday morning in June, blinking, weary, smiling in the warm sunshine, way before the rest of the world had even begun to stir; they'll be able to explain their arrival at that point with the kind of stories which pass into urban legend, ears and heads still abuzz with the sounds of the previous night.

Friday 16 th June saw a gathering of like-minded individuals keen to participate in Broad-Minded's regular Universal soiree. Stylus's Les Croasdaile made his Universal dj-ing debut with a set that created the tone for what was to follow. The crowd were left in no doubt that this was a night for the committed party types only.

Drongomala and the Zeitgeist Orchestra amazed those present with a live blend of Eastern and Western music, MC's Wasif & Tom providing a verbal element to the poetic message. But this was no polemical broadcast - the message was carried within the music, and people responded with gusto, encouraging and getting several encores.

Jerry Clavier then took to the centre stage along with Stu on acoustic guitar, to perform some amazing soulful music. This is the second time Jerry has sang for Universal and there is no mistaking his undoubted talent. He managed to touch the soul of the crowd with ease through his expressive tone of voice and exceptional lyrics.

Sunny making her first appearance at Broad-Minded then proceeded to rock the dance floor to the maximum, ensuring there was never a still body in the house.

Lee Gosnay - in addition to making sure the event itself happened as it should - also championed a typically varied, irresistiblely funky set, paving the way nicely for Benjamin Sebastain to drop a solid D&B session, seeing the night through to it's conclusion. During all these happenings, percussionist Mike C kept the vibe flowing, ensuring there was never a quiet moment for the speakers to rest. Oh, and some geezer called Darren Wall managed to throw in a crowd-tempting selection of obscure dancefloor moments, somewhere along the way.

The drinks flowed, the crowd danced, the atmosphere was heady, friendly and totally - ahem - broad-minded, people happily engaging with whatever sounds were thrown their way. And it was all in aid of a deserving cause. How many times can you say you lost it and gave something back to the community?

So, for those that were there, this should jog some happy memories. For those that weren't, see what you missed? Next time, make sure we see you down there. You'll be more than welcome.