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The time read 00:35am on my watch. I noticed that people where now entering into "Soul Heaven" area of the club where Louie Vega and his entourage were set to play later on in the evening.

It was already filling up quite nicely in here already. I hadn't expected this. I couldn't make out who was djing though. It didn't matter. People here were already dancing, and space was becoming more and more difficult to find. The DJ Booth was quite large which already had around 6 to 7 peoples behind it, together with the main DJ who was playing.

Once or twice the DJ of the time managed to gain a cheer as he played what was considered by the crowd as a "top tune". For instance Michelle Weeks track called "The light", was met by approving cheers.

I stayed in the room for around 20 minutes, and witnessed it getting busier and busier as time progressed. It was the music policy within this area of the club called the Soul Heaven room that was geared towards - "Jazz sounding House music". Sometimes I thought that the music that was being dropped was too Jazz orientated. You need a good injection of Funk every once and a while to "Jazz" things up - if you get my drift?. Too laid back a set I thought from the DJ on view at the time I thought.

After saying about 20 "sorry's", as I eventually made my way through this pulsating crowd. I eventually decided to stay within the Bar area of the club where a DJ set had already captured the imagination of the crowds there.

The DJ was girl who had oriental features was really concentrating in what she was doing. She wasn't basking in any glory, or crowd acclaim. As soon as the next tune was in "play". She was already looking through her DJ box to see what could or would complement it.

I liked her set. One moment it would be a dropping a groovy Deep House number. The next, it would be a Soul infused, House music smash of a tune. I tried to lean over, once and a while and have a look at what she was dropping every once and a while. But each time I was met by white label after white label, with the faintest marking on each single only, which she could have only of understood.

A group of black girls near by me appreciated her tunes by getting down to nearly every one of her tracks that she dropped. Eventually, I managed to pluck up the courage to ask someone who she was. This was through a person that had been sharing the DJ booth with her, but only in a no hands approach support view.

"Who is she?" I asked inquisitively as the man eventually managed to close the DJ Booth behind as she was still playing.

"Oh her? That's Phil Asher Wife".. he explained in a quite matter of fact sought of way. And then he disappeared in to the crowd.

For the next 30 minutes she gave the crowd a good feeling for what as to be expected for the rest of the night. I liked her, and the set that she dropped. One for the future?

Towards the end of her set I had noticed a black, bushy Afro haired gentleman had entered the DJ booth in which Phil Asher wife was still playing to the crowds.

This black DJ, or it appeared that he was, was joined with a colleague of his as well in the Dj booth. During the end of the present Lady dj's set. I noticed that while he was in the DJ Booth he was watching the crowd one moment, and then going through his own tunes in the DJ bag that he had bought through with him. It seemed as if he was checking as if he had certain tunes with him that would allow him to rock the club..

But before I saw him DJ properly to the crowds in front of him. I decided I wanted to look around the "Soul Heaven area", of the club once more. First of all, I meanded around upstairs in, and around the VIP area. I was in for a shock. The VIP room which I ran over to to gain some sort solace, was even more as popular and packed as before. People from all shapes and sizes, colours and creeds were in there. The balcony from which I could formally see the area where the Soul Heaven event was to take place was now not accessible. The time as I glanced at my watch was around about 1:30am in the morning.

It was a struggle to get to that area of club in the first place as the rope attendant had the impossible task of checking every ones hand who wanted to enter the area to see if they had been "marked" with an intra-violet pen. Marking our hands with this, together with a special code that allowed us in all areas of the club.

This took time. In fact, it took me 10 minutes to get to the front the queue to get back the VIP lounge!! As I have mentioned that the Balcony viewpoint to see Soul Heaven in all its glory was out of bounds. So I decided to get myself yet another Red Bull, but this time I decided to have a some vodka with it. "Oh one wouldn't hurt," I said to myself. But the queues were 3 man deep so it took time getting served.

I milled around this area of the club for at least 30 minutes, standing upright in a cramped area for about 10 minutes of my 30 minutes stay there. I was very lucky to get a seat in the end, as one-person left to go downstairs. I managed to get into a conversation with a local promoter, who explained that he frequently came here and had seen many of the best House and Garage acts that the industry had to offer over the years. He told me that he loved the place. We exchange business cards - as you do, and then I decided one more to make my way back to Bar area of the Ministry of Sound…

Yes, I recognised him now it was Glyn Braithwaite, from Rude Awakening Records, London, England… I thought I'd recognised him. Maybe I was wrong I thought. But no..its him..

Yes I had made my way back to the DJ booth of the Bar area of the Ministry of Sound. And he was cooking…Phil Asher DJ wife had left some time ago, because the crowds were loving Linden set. It was full of nostalgia.

He was just finishing of playing a classic, which the crowd lapped up. I just caught the tail end of the track. But it was instantly recognisable. The was, "Deep Inside" by the Masters at Work. It was appropriate I thought as Louie Vega was here tonight.

In came another classic as he had managed to blend this track in perfectly which was "Close to you" by the Brand New Heavies remixed by of course the Masters at Work.

This had everyone smiling, dancing and even had a few people close by me even singing the words. Soulful House at its best I must say. He set ranged from Classic house and Garage numbers, to Deep House numbers - which made people groove. To be fair I didn't want to leave. This is what House and Garage music was about I felt at the moment in time.

However, I had come to see Louie Vega. So regrettable I left the set of Glyn Braithwaite, and eventually made it over the room set aside for Soul Heaven.

I thought that the bar area of the club was packed. But this was something else. Nearly every area of the club was rammed full of people. But I was determined to get as near to one of my heroes within House and Garage music as possible.

After much ducking and diving, and many apologise as I squeezed my way through to near the front and to the side of Huge DJ Booth/ come stage. I did as best as I could to get to an area where at least there was some chance of seeing the man in action.

But he was not alone. The guitarist that I had seen earlier on practising his scales was now performing live as Louie Vega was Djing…

Sometimes the Jazz Guitarist would do some "Scat singing".. Another time he would sing along to the songs themselves. To be fair it was more of a concert then a traditional dance night.

I must say I was impressed with Louie's DJ-ship and musicianship at the same time. This was I thought taking Djing to another level. Incorporating and involving live musicians within his set. But allowing them to have centre stage most of the time!!

It wasn't all sweetness and light though. They were aspects about Louie's set that I didn't like. The spectacle was great. The musicianship was of the highest order both through Louie as the DJ, and of the Guitarist that had accompanied him. But I felt that it was too Jazzy. Hard to admit it. But it was.

We needed for Louie to mix it up as bit. Sprinkling his jazz infused sets up with some of his Masters at Work /Nu Yorkun Soul classic's from yester year whom his London fans love him for.

It was too jazzy for me. Maybe I was the problem. Maybe I was living in the past. But I wanted to hear some old classics thrown in as well.

I would have loved him to drop "Basstone" within his set. The crowd would have gone mental. Or the "Bounce". Can you imagine if he had of dropped that.

But the crowd that he had assembled within the Soul Heaven area of the club seemed to love him. Song after song he gained an applause, or cheers…

I managed to get my groove - as you say in the Usa!! on once or twice when it seemed that he was slipping out of the Jazz groove, and was entering into a more Soul/Funk vibe within his set. But that was far and to few between for my linking.

I wasn't the only one "dropping foot" as we say here in England. I was surrounded by a bevy of beauties that had come to this side of the area to get away from some lecherous men who wouldn't say no for answer. They were quite good to say the least, and at one time had created a circle of people just to watch them dance.

All the time, the club bouncers were always milling around, looking out for potential trouble spots or trouble makers. They were all armed with close circuit radio sets. This meant if there were ANY troubles in any part of the club. A colleague could radio ahead for assistance ..and help would take long.

I decided to try and get better shots of Louie in action via getting on the podium that where near by. After waiting my turn nearby at them. A space appeared, and I wasted no time in getting on one of them, and snapping away at Louie in action.

If I was going to get good shots.. then this was as best a position that I was going to get…After getting more and more funny looks from clubbers as I was taking these photos. I decided that was it. I had done my bit for now.

Louie's set was far too jazzy for me this time around. But the whole spectacle looked fantastic..

Once again I decided to make my way past this maddening club, that loved everything that Louie dropped once again over to the Bar area of the club that was situated downstairs.

The tunes that greeted my ears were like someone had remove a blind fold from eyes and I was able to see again.

The DJ booth personal had changed once more since I had last been near there. Gone was Glyn Braithwaite, from Rude Awakening Records, and in the booth right now was someone called "Andy Ward

As I entered the room he was half way through playing "Beautiful People" by Barbara Tucker and wait for it the Masters at Work…

Lovely, lovely tune, in which everyone was singing the chorus whenever it came through…

He then dropped another classic called "TEARS" by Robert Ownes/Frankie Knuckles. This is more like it I thought.

Then came the track called "Reach Out" by Word of Mouth.. which got everyone grooving….

At that time. I knew the tune, but didn't know the title of the song.

I rushed to the DJ booth again. First to see I could make head or tail of the track whilst it was revolving around on the turntable. I was out of luck. So I asked.

Hi…I wondered. Could you give me the title of the tune. It wicked. Who's it by? I quizzed.

He quickly went back to his box and pulled out a sleeve. But I couldn't read it. He saw that I was having trouble reading the sleeve. It was in a small writing, and not very clear.

He quickly added .."The groups called "Word of Mouth, and the track is called "Reach Out"…

This made me smile, as I had been after this tune for a while but always never got around to finding out more about it. Or lost the piece of paper in which I had written down the tunes title on numerous occasions.

As the night progressed. I made to strike up a conversation and gain a dance with a good-looking black that was with a group of other women. Who encouraged this lady "to get her groove on" with me on the dance floor.

She could dance, as she wind and grinded me on the dance floor to such an extent that I asked if she had a partner . She stated that she had, but was out to have some fun on the night. Not Afterwards mind you…!!!

I left it at that. I wasn't going to push it. It wasn't too long that I was soon talking to another female, who I hadn't noticed nearby me.

I plucked up the courage to ask her what was her name, and whom she had come with. Her name was Ann, and was living in West London area of London, but originally came from Australia. Melbourne to be precise. She stated that she was a teacher, and had been in England for 2 years now.

She explained to me that she loved the London clubs, and stated that Australian clubs were still far behind in respect of the sounds that we were being played, and the many clubs that we had and were being frequented.

Anne, eventually introduced me to her groups of friends that were about 8 people strong in total. But 4 of them had already disappeared to other areas of the club. Anne wasn't disappointed. In fact she loving it. She loved dancing, and letting her hair down if and when she got the chance. As the job that she was apart of created a lot of stressful times. Also she explained how expensive London(England) was..much more expensive then Melbourne and Sydney (Australia)…

She was very friendly person to talk to, which sometime made up for fact of some of the people within the club who just didn't want to mingle and chat.

I asked her if I could take a picture of her. She at first said no, but after much persuading she agreed, and I snapped her up.

Towards the end of the evening when the Bar area of the Club was closed. Many of the clubbers (Including Anne!) had clambered onto the bar tops and were dancing onto top of them. Even some of the Bar staff where dancing on top of the bar in which earlier they had been serving drinks!

I extensively looked at my watch, which read 6:00am in the morning. The club was still full of people, but one where you could more around more freely. You could now actually move around and dance abit now…

I decided to go across and give a last peek- a-boo appearance for Louie Vega within the Soul Heaven room. I was hoping amongst hope that his set would have moved towards a more Soul/Funk vibe that I know that he is more then capable of producing. But as I entered the room again, it was more of the same.

Maybe I was being selfish, but I wanted to hear some of his classics thrown into the melting pot as well. There's nothing wrong with his music, but I felt that dropping some of his classics would have bought the House down - rather then getting half muted cheers.

I stayed at the "Ministry" right to the end. I went back up stairs to the VIP room where I was stationed those 9 hours ago originally. Just to say good bye to Jodie and Kelly. But they were no where to be seen.

So I said goodbye to the barstaff instead that looked like they had enjoyed themselves. Even though they were serving all night. They even wanted me to take a picture of them as well, in which I obliged.

"Well, it was that time again"… as I looked out from the entrance of the Ministry of Sound night club.

"Back to Gants Hill, and then Home" I sighed and muttered to myself all at the same time…

I yawned. Then started making steps towards the nearest by Bus Stop that was close by..