Size matters at 02's super club

You can't overplay the importance of Matter, clubland's newest and grandest project, which launched its first club night last week in Greenwich's iconic former Millennium Dome, now The O2 arena. For a start it comes from the owners of Fabric, arguably the world's most successful and innovative club brand, in a year when other muchloved club venues have shut their doors. Second, it's both a live venue and a club space, custom-built to adapt to whoever is on the mouthwatering lineups that lie ahead. Third, it's south of the river.

As a Greenwich resident, I'm overjoyed there's finally a club south Londoners can call their own. While the Dome has always added form to the skyline with its distinctive shape (like some huge alien saucer stopping to refuel), Matter should finally give The O2 the substance it previously lacked to pull in the crowds.

Ironically, drinks in north London beforehand mean I must cross the river anyway for the opening night. But this gives me and my friend Vicky a chance to sample one of matter's unique points - arriving by river boat. Boarding at London Bridge pier on a service leaving every half hour, the journey is free to those with Matter tickets.

Tonight's passengers range from teens to thirtysomethings, the ship's bar helping to get the party started. Sian, 22, might have just lost her job as an investment banker at Lehman Brothers, but the silver lining for her is the return of a social life.

"It's really great having the wind in your hair," she says, standing on the boat's deck. "It gets your excitement going and you see all the sights, like St Paul's." Watching the huge, illuminated Dome loom into view as we round a bend raises the palpable sense of anticipation further, and after docking we join the stream of people walking alongside the river to board the mother ship.

Entrance is £20, with the full capacity of 600 expected. While the queue is long, it's also fast-moving and we're soon in the reception checking our bags. Entering the main room, you're immediately hit by the unprecedented scale of the venue. The main floor has a huge stage on one side with equipment set up for tonight's live act, The Field, and a giant DJ area on the other where Liverpool's Yousef is warming up with deep, moody house. On either side, meanwhile, are raised tiers for the less-shy dancers.

Look up, however, and there are two further floors, silhouetted figures leaning over the side of balconies that look down on the main action. And directly above is a huge walkway, its sides made of sloping wire fencing which you can lean on to look directly down on the spectacular sea of movement below.

The other inescapable aspect is the amazing sound, which seems to reverberate through your body. "I've never felt so many vibrations," says Christian, The Field's booking agent, as we queue for a drink. "Apparently they have sub-woofers under the floor!"

With a bar on every floor there are plenty of options for getting served. Bottled beer is £3.90, with a vodka and lemonade £4.80 and water £2.

The crowd is a mixture of trendy ravers in bright colours and headbands and smarter clubbers in shirts or black dresses. It swells from when we arrive just before midnight to being packed by 2am and stays busy until the very early hours. In the smaller second room are DJ duo Skull Juice. Spinning dirty electro, the introduction of a particularly nasty bassline brings a cheer from the crowd, all hands thrown up as the lights sweep over us.