Might As Well (Dimension) Jump News Posted by Seb Patrick on 9th October 2009, 08:34 Many of you never thought you’d see it happen, but that time is here again – Dimension Jump XV is go in a matter of hours. Taking place at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham city centre, it’s looking like being the biggest DJ since the fabled Liverpool event of 1998. So we hope you’re on your way to Brum RIGHT NOW (or, y’know, when you finish work or whatever). Team G&T will be out in full force, so if you see us, come and say hi – if you’re a regular commenter then that goes without saying, but we’d be chuffed and smug if any readers we don’t usually speak to also came and had a chat with us. We like to pretend we’re famous. We’ll have stickers, and everything. We’ll also be Twittering the fuck out of the weekend over at @ganymedetitan, and feel free to join us on the hashtag #DJXV. We may even have a few LIVE UPDATEY kind of surprises on the site for those who can’t make it – so stay tuned…
No, hope everyone has a good time. You could send me of your stickers, if you want – I’ve still got a couple that I saved from the last one…
I was at the fabled Liverpool event. I just remember alot of pissed off fans resenting the ‘buggering awful elongated sausage’ Dwarf. I think this one’ll be a bit more feel good.
I’m really cheesed off that I’m not going, especially as the reasons for being unable to go have, one by one, fallen through.. I guess as a bit of a sweetener I am off to see Rob Grant standing up tonight.. My 1st DJ at Coventry is the biggest I’ve attended and remains my favourite, largely because it was all new to me. The last one at Peterborough was very small in comparison but benefitted from being very cosy and personal, swings and roundabouts I suppose…It would have been nice to attend a mega one, if only to compare them. I should imagine that the atmosphere will be very special given the numbers and the recent ‘new’ Dwarf.. Good luck to all involved, I hope it’s a cracking weekend for everyone..
Ah, the joys of finishing work early. Cup ‘o’ tea, shower, feed the snake, collect the offspring unit and then I’m off to do battle with the godless hoards of the M6. See you, like, whenever I get there. Mine’s a large Jameson on ice, btw. . Si, Steve, Dave, monkey – I’m sad you can’t go, guys.
Shame I cant come, was considering it, but money and work etc. But it’s great consoling to read it’s Ganymede & Twitter all the way. Have the greatest weekend since Back to Earth airred G&T crew and everyone else who’s there.
Looking at G&T’s Twitter pic of the costume competition. 4 Flibbles & gingham sales obviously go up in advance of these events. Top left I think that’s someone dressed as Dog, but for a second I thought a bloke had gone dressed as sophie winkleman! But what is that on the right hand edge in blue? I’d have added bullet holes to the bear given he refused the blindfold. http://twitpic.com/l0pvm
I went. I had fun. And I don’t mind being called a bastard for it! [soundeffect]blowingRaspberry[/soundeffect]
> *composing a list of stupid reasons she can?t attend* Spot the operative word. > gone dressed as sophie winkleman! So that’s VC (Lo-Rimmer)’s outfit for 2010 sorted then. > I?d have added bullet holes to the bear given he refused the blindfold. Agreed. Still fantastic effort allround. There’s been some great entries in previou years, but the combation of inventiveness, effort and sheer numbers made this the best Fancy Dress Comp I’ve ever seen at DJ.
That song was also one of my highlights Karl. (one of many!) I actually walked around with the whole VW badge and Def Jam patches going on and I hadn’t heard it for years….literally! I got straight on You Tube and have posted it on a few forums.. Am I right in hearing that it is a Dimension Jump essential disco track along with the Chicken Song?
When I say “I actually walked around with the whole VW badge and Def Jam patches going on” I don’t mean anymore….honest. I mean back in the day…..
> Am I right in hearing that it is a Dimension Jump essential disco track along with the Chicken Song? Not one I ever remembering them playing before, but I think there’s a good chance that it might become one from now on.
Yeah, given that those two are probably the only number one records with a Dwarf connection, they sort of have to get played.
>Please hold DJXVI in Cardiff? :) I could cope with that, I adore Cardiff. Of course, I could cope with Sheffield even more…
The “Cardiff for 2010” campaign starts here! Of course, all you moonlighting Who fans can go see the sights (and sites) at the same time! Whose leg do you have to hump to start an official petition around here?
Ahh, I’ve even thought of the perfect venue! http://www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk/hotels/wales/barcelo-cardiff-angel-hotel/ Angel Hotel, bang in the city centre, 2 mins from the train station, 2 mins from the bus station, 1 min from a massive car park, 10 min walk to the Bay…. next door to the Millenium Stadium. “Cardiff for 2010” I think I may be misdirecting my miniscule efforts here, but never-the-less…
Hmmm, that might be a bit posh (aka expensive) actually… but there are shitloads of big hotels in Cardiff city centre anyway, and some down the Bay.
>I think I may be misdirecting my miniscule efforts here Given that James announced right at the end of events on Sunday that the hotel in Birmingham has already been re-booked for next year… yeah, you are a bit ;-)
> Given that James announced right at the end of events on Sunday that the hotel in Birmingham has already been re-booked for next year? yeah, you are a bit ;-) Oh …. “Cardiff for 2011” starts here! I’ve even got a venue in mind!
That sucks… why are DJ venues always so far North or East? I mean, Birmingham’s probably the closest its ever been to me, and that’s still at least two hours away. :( *sulks*
Well, considering I’m UK based and there have been 15 of them, you’d think at least one of them may have darkened my door within the 200 mile radius…
My not-yet making the effort to travel to one is irregardless of the ever-distant proximity… but I have fully intended to go on four occasions, including this year until I lost my job. I think I have the Dimension Jump Curse.
> That sucks? why are DJ venues always so far North or East? I mean, Birmingham?s probably the closest its ever been to me, and that?s still at least two hours away. :( *sulks* Yes, the midlands is very well known for it’s position in the North East of the country. If it’s any consolation, most of the team had to travel for two hours or more, which really isn’t a long trip. Plus, the location has been very popular, including some US attendees citing the location as being the reason they could come.
I wasn’t genuinely pissing and moaning about the location, you know. Birmingham next year works out well for me on the basis of – well, as I said – it’s the closest its ever been to me, and I’m really hoping to go (as usual). > Yes, the midlands is very well known for it?s position in the North East of the country. Good one. The context of my sentence implied that the location is usually quite far to MY North or East, in proximity to myself down in South Wales. I didn’t say Birmingham was in “the North East of the country”, but I see what you did there. Very good. I need to get on that level. :P
I?d have added bullet holes to the bear given he refused the blindfold. He had bulletholes, I saw them with my own eyes! You just can’t see them on that pic.
The reason why it would be difficult to put a convention on in the north is because of cast availability. If we held it in the north then the chances are we wouldn’t be able to get many guests. If it’s any consolation James has to travel from York which I believe is the furthest distance of any team member and he’s the chairman!
Ah! Fantastic, thanks Jo, that’s great to know that. Nice one. Even if “That’s something no one should ever have to see” ! So what is the costume on the right hand edge in blue?
Can’t remember which pic I twittered, but… do you mean the Starbug? If it’s the bulging thing, it was actually green (just that the lighting at the time was blue)…
>Can?t remember which pic I twittered, but? do you mean the Starbug? If it?s the >bulging thing, it was actually green (just that the lighting at the time was blue)? This :o)
> Given that James announced right at the end of events on Sunday that the hotel in Birmingham has already been re-booked for next year? yeah, you are a bit ;-) Which bugged me a bit. I appreciate that everything’s run on a tight budget and so perhaps that had something to do with the decision, but isn’t there an argument for seeing if something works first? Mind you this seems to be the attitude of BBC Sitcom commisioners nowadays too. As for the hotel. Well for obvious reasons I can’t grumble too much, but a couple of things. A) Staff attitude: Well more specifically the language + attitude used by a couple of them on the Saturday night. It’s a bit of a traditional that a few folk end up pulling an all-nighter on the Saturday. It’s happened for as long as I can remember, so to be turfed out the bar, and then the foyer bit and then spoken to like everyone present was either a lout or a child wasn’t great (the only loutish behaviour I remember all weekend was some gobby twat on the Friday). Obv the fan club team’s responsibility is to the masses and not the few, but the staff at both Peterborough and Coventry were far more accomodating in this one specific issue. B) Bar Prices – Food/Drink etc. Not all bad. The sarnies were a very reasonable ?2 if I remember. The convention menu seems a bit of a token gesture tbh, but then I’m on a bit of a health kick so I’m probably being a bit prissy with that one. I will though grumble about the drinks costs which they appeared to make up as they went along. Pints and Spirits were one moment about average and then at various points in the weekend seemed to escalate sharply. ?4 for a Malibu and Coke, ?6.50 for a Vodka + Red Bull? Do me a lemon.
I had issues with food, too. The staff got a little tetchy when I tried to order bar food after the signing session on Saturday – the barman refused to take my order because it was post 7pm and sent me to the restaurant. The restaurant staff at first tried to send me back to the bar, and then they disappeared for 15 minutes and I found them arguing with the barman. They then refused to take an order for bar food as it was too late (even though I had previously ordered at 10pm on the Friday), and I had to pay nine pounds smegging fifty for a burger from the restaurant, which was identical to the one that they had been charging a fiver for from the bar. Not amused.
I had a bit of a think about the whole “being stopped from sitting around” thing, actually, and it occurred to me – the difference between that place and Peterborough was that Peterborough was in the middle of nowhere. It was pretty obvious, therefore, that anyone loitering around the hotel bar was a resident, there for the convention, or both. Whereas if you’re slap bang in the middle of a huge city (and in, let’s face it, not the most pleasant bit of said huge city), then you can’t really afford to just have loads of randoms wandering about at 5 in the morning unless you’re constantly searching them for room keys. (Especially since, not to put too fine a point on it, most of you/us look like vagrants anyway.) I’m not saying they couldn’t have handled it better, since it sounds like some of the staff were just downright rude; but I think I do understand why they couldn’t just have people staying up all night with the run of the place.
I only ate once in the Holiday Inn. I’d had enough of chip shop, McDonalds or ChinaTown stuff so went to the restaurant. There were only about 4 items on the menu (which incidently had one page of food and about 20 of wine…shoulda took the hint!) I decided to go for the salmon as it was cheapest and also furthest from deep fried crap. It came….a plate that was virtually empty. Half a fist sized lump of salmon on a wafer thin bed of onions and for drips of the salsa sauce….Oh how the other half live That said, I loved the venue. If I attend again, I won’t be ordering in the restaurant. That is all!
I discovered on the way home that the hotel was literally just across the road from Chinatown. I know where I’ll be eating next time.
I don’t know! I didn’t feel too safe around there. Especially when the two gangs started fighting (The Wing Kong with the red sashes and the Chang Sing with the yellow sashes)……and then Lo Pan turned up….with the three storms! Scary stuff!
> (Especially since, not to put too fine a point on it, most of you/us look like vagrants anyway.) Erm I object to that tbh even if you are including yourself in it. Comme to think of it “loads of randoms wandering about” and “with the run of the place” are pretty far off the mark too. Much like the member of staff involved it reeked of the pre-conception that people were out to cause mischief rather than actually engaging or considering those present. Jez for example very calmly enquired if we could go back to the bar or even the Balcony only to be spoken to like he was a boozed-up twelve year old. If people had been behaving particularly badly, loudly or crashing all over the seats then that’s one thing, however that’s never been the case on these occasions. By the time you get down to the last dozen or so all you have left are a few folk happily chatting to each other. Point taken about the location, but it really was more to do with the attitude than anything. Still overall it was just a minor inconvenience in an otherwise great weekend.
Karl – We pre-booked the venue because it’s a great location, a nice venue and we were given a lot of space for our limited budget. Some of the things you mentioned are things we can take up with the hotel. The bar opening hours were actually discussed at our meetings and we were assured that the bar area would be open for attendees all weekend. This will be mentioned in our feedback to them. As for your issues with the food because you’re on a health kick what exactly were you expecting to eat? You were in the middle of Birmingham with tons of food establishments within walking distance (one of the reasons the venue was chosen) so it’s not like you didn’t have the choice. Bar prices – It’s a hotel, what were you expecting? That’s the one thing we couldn’t negotiate. I’d imagine the late night booze shop over the road did a roaring trade. We have got an online feedback survey here: http://www.dimensionjump.info/
HB – Food serving hours will be mentioned in our feedback too. I really didn’t get chance to see what was happening with all that but we’ll try and make sure we get more defined hours next time.
I liked the idea of the ?5 menu as it was convenient and affordable for everyone … although in the end we did end up going out most of the time. There were lots of reasonable places within a short walk: Cafe Rouge, Costa, Bella Italia, M&S, etc, so it was a good location in that respect.
What I found weird was that if I found myself in the middle of Leeds (where I have lived for all my life) I wouldn’t feel comfortable going out into the middle of town at 3am to get food. Whereas when we went to the pizza shop (Which sell ‘Beaf Burgers’ and have specific meals for ‘Lovers of Tasty Chicken’) in Birmingham at 4am, I felt much safer than i EVER would have in Leeds. I can’t explain that…
No, it can’t have been that. I waited 45 minutes for the guys who get my order right. I doubt that would have happened if I was completely out of it.
I didn’t really venture outside of the hotel much, just for a Subway and Tesco for pasta. I don’t have any beaf with the food options.
I used to travel for at least 4 hours to get to DJ when I lived in Devon, so Cardiff should be even easier than Exeter, seeing as it’s not very deep within Wales and has better travel links! Anyway, very nice hotel, although it’s a shame about the staff getting shitty about people staying up all night. They had a guy on the door checking room keys from 11pm onwards, so I think they could have reasonably assumed that everyone was a resident. Having the city centre on the doorstep was also terrific.
>They had a guy on the door checking room keys from 11pm onwards, so I think they could have reasonably assumed that everyone was a resident. Didn’t know this, actually – sort of negates my earlier point…
Just out of interest, say I nipped out for a kebab at 11:30 on the Saturday night and then tried to get back in for the remainder of the disco, would they have let me in? I didn’t have a room key, I stayed up the road in another hotel (Cheapskate me!)
They *should* let you in when you showed your DJ badge as a convention event was still ongoing. That said, the hotel staff should’ve let people stay up all night in the bar as we were told it’d be fine, but by that point I was too mash to argue or even realise it was happening.
ironic considering I was (jokingly) moaning about needing to travel to Birmingham should I finally make it to the next one, it transpired over the last day or two that I may actually be LIVING in Birmingham come early next year. I was planning to call this a timely example of serendipity, but then I realised that this “lucky break” would involve me… y’know… having to live in Birmingham. Talk about bittersweet.
Well, let us know what happens, because obviously if you move to Birmingham we’ll have to move DJ to Cardiff…
