Venue: Ten27 - Atlanta, GA
Presented by: Encore Entertainment

Let's just say that out of a trip to San Diego, a week off from work and tickets to Dave Chapelle, Encore's new monthly event at Ten27 registered No. 1 on my anticipation chart.

As if bringing Klute here wasn't enough, Format was an over-21 crowd with $7 admission. I paid $30 for nosebleed seats at the Chapelle show, but somehow it felt like I got more for my money at Ten27.

I figured only drum and bass conniseurs would bother to show, unlike the kids at Mr. Half Baked's set who only know lowest-common-denominator, stereotypical comedy. (By the way, Chapelle confessed that he no longer partakes of the good green, which I find interesting since that's probably why half the people in the audience came in the first place.)

Allow me to put the word "New" in front of Format. While the massives are offering much of the same, Encore has secured the right venue and the right vibe for displaced ravers. Not that others haven't tried — hell, even Encore did for about six months at Karma. But something tells me that come summer, Format will still be around — and packing both sides of Ten27, rather than just the one that was filled on Thursday, January 24.

It takes a savvy production company to make it happen, but I think we'd all agree it's the music that makes people come out. Despite the weeknight and the rain, by midnight, Bobble had infused the place with that perfect combination of dnb and house called 2 Step. As long as I've been in Atlanta, Bobble's been on some next and his track selection reflected that. I even detected a couple electro undertones. The blends were seamless. Be a "purist" if you want to, but good music is good music. Get over it and dance. (I certainly was.)

D:RC and Weatherman stepped it up a notch, and it became clear who the tourists were and who loved this music. How could the DJs hold back with the crowd shouting their names? The small dance floor prevented a full-out circle, but the dancers had picked their spots. As D:RC and Weatherman unleashed, so did the dancers, making sure to match hard core for Triple X. Get your mind out of the gutter. I'm talking about the DJs' sets — it was definitely worth seconds. Good thing both of them are Format residents.

(Speaking of residents, Bobble, Little Jen, Mayhem, Ju Ju, Duda, Daniel, Edo, Roy Dank, Blueline, Rob F. and Impulse are all part of Format's rotating roster.)

For a minute, I wasn't sure if Klute would be able to take the crowd much higher. Throw in a little uncertainty about what kind of set he would spin and ...I was wrong. Way wrong. Anyone anticipating beats even remotely experimental sat at the bar sorely disappointed. Klute made sure we all knew he was down with Metalheadz and Certificate 18, home to the UK's best dnb DJs and producers. All in all, a true drum and bass set.

The next installation of Format is Thursday, February 14, featuring Duda, Daniel, and special guest, Lewis. My advice? Show some love this Valentine's Day. There's a new Format in town.