The Arches (2001- 2003)

The Arches, until it closed a few years ago, was probably Sheffield’s most legendary underground venue. Two railway arches, a sound system and not much else – it was one step up from a warehouse party and the all the better for it. Over the years it had had been home to many nights including Return to the Source, Spoof, Curfew, Lifemind, Remedy and of course Headcharge which ran monthly for six years. As is the way of these things, a few conversations led to an opportunity for Zogg to do the Spring Bank Holiday Sunday party there. Dill & Greg went for it. Oberon guested for the first time downstairs and upstairs Sheffield chillers Sundaze presented the Mellow Dubmarine.The Kids (slighty older division) loved it and the venue was buzzing.

At that point there were all nighters every weekend at the Arches with Headcharge (twice a month for a while), Havok, funky stuff on a Saturday and the odd short lived new night. But Zogg grew, developing its own crowd, with lots of the usual Arches regulars complemented with a slightly more flouro/hippy/clubbier edge to it. One of the good things about Zogg has always been the completely mixed crowd with as many dreads as girls in strappy dresses – anyone up for a party is welcome…

The first Planet Zogg Valentine’s special took place in February 2002. The seasonal décor, courtesy of Dill & Ruth caught everyone imagination and Valentines has since become one of our most popular nights of the year. The music around this time continued the pumping trance/techno cross over sound with DJ’s included the Riffraff gang from Leeds, with whom we’ve done may collaborations, E303 & Fabry from London’s Antiworld, Undertow’s Stelvio and our old mate Beamish. By this point Corporation had found a new multi roomed home at the Old Unit (where it remains to this day) and Zogg threw another Spring Bank Holiday bash with Tim Samsara in the main room, Bubble keeping it housey and Psychederek and co getting all psychedelic (natch) in the psy trance grotto. Zogg remained monthly at the Arches, taking a break for August and throwing a second birthday party with Beamish & Oberon. The Technosis crew visited in October and Opal made one of their first live appearances at the November Zogg. A joint Christmas party with Headcharge gave rise to the riotous ZoggCharge/Headzogg and continuing the 24 hour party people theme, Corporation hosted a Boxing Day Planet Zogg with Oberon plus funky room, plus psy room to dance off the turkey/nutroast to. Special mentions to Gina who did sterling work on the door over this period sorting out genuine mix ups but giving short shrift to blaggers!

Around this time Dill was running Probe on Saturday nights at the Lescar pub which was ideal “day after the night before” territory. Many a Friday night would eventually end up the day after (with or without sleep), drinking lots of beer and dancing to trance/techno in the pubs back room. Many were the nights that would really kick off with people dancing on the seats and generally going mental! A great, if a little hazy, time.

2003 continued pretty much as 2002 had with visits from Silicon Based Life, Beamish, Glowbones and the first of many visits from Bristol’s Ripsnorter crew, for whom Greg would soon become a resident. The Arches would be flouro’d up from top to toe with funky stuff from house to dub to global grooves in the upstairs bar. Downstairs would be banging but interesting – Hyperdelic Trance techno as the phrase went, or “joining the dots from trance to techno to psy” as we later put it. This cross over sound seemed to confuse some people and Zogg regularly got accused of playing too much trance/techno/psy as well as not enough trance/techno/psy, so we must have the balance about right!

UV stalls have also always been a Zogg feature with Georgie, Pav, Haydee, Col and Sarah 'Hobgoblin' all providing UV glittery stuff over the years. Top marks to the Mushroom stall that briefly appeared (when they were legal), only to sample their own produce and proceed to give the rest away in a wave of good cheer to all! It was about this time that Oberon couldn’t make a gig for the very rock n roll reason of the train conductor not letting him on at London as he had the wrong sort of saver ticket…

The summer saw an appearance from Bhaskar Dandonna from Redemption records which would eventually lead to the first Planet Zogg record. The summer of 2003 also saw Dill & Greg achieve a long term ambition of playing the main room of the Fridge in Brixton at Oberon’s Midsummer Nights Dream night. Planet Zogg has always been more of an indoor party crew but Dill and Greg love to play free parties. So it was that the NTA/Zogg free party came about at a secret woodside location near Sheffield on balmy summer’s nights… groovy…

Things didn’t seem to be quite right come autumn 2003. The nights were still good but ... there was something going astray that we couldn’t quite put our collective fingers upon. There were growing problems with the venue as well. The Arches was never the easiest place to put a party on, with an extremely laid back management style often prevailing and it’s own financial challenges to face. The third birthday party saw the clubs PA still in bits on the floor 15 mins after doors should have opened… arrgghhh… it got sorted though and the night rocked with Beamish & Oberon.