After reading everyone else's opinions on the Ministry and finding that they mostly didn't find it too pleasing I thought that I better stand up for it and give my experience of it.

I've only ever been once but it was a great night and a great weekend. So, if you're sitting comfortably then I'll begin...

The whole reason that I got to go the Ministry was because one of my mates had entered into a DJ competition and got through to the finals that were to be held, yes you've guessed it, at the Ministry itself. And, because he didn't have a girlfriend at the time, he invited me to accompany him. This meant that I would get a free hotel room for the night and free entry to the club, obviously this sounded too good to be true and I jumped at the chance.

So off we went to London and after checking in at our £200 a night hotel we made our way to Elephant and Castle, where the club is. Now, being a couple of country boys we didn't have a clue where anything was in London, so after getting off the tube at Elephant and Castle we thought how hard could the club be to find? Well, after asking about a million people and my mate starting to get rather stressed as he was meant to be there for the start of the competition, we jumped in a cab that took us about 50 yards up the road and charged us a fortune for it, but nevermind. Anyway we had made it to the club.

From the outside it didn't look like much, a large courtyard surrounded by a tall fence and a small entrance door. We weren't even sure if we had the right place! But we went in and my mate took part in the competition, which unluckily he didn't win, but they did have a free bar for us, so getting pissed in the minstry for free is not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon if you ask me. And I got a go on the decks, so yes, I have played at the Ministry of Sound, come on! I also got to meet Norman Jay (a well respected DJ), which was always g
oing to be a pleasure. So, after the competition we returned to the hotel to prepare ourselves for the evening ahead.

The night: After going to some pre-club bars we made our way to the club at around 1 am, it opened at 12 but we didn't want to appear too eager. After swanning past the que due to our guestlst status we entered the club. You enter down a long corridor that is lit with sparkling fairy lights, this then deposits you in the main bar area. By the time we arrived this room was already quite full and people were getting down to the funky house grooves. After weighing in the horrendously priced drinks at the bar (unfortunately it was no longer free for us) we decided to have a look round. The bar that we were in was quite large, with a high ceiling, there is a walkway reaching across it, though this was closed, but up the stairs we went and came out into a chill out room with quite a bit of seating and another bar. If you then carried on through there you came to a small room that I think was playing drum and bass, though I'm not sure, if you carried on through there then you cam e out in the same bar again. Although we had heard tales of how unfriendly the people of London are everyone we met were ace, we even got asked back to no less then 2 after parties! So there, who says London's unfriendly?

Although the music was good in this room, we were feeling a bit the worse for wear after our long day and were ready to give in and go home, when suddenly, we realised they had opened the main room. So, in we went. My first impression of it was one of walking into another world, the smoke machines were on full and you could hardly see you hand in front of your face, the music was pumping and the lighting was amazing, cutting through the smoke and taking you to another level. There were a few podiums but you couldn't really see the people on them through the smoke. The only way that I can describe it is as being lost in another wor
ld, where only the music existed and you had to dance, no one else mattered. So, even though we were previously ready to go home, we danced through all of Jazzy M's set, some wicked funky house, and finally left at around 6, though on the way out people were still coming in, hardcore! We then went back to the hotel slept like mice and then after a spot of record shopping made our long way home, well it wouldn't of been to long if the trains worked but don't start me on that.

To sum up, I had one the best weekends of my life at the Ministry and altough it is very expensive, both for admission and drinks, I thought it was well worth it and can't wait to return, though I don't think I will be staying in the same hotel, £200 a night, you must be joking. I would highhly reccomend the Ministry for all lovers of good clubs and funky house music, I had a wicked time, I hope you will too.