RICHARD BELL just about manages to not explode with excitement as he heads down to Jaguar Skills @ The Coven, Oxpens Road, Oxford.

It feels like I haven’t been to the Coven in a while, so much so that I had really started to miss it.

So when the opportunity came to visit again, I jumped at the chance, sure that I was in for a decent night out, but with no idea that it would be quite as good as it was.

This despite the fact that as I started heading down to the Coven for the brilliant and mysterious Jaguar Skills, I started to get excited. Very excited...

For those who don’t know Jaguar Skills, he has been building himself quite a reputation in recent years, and currently has a weekly slot on Trevor Nelson’s Radio 1 show, blasting out his highly original and expertly executed mixes.

He also shies away from the public limelight, dressing as a ninja at his shows to prevent exposure, keeping his true identity a closely guarded secret with only a few top names knowing truly who lurks beneath that mask (I’m sure it will impress and surprise that he didn’t even reveal his identity to the awesome might and power of the Guide clubbing page).

Not knowing the person who is spinning the tunes is intoxicatingly mysterious, and lends an extra layer of pleasure to witnessing his sets. The decks spin huge tunes that bounce through all onlookers, shooting right down their spine and forcing them out on to the Coven’s lower dance floor. During the set the dance floor is full to the brim, but that doesn’t stop people trying to cram themselves in wherever possible.

The venue is superb for this sort of event, its interior mixing the faux industrial with the faux naturalistic, its scaffolds against the rock face giving the impression the place has been carved right out of the ground. It’s an excellent yin and yang balancing act that helps to elicit a very cool atmosphere.

The drinks are fairly priced – £3.50 for a pint of Becks Vier isn’t the worst price around and £10 for a bottle of wine again doesn’t break the bank.

Of course it’s not just the beer you’re paying for, you’re also paying for the atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that the promoters will be providing an exceptional night of entertainment with which to enjoy your pint.

The Jaguar Skills set is phenomenal, and the supporting DJs do an excellent job of getting us ready for the night, providing big beats and ridiculous remixes.

It’s comforting to know that in my absence the Coven has continued to strive to get better and better, taking the bold steps required to keep the club a vital nightspot in the city, and ensuring that I’ll be back very soon.