Buzzin Electronic Music

Smirnoff Experience: U R The Night @ Matter, O2 Arena 10th July, 9pm-4.30am

The kings of British electro pop, the Pet Shop Boys played a short live set on Friday in the initimate surroundings of one of London’s coolest club’s, Matter at London’s O2 Arena on Friday. A short set included the hit singles It’s A Sin, Always On My Mind and the ever popular West End Girls which raised the roof and went off with a bang, quite literally!

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe appeared to enjoy their intimate return to the London club scene as much as the excited audience, even though the sound wasn’t brilliant.  Chris Lowe even joined in with the backing dancers for a quick routine.  This was a low key pit stop for the Pet Shop Boys before playing T In The Park tonight and headlining at the Latitude Festival next weekend.

Support came from Little Boots, who played a full set and was accompanied for a couple of songs album producer and Hot Chipper Joe Goddard and DJ sets from cosmic jedi Tom Middleton, Hot Chip and Count & Sinden.

Tickets for this exciting event were available only through Smirnoff’s social networking Facebook page, where they asked people to be part of the night by submitting original ideas and voting on different aspects of the event – including the warm-up boat party, music on the night via the DJ’s playlist and original cocktails – in exchange for getting access to the event.

The request to ‘dress up’ and give the club a party atmosphere was increased by free face painting via several ‘make-up stations’, a dress-up box and a tattoo parlour.

The club also included a fortune-teller tent, a new digital graffitti canvas and in the smaller Night Vision Room a one hour XFM DJ set, a bingo club, a clothes ‘Swap-a-rama Razzamatazz’ with clothes provided by Beyond Retro and a club with no lights, as Monkey! Flashlight! invited clubbers to dance by torchlight only.

The whole night was a blast, an amazing line-up, great club, lovely people, very will organised, and even the bouncers were polite!

Smirnoff also included a subsidised boat service from the QEII pier to Waterloo pier.  A nice touch, and like the rest of the night, well thought out.