Guests confirmed so far across three arenas include:
Chase and Status (LIVE)
How many artists / producers can count Jay Z, Snoop Dogg and Pharell as fans as well as drum and bass’ finest Andy C, Hype and Pendulum; enjoy heavy rotation in the hands of dub-step royalty such as N-Type and Skream; and have each release enthusiastically supported by Annie Mac and Zane Lowe? This is what Saul Milton and Will Kennard, producing under the name Chase & Status, have achieved in 5 years, and the highlight of their young career so far has been their debut LP ‘More Than Alot’ which has helped turned them into a unique urban phenomenon, and the biggest crossover act to come out of the underground since Pendulum.
Chase & Status have recently been hailed as ‘The most exciting producers in the UK today’ by Pharell Williams of N*E*R*D fame, and the excitement around the pair doesn’t stop there. They have been asked to remix tracks by some of the world’s hottest artists including recent remixes of Jay Z’s ‘Death Of Auto-Tune’, The Prodigy’s ‘Invaders Must Die’ and White Lies ‘Death’.
It all started with a demo CD being passed on by a friend to the biggest drum and bass DJ in the world, Ram Records’ boss Andy C in 2003, with a phone number badly scribbled on the cover.
Impressed by the quality of the production, Andy, after a few tries, managed to dial the right digits and talk to Subfocus. The result of that conversation was the release of ‘Down The Drain’ on Andy C and Red One’s experimental offshoot Frequency in 2003, and the start of Subfocus’ meteoric rise to fame in drum and bass circles. So what makes Subfocus so special? Passionate about music from an early age, Subfocus played bass in a band at school, before sitting in front of an old Acorn Electron computer at 13 teaching himself the art of sampling and producing. He went on studying acoustics at college. This eclectic formation, allied with an insatiable musical curiosity, with interest ranging from rock to experimental electronic music – happily discussing Vangelis, Nirvana and Justice in the same breath - explains how Subfocus production manages to sound pristine, unique and strangely accessible, and why his album is so massively popular.
One of the leading DJ and producers in the dubstep scene. Benga is also one third of the Magnetic Man outfit, alongside his cohorts Skream and Artwork. The trio recently spent the first six weeks of 2010 in North Cornwall recording the forthcoming Magnetic Man album, due for release in the summer.
Brighton raised, multi award winning DJ Friction is a member of an exclusive club. He is one of a handful of DJ's to have smashed through the ranks and become a superstar in his genre simply through an unbelievable talent behind the decks. This year has seen him add more accolades to his ever increasing CV and is regarded by many as not only the most skilled but the most diverse DJ in drum & bass.
Martin Reeves, AKA Krafty Kuts, is without doubt one of the world’s greatest DJs. Lauded in the UK, worshipped in Australia, acclaimed in America, where ever he plays he is guaranteed to cause a commotion with his riotous skills. So far in a glittering career he has gained dance music’s top accolades including Best International DJ at the Australian Dance Music Awards, Breakspoll’s Face of Breaks 2003 and Best Breaks DJ at the M8 Ibiza awards 2006, in only his first year as a resident on the white isle. A stunning haul at Breakspoll 2007 saw him claiming Best Album for his debut long player ‘Freakshow’, Best DJ for a record third consecutive year and to cap it off, the richly deserved Outstanding Contribution to Breakbeat award that acknowledged his long journey to the acme of club culture.
Krafty Kuts is firmly established as a force to be reckoned with in dance music.
Rocking clubs and parties for over a decade now, The Freestylers are still one of the most exciting names in dance music. They've had Top 20 chart hits, headlined big festivals, sold half a million albums, toured the US supporting Lenny Kravitz, and were the first electronic act to play fully live on legendary BBC TV show Top Of The Pops. Currently working on their fifth album which by all accounts is shaping up to be their strongest yet, The Freestylers juggernaut is going to continue to rock - hard - for some considerable time to come.www.myspace.com/freestylersmusic
Nick Thayer
We should dub Nick somet’ing hip hop, highballing and staunch like Rubik Exclusive. But, Nick it is, or Thayer or Thayos, or just Nicko when you need a remix done. I chose Rubik Exclusive because currently there is no other DJ who drops a more mixed up, OG, 100% exclusive set than Thayofanus. EVERY TRACK HE PLAYS he has touched. Blogs don’t have it, kids can’t get it, average Joe wants it, but alas that’s what people pay to hear. Expect a set to be his edit, his exclusive, his new one, his remix, his mash up, his lick shot one time air horn. It’s got his funk “all over your face”. Damn I just heard his Mario Bros Vs Too Short mash again on our National Radio station. What made you think that Too Short has anything to do with a bunch of turtle stompin, digital, Italian laborer’s?. They all put in work. Ok, I know that the results send kids wild but…
Deekline is that rare figure in dance music, the seminal producer who hassuccessfully maintained underground cache while making regular raids into the mainstream. This is the artist who brought you I Don't Smoke, the hyper-dope UK garage-breaks hybrid that broke the British top 20 back in 1999 and last year blew up all over again thanks to a 10-year anniversary re-release with a variety of new reworkings from top producers such as Utah Saints, Tim Healey and Crissy Criss (as well as Deekline himself). Yet he also works tirelessly to push street level bass music artists like London's Ivory and Shystie via the six record labels which he currently oversees: Sludge, Hot Cakes, Jungle Cakes, Booty Breaks, Rat Records and Giant Pussy Records.
Witnessing this groundbreaking DJ do his thing in the flesh is a rare, genuine must-see experience: a chance to catch a figure right at the apex of the thriving indie-dance scene. This is an artist who's always ahead of the game when it comes to the latest sounds, and generally most comfortable when confronted with a set of turntables and the chance to get his scratch on, usually to the delight of the crowd. A Deekline gig is a maelstrom of heaving bodies, booming low end and spectacular energy behind the decks: if he's in your area, make sure you're ready to represent.
2010 has already started with a bang as Richie Balboa won the best breakthrough DJ category at the Breakspoll international breakbeat awards. In a short space of time he has traveled the globe DJ’ing for some of the most prestigious names in club music alongside the likes of The Stanton Warriors, Rusko, DJ Zinc and Krafty Kuts. www.myspace.com/djrichiebalboa
Will Streetwise
After years of training and refining his DJ skills playing the best parties around the world, Will Streetwise quickly developed his own brand of party music, smashing every party as standard and always leaving crowds begging for more.
Now armed with a huge bag of his own productions, exclusive remixes and special edits, Will Streetwise brings a style like no other, seamlessly fusing a huge array of different musical styles to create total dance floor mayhem.
With a list of fans from Micky Finn to Krafty Kuts, his own productions getting regular air play on stations like Kiss FM, appearances on the UK Festival scene, Winter Music Conference in Miami and even as far as to headline New Years Eve in Beijing. This hard working DJ is in high demand world wide. www.myspace.com/willstreetwise
SUPPORTED BY LOCAL ACTS:
Mr Nice
Named in honour of his hero, Howard Marks, this guy really lives up to his name, as you never see him not smiling! Past winner of numerous awards at the event, and promoter of Exeter’s leading D’n’B nights, Rinseout, Mr Nice is on top of his game in the drum and bass scene and knows how to work the crowd.
Twice winner of the Best resident DJ in the SW D’n’B awards, Klimax is well known throughout the region. Klimax also heads up ‘Audio:Pressure’ the South West's leading regular Drum & Bass night, as well as making regular appearances at some of the country's biggest festivals such as the Relentless sponsored NASS Fest and Boardmasters. Max continues to shine as one of the prominent players of the South West DnB scene, with his extremely likeable fun loving character, he forms a unique connection with the fellow DJs, peers, and ravers alike.www.myspace.com/klimaxdnb
Darko Plymouth based drum and bass and Dubstep DJ. He has been on the scene for at least 6yrs, and is the force behind the regular Unleashed nights in Plymouth which see some of the biggest names in the dubstep and drum and bass scene playing at the White Rabbit in Plymouth.
Winner of the Best Newcomer at last years awards, this Truro based DJ is resident at Audio Pressure and can be found behind the decks of many of the best d’n’b parties in Cornwall.
Resident at Rinseout and various other nights in Exeter, Maxxi P has built up a loyal following across Devon. Recently taking ownership of Reform Records, Exeter, this is one DJ to watch has he drops the drum and the bass.
Dj Tuskan is an exhilarating Drum and Bass Jungle Dj. Very much a DJ that plays for the crowd, Tuskan is well know for his versatile approach to mixing, solid track selection and unique style, taking a definite nod towards the DUBwise, Jungle and Bashment sound.
Falmouth based breaks duo of Monkey T & Morphsis, found weekly on NSB radio, monthly at the Watermans in Falmouth and at various other parties across the region.
AVE=, Olly G & Hi-Fly are 3 Cornish boys who spend their time throwing party's, partying, Dj'ing & making beats together in the Southwest of the UK under the title of the "Freerange Dj's". They have only been Dj'ing collectively for the last 3 years they have individually been clocking up club time all over the country for years, holding residences at club nights of all different dance genres right across the board. It was in 2007 where they really started stepping things up together, playing to crowds of 3000+ people at festivals and continually supporting some of the biggest names in Breakbeat, D&B, Hip-Hop and Electro they soon gained a reputation for really energizing the crowds at their events. Weather it be devastating dance floors, outrageous partying or just general "Cornish" misbehavior they have definitely created a wicked party vibe around the name "Freerange" In 2009 they scooped up the 'Outstanding Contribution To SW Breakbeat' award at the Southwest Drum&Bass and Breakbeat awards at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
Jelly Jazz, the grand daddy of the funk and jazz scene in the South West of England. Running continuously for 16 years at various venues across the region and beyond, making it one of the country's, if not the world's longest running club nights! Specialising in dancefloor rockin' funk, soul and jazz, spiced up with the best of nu-funk, breaks, beats, Latin, drum & bass and whatever fits the Jelly Jazz vibe. It's genre un-specific, but totally funky!
Chop Shop 45 are Morphosis & Fat Harry, co founders of the 'Hong Kong Ping Pong Club' in Falmouth and regular NSB Radio dj's, they've recently turned their hand to mashing other peoples music together to create something new to play in their eclectic sets. www.myspace.com/chopshop45
XL
Plymouth based hip hop DJ ad promoter of the former Flava nights.
Dizraeli is a rapper, writer, poet and singer with the band Bad Science , and a member of the Brighton-based CommUNITY Collective. He is the 2006/7 Farrago UK Slam Poetry Champion and also the Radio 4 Poetry Slam winner. Directing his stream of rap-stories like a flashlight into the murkiest corners of British culture, Dizraeli takes in politics, love, rain, supermarkets, grief, drug culture, and the nasty bits of masculinity with a sense of humour and a directness that might make you wince, but that always ring true. He might just help us move things forward. www.myspace.com/dizraeli