Shifting from their usual haunt of the West Indian Centre, the latest edition of Leeds’ favourite party for all things bass-heavy, Subdub ventured into the depths of the Hifi basement on the 19th February.

Usually accustomed to speakers so loud that feel like the bass amp has replaced your heart and all your bodily functions, Subdub parties have a tendency to make you worry that you may never be able to hear again. Yet, a bizarre sense of epic enjoyment, exhilaration and exhaustion is usually found, despite being crushed by a horde of sweating, skanking humans.

However, when we arrived at Hifi for Dancehall Science the bouncer invited us in and said to us, ‘I don’t really understand why you want to go in there…’. It’s safe to say we were a little disappointed as we walked down the stairs into the familiar setting of Hifi with incredibly low expectations.

Once we got inside, the club was only half full, which considering the size of Hifi, was not a very impressive turn out. Nonetheless, one guarantee was the brilliant music and the promise of rum and ting behind the bar. The select crowd did not impact the vibe of the night, and was actually a bonus, allowing skanks to erupt in their full glory without the threat of elbowing someone’s ribcage or catapulting their drink across the floor.

Another refreshing aspect of Friday’s event was the discovery in the days after that our hearing was very much intact, with the usual ringing in our ears kept to a minimum. Despite these welcome variants, I think it is safe to say that Subdub is better in its home at the West Indian Centre, rather than the loveable surrogate at Hifi.

Harry Le Grice

Photo credits: Hifi Club