best before: is back!

Hold on to your hats - Bristol's legendary "anything goes" basement party is back!

This time, though, there's no basement - just an intimate backstreet boozer in the heart of Bristol. 50 people tops, probably less. Real ale and pickled eggs on tap. A bunch of ace DJs with several bags full of great records. One excellent monthly party.

best before: originally hit Bristol back in the autumn of 2003. Run by our own Sell By Dave and a rotating set of helpers, best before: was the night that put the then unknown Timbuk2 venue on the map. It ran for 18 months and steadily built up a reputation as the perfect party for those with a passion for good, soulful, funky music - be it disco, hip-hop, house, US garage, electrofunk, boogie, Detroit techno, broken beat, random old rock records or anything else. Guests included Greg Wilson (his first Bristol appearance), Brooks & Clyde (Mantis Recordings), Jigsaw Music, Chris Low Life, Neon Heights, Jimpster and a selection of top local DJs (Eat The Beat etc). It was fun… a lot of fun, in fact.

During its initial run, Bristol had few parties where DJs could really play "absolutely anything". Since then, everyone's doing it. So Sell By thought he'd bring best before: back and teach these upstarts a thing or two about what makes a proper party… or a "boogie in a boozer" if you will! He apparently also wanted to bring back the infamous fliers and posters, which featured doctored images of supermarket products. Yep, we've no idea either.

This time round the crew is a bit different. Sell By Dave will still be on hand to play ace records and pontificate about beards, but this time he's got company - TAPE boys Rich Carnage and Puffin Jack. Apparently we can expect the other original resident, Five-Stylez, to make regular appearances, too.

The first party is set for Friday April 27th. In the words of Sell By himself: "stick it in your diaries!"