During 1989 Cambridge began to establish itself on the rave scene at a time when house music really started to grow. There were still parties taking place in clubs but it got bigger, in the form of huge illegal events. They were usually held in empty warehouses, unused aircraft hangers or even outside in the open air. These raves were mainly staged around the M25 area of London holding up to 25,000 people!!!

During this time there were two other organisations in Cambridge emulating this scene on a smaller scale. Every Saturday night you could find a party happening in or around the area. Then there were the furtive phone calls from ravers trying to find out the destination hours before a party was due to begin. The meet point was usually at the Fountain Inn, Cambridge city centre where you would see hundreds of revellers waiting for directions and it would be off to a warehouse until 6 or 7 in the morning. Once inside partygoers were treated to sets from a core of local DJ’s that took it in turns to play until the end. The non-commercial individual sound that these DJ’s played caught people’s imagination and in due course these gigs became packed with ravers being totally mesmerised by the whole phenomenon. The vibe was magical that year as Cambridge had a special thing going on with it’s own underground warehouse scene that before this could only be found in either London or Manchester.

As the scene began to grow the authorities became concerned with the ‘problem’ this was causing and soon the Police, having power of the roads and the introduction of the ‘Bright Act’ shut down the illegal rave scene. Inevitably it then became harder and harder for organisers to put on these events. With the possibility of up to 12 months imprisonment, heavy fines of twenty thousand pounds and the confiscating of sound systems it became apparent that a legal approach had to be found if the scene was to stay alive and continue.

Then in 1990 Stuart Banks, a local DJ playing the circuit on the Cambridge warehouse scene, and his brother David who had the knowledge and passion for promoting these events decided to do something about this. Having already staged successful raves in and around the Cambridge area under the names of ‘Drum Boogie’ and ‘Infinity’ David and Stuart decided that they wanted to hold the very first legal rave. Together with Glenda Fenton as secretary and assistant they formed Groove II Promotions and introduced the now infamous ‘Eclipse’.

They already knew that the Corn Exchange on Wheeler Street in the city centre was the place they wanted to hold this party, and in due course applied for an entertainments licence. The Corn Exchange offered the ideal setting for a legal rave. Nice clean facilities, ample car parking and most importantly a huge dance floor covered in wood effect flooring with a massive stage at the front. This venue also had a capacity for over 1300 party peeps making it a well-selected venue by any promoter.

After approaching the local authorities along with the director of the Corn Exchange Dave and Stuart were granted an entertainments licence for a one off event, and on Saturday 12th May 1990 the first Eclipse was staged. No expense was spared as Groove II totally transformed the Corn Exchange into the ultimate dance environment. Housing the best quality 20k Turbo sound system there was no escape!!! This was accompanied by the ‘Orange’ laser company’s brightest 7-watt blue green laser with fibre heads and graphics. Complete with the best in giant visual spheres, arc light constructions, U.V guns, and strobe flowers, golden scans, big animation screens, huge ultraviolet backdrops and dance platforms with sexy dancers, plus all the usual trimmings you would expect. As well as the top mind-blowing visuals and lights, and state of the art lasers they also made sure that the best jocks were spinning on the night to complete the package.

The structure and acoustics of this building automatically created a wicked atmosphere, with the front staging and platforms, plus sometimes the DJ’s would be in the middle of the arena, for all to see and dance around. This added ’togetherness’ to the buzz of the place making it even more special.
Upstairs were large balconies that could be used to view the mayhem down below, as well as another room supplying the best in alternative and more progressive music.

The event was a success and everything went well. Good reports from all sides, the Police, local council and Corn Exchange management, and not one complaint from the public. Further licences were then granted and in time longer ones as well. This also paved the way to all night licensing for other raves in the area.

When you entered the Corn Exchange itself, the foyer also used as a ‘chill out’ zone, first greeted you. Here you could check out the stalls selling tapes, t-shirts, videos and other Eclipse merchandise. A fully licensed bar, ice creams, as well as hot and cold food were also on offer. As you pushed the big wooden doors into the main arena the euphoric atmosphere this place had to offer instantly blew you away. A pumping sound system, which seemed to get louder at every event, prevented you from standing still. David and Stuart discussed which DJ’s would play at Eclipse and insisted on only the best being chosen. They included a team of residents playing on rotation, which were the cream of the area, the best in the business such as Chris Brown, Pauly C, Doug Osbourne, Gappa G, Lee Coombs, Jo Jo Rock and of course Stuart Banks. It was here that Stuart gained a lot of recognition as a good DJ in the East Anglian region getting further bookings at most of the other big parties including the high light of those times, playing at some of the major legendary raves in the Cambridgeshire area like Raindance and Energy. Sometimes he would DJ at three events in one night!

As these masters helped create the buzz in would step the guest DJ’s to bring the party to boiling point. Carl Cox, Fabio and Grooverider, Evil (Eddie) Richards, Trevor Fung, basically anyone who was anyone, the list is endless. With all this entertainment going on time flew, and before you knew it nine hours had passed and it was 6am. Home time. ‘One more!!!’ was the cry from the wide-awake club, trying to squeeze every last gyration from their aching limbs!!

Once the parties were established Groove II decided to expand their CV, taking Eclipse on tour to various venues around the region. These included Destiny at Clacton, Gorleston’s Ocean Rooms, and the Lad’s Club in my home city Norwich. No expense was spared with the production or entertainment as Eclipse continued to further enhance its status as a leading player on the dance scene.

After a successful year in the Cambridge Corn Exchange, Groove II felt it was time to take Eclipse to the next stage. Then in July 1991 David had the idea of introducing ‘The Eclipse Outdoor Summer Dance Festival’, wanting to invite ravers from all over the country to experience Eclipse. A gigantic marquee previously used by the Royal Ballet and the Circus World Championships was erected in a field at Stretham near Ely, Cambridgeshire, after Groove II had paid five thousand pounds to a farmer for the use of his land. This huge six mast red, white and blue tent measured 43 by 57 metres, with a total of 22,350 sq. ft. of dance area!! Attached to the front was a 20 by 30-metre foyer, selling the latest Eclipse merchandise. As well as 80K of the best A.S.S sound and 20 watt argon lasers the festival also included large video screens inside and outside the tent, an open-air cinema and full fun fair. A lot of hard work and planning had gone into this one, making it unbelievable, fantastic, definitely on a par with other outdoor events staged at that time by the masters like Fantazia and Raindance. Twice this special event was staged, the second one coming the following summer of 1992. This again was held at Braham Farm In Ely.

During this time people began to hear more and more about Groove II Promotions and Eclipse. Soon the Corn Exchange became rammed and packed to over full capacity, as this was the place to be once a month. It became infectious and for that Saturday night once a month it was all we lived for. Dave and Stu never dreamed how popular Eclipse would become, and it was not in their wildest dreams how well it would have taken off.

For the next two years Eclipse continued to run monthly with each party bettering the previous one in some way making every event special and that little bit different from the last one. High standards were set with production and entertainment. The DJ line-ups became heavier with more guests and the sound and lighting technology was constantly being increased. At the height of the scene Eclipse was in full flow putting on some outstanding raves. Tickets became hard to get, selling out almost instantly. Huge queues and a full car park soon became the norm.

Then in June 1993 the last Eclipse was held at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. With the scene changing David and Stuart wanted to finish at the top. They felt Eclipse had run its time, and it was better to end on a ‘high’. To go out in style they drafted in the experience of ESP Dreamscape. Eclipse V Dreamscape was born. This will go down as one of the best parties in history. With their unrivalled knowledge and production the best was yet to come. As you would expect only the top DJ’s graced this event including Ratty, Bukem (with Conrad), Swane and all the others you would get with a Dreamscape production.

East Anglia was in mourning after the finish of Eclipse, with its army of die hard ravers. People saw it as a way of life and found it difficult to come to terms with its closure. With music at raves starting to split into two genres, house music going one way and hardcore/drum ‘n’ bass going the other Eclipse had run its course and it was time for change.

In 1994 Groove II continued to put on the odd party at local clubs but disbanded shortly after. Stuart who had been working at Planet Boom Records (aka Boom Tunes) in Cambridge with fellow DJ Tony Petchell continued to play at various events and was involved in other projects. More recently he is resident at the Fez Club and Po Na Na, spinning the latest in soulful funky house, as well as opening his own hairdressing salon, also in Cambridge. David went into nightclubs to work after Eclipse finished taking a job at Rick’s in Norwich where he worked his way up to general manager. It was while Dave was at Rick’s that Club UK offered him a job promoting their house and garage night at Ipswich’s ‘Hollywood’ club (now known as ‘Zest’). A massive three-tiered venue with a capacity of over one thousand people (on a good night). Dave took up the offer and together with Colchester’s John Martin, who also became the club’s resident DJ, transformed it into a big success.

Towards the end of 1996 ‘UK Ipswich’ as it was known shut down and parted company with Hollywood leaving Dave to run his own venture ‘Kink’. An event that already had history when he promoted a couple of parties at the Cambridge Corn Exchange in the autumn of 1994 using the same name. David teamed up with friend Craig Barnett who he took on as assistant and on Saturday 1st February 1997 they launched ‘Kink’ at Hollywood. With Dave’s superb track record and high profile it didn’t take long for Kink to become a huge success. As usual only a high standard of entertainment and production was used making it Ipswich’s premier nightspot.

Unfortunately, shortly after Kink had started David was at Cinderella’s night club (formerly Ronelles) in Cambridge where his career had started, when he was set upon and attacked, knocking him to the ground!!! After suffering a serious head injury David underwent an operation to remove a blood clot from his brain and was for a period of time critically ill. Thankfully due to marvellous care and treatment he received at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge Dave made a significant recovery. Although shortly after leaving hospital he suffered two epileptic seizers leaving him partly disabled. But in David’s own words “Life goes on, I’m still around and happy!!”

Although the Cambridge dance scene owes a lot to these two brothers who have firmly put their city on the ‘map’, Dave wishes to make it clear, by saying “It was the ravers that made Eclipse what it was, as without them there would have been no Eclipse or Kink. Many thanks to all who supported Eclipse and respect to you all”. These events have given a lot of people many good times and memories they will always cherish. Quite often you will still hear these people reminisce and tell stories about Groove II and their ventures from way back then. Some might say they have become a part of English social history. As for Eclipse, it is a whole book in itself that will be remembered by hundreds for a long, long time and I am glad to have been a part of them. History in the making!!! Respect is long over due…………………

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