A lost Liverpool club night loved by teens, where "chewies were banned", was a staple part of growing up in noughties Merseyside.
Something that today's younger generation didn't have the chance to experience, The Frenzy was arguably a stepping stone for tweens and teens to get a taste of "a real night out" - without the alcohol and hangovers. Remembered by many in the region throughout their school years in the noughties, the disco-like ticketed event for kids often took place on a Thursday and was a place to friends to come together, dance to cheesy music and socialise on a school night.
Instead of cocktails and beers, youngsters would queue up for fizzy drinks like Panda Pops and the dress code consisted of kitten heels and Lacoste tracksuits. Before the days of social media, the event, which also took place sometimes on a weekend, would be the topic of conversation on the corridors the next day, with everyone who was there discussing the latest gossip and those who didn't attend clinging on to hear.
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Many will remember The Frenzy taking place in local leisure centres or function suites. Started by Liverpool DJ and event planner Andy Weir, it became regular event in Bromborough, Childwall, Huyton and beyond.
Arguably a rite of passage, many would ask their parents weekly for a couple of pounds to go to the Frenzy with their mates. And it wasn't unusual to find pupils only hanging around with those they went to the same school with.
Some did branch out to socialise and make new friends, but often it was the place were first relationships were formed. Whether it be with someone in your year group or a pupil from another school, you'd often hear whispers the following day of who had kissed who - or if you grew up with the slang of the noughties, who '"met" who.
Most nightclubs, bars and events for over 18s have standard rules to follow, with bag searches often ruining any hope of getting in with a flask of booze. But as a young teen attending the Frenzy, having chewing gum of any kind was the ultimate contraband.
Many chanced it and tried to smuggle their own in. But if you were caught with it on the dancefloor, you'd be made to hand over the goods.
Before TikTok, Instagram Live, Snapchat and selfies in general, you'd spend the night at the Frenzy taking pictures on your mum's digital camera and dancing to cringeworthy noughties music. If you ever went to the Frenzy, you're probably thankful that those photos never saw the light of day or that the moments weren't captured at all.
But it wasn't always a standard night, The Frenzy often hosted theme nights to draw teens in. Halloween and Christmas immediately springs to mind, as well as generic fancy dress that saw girls rock up in a tutu with leg warmers and backcombed hair.
Do you remember the Frenzy? Let us know in the comments section below.
But the foam parties were also legendary. In January 2003, it was locally reported how a snow-making machine was shipped in from Germany to give teenagers at the Frenzy dance night in Bromborough the chance to really "chill out."
The article reads: "The event is part of a series across Merseyside to give teenagers something to do at the weekend and keep them off the streets. Frenzy was started five years ago by Liverpool DJ and event planner Andy Weir. Now it is a regular event in Bromborough, Childwall and Huyton.
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"Andy said: 'The kids love Frenzy because it is not just a disco. There are live MCs, dancers and a huge sound and light system which we bring in a truck. Every month we have a theme and because it's January we decided to ship in the snow making machine.
"I had seen it at Disneyland and thought it was a brilliant idea. It uses a special foam which is chilled and sent out through fans, everybody loves it.'"
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The Liverpool ECHO previously asked for your memories of The Frenzy - and here are just a few. On Twitter, @Daniell35830961 said: "Omg the frenzy was the best wish I did have pics, the best days."
@Nick60549461 posted: "I remember it." @talia_hawksey said: "They used to have frenzy in Kirkby to I loved going as a kid.. Gutted I don't have any pics though.."
@Scouserob90 tweeted: "Used to be one in Peter Lloyd's aswell? Remember winning a Cd or something haha." @Mikefearns tweeted: "These were in childwill university as well!"
@Joseph75172069 said: "I remember all the kids going through the village all dolled up." @JESmith191993 said: "It was the place to go ... the planning that took place to get ready for a frenzy is similar to that of a wedding day !!!!"
@Christina_F_G said: "Haha oh the Frenzy yes, where the most asked question was ‘will you meet my mate?’ "@TheJustKels said: "Yeah I remember the foam frenzy and someone went flying down the hall."
@Huytontoffee commented: "Got searched on the way in for chewys and they only sold panda pop drinks that made ya mouth smell like ass so it was strong mints in the asda on the way." On Facebook, Jenny Hobbs posted: "The frenzy...used to take your chewies off you."
Vikki Mckeown said: "Yes I use to go it was on a Thursday. Then a few years later I started working there for about 6 years." Cathryn Ogrady said: "I remember it as the kids from my dance school Jan Williams Theatre School were missing on the Frenzy Thursday and would tell us they were sick. Wouldn't get away with it now though with social media. Ha ha."
Antonia Shrimpton commented: "Loved it, didn’t miss one x" Jenny Lamont said: "Yeah I always wanted to go and was never allowed."
Hevy Kevy posted: "I remember it. I never went though, because if I recall it was a human cesspool." Alisha Mua said: "I went to every one. The foam party and the popcorn partys the lot. Haha im sure it was mcB who used to play there aswell hahaha x"
Sarah Lyon commented: “I remember being gutted that nobody would “meet” me, whilst wearing my baby pink kitten heel boots, cringe!” One ECHO reader added: "When tickets would go on sale, there would always be a buzz around school as everybody wanted to go. "It was a bit cheesy, but it would be the talk of school for days."
And another ECHO reader said: "It is something that today's younger generation didn't have the opportunity to experience. It was like the baby steps of getting a taste of what it would be like 'going out' but without the alcohol and hangovers. Instead, it was too many fizzy drinks and your favourite Lacoste tracky ruined."
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