A load of performers came and supported the fundraising event and the
variety throughtout the two days was really nice. The Firday evening
suffered from the usual problem of people drifting in much later than the
start time but those that arrived early were treated to a nice meal, a
fashion show and some wicked visuals. The incrediable crew of five top VJs
continued to dazzle the growing crowd when Surge did his live electronic
set and then into the Drum and Bass and rampart radios resident DJs took
the decks till late into the morning. I had drunk far to much and
retreated to bed with a black hole where my memory should be...

The saturday afternoon (despite perhaps a few hangovers) got into the flow
of workshops. The video workshop with oxford indymedia/undercurrent at the
helm produced a short video about the radio project, the subvertise
workshop did stencilling and other creative stuff, the radio workshop did
mixing and editing and I think the only casualty was the social centres
workshop which nobody turned up for (apart from me - and I wasn't really
all there). However, there was an unexpected 'workshop' as a group of
around 40 people that had booked LARC for a film screening and discussion
about struggles in Boliviar, found LARC locked and came round to rampart
instead.

The saturday evening began with some food and short films, including some
of the latest actions. It was then into some accoustic music and open mic.
The evening could have done with a dedicated compere/stage manager but
things hung together while ending up an hour behind schedual by the time
we'd got through the caberet and three bands. By now the hall was nicely
full (not to capacity like during the ESF but comfortable) and a good
crowd dancing. The DJ's took over and the decks kept going till about 4 or
5 am.

[a few hours after finally getting to bed, it was time to get up, clear
the hall, mop the floor or spilt beer and prepare the room for the
indymedia cinema screening of XXI Century - which was attended by just one
person (other than the organisers and the filmmakers)]

Anyway, as far as the ramPARTY goes, both days were pretty successful. The
two day event saw around 250-300 people and raised a little over £550
which should keep the broadband and leccy on for a little longer. Things
came together despite the low number of people attempting to organise it.
Although not a single person attended the monday meeting prior to the
event, there was a surge of activity a couple of hours before the event
was due to start on friday in which people suddenly transformed the hall
and sorted out the stage and PA etc. The saturday saw people take
initiative and just do what needed to be done and thats aways nice to see.

Considering the places that the event was advertised (mostly online
activist media) the turn out was surprising - there were much fewer of the
usual faces from activists/anarchist/altspaces circles than might have
been expected but lots of new faces who probably had no idea what rampART
is (and probably still don't). It seemed strange to have people who
haven't used the space before being the people who end up financially
supporting the place and by late saturday evening it was starting to feel
more like we were running a squat party/venue than have a party to
celebrate the space and our united strength.