Alex Jukes

Paris Electronic Week Announces Key Panels and Speakers for 2019 Edition

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From 25 to 29 September 2019, Paris Electronic Week will celebrate its 7th edition and take over the French capital with a plethora of events in clubs, record shops and ephemeral venues of all kinds.
 
PWE is a hybrid and multidisciplinary festival that offers three days of intense activities at the ​Gaité Lyrique including conferences, workshops and masterclasses with a programme of electronic events to boot. The likes of Anetha, Femur, François X, Marc Ippon De Ronda, Romain Tardy, Spiral Tribe, Surprize, Teki Latex and Yoyaku are all set to feature. 
After revealing its first panels the event has now revealed a new wave of panels and speakers. These include Life Is Not A Game, The Attention Economy – Mental Health Focus, ​Maximise Your Income:​ ​Be Your Own Publisher, ​Pro-Active Sync & Publishers – the New A&R Frontier, ​Balancing Diversity & Inclusion for Commercial Success and many more.
 
For full information head to the Paris Electronic Week website.

Lovefest Serbia in 10 Photos

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This year Lovefest offered possibly the world’s largest pool party and the world’s smallest festival stage.

ON top of that were four other vast stages, thousands of happy and welcoming people, a great selection of local DJs, and a beautiful spot in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia for it all to play out in.

We were there with our camera and here are 10 photos that should send your fomo levels off the chart.

4 Reasons to Visit Manchester in August

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August is a great time to visit Manchester and enjoy the last summery days.

It is a city with a rich history of art, architecture, industry, fashion and music. There is plenty to do all year round but even more at this time of year.

We’ve prepared four other reasons why you should go before the warm days leave us.

Hide & Seek Festival – Aug 31

The unique festival will take place in astonishing settings only thirty minutes away from Manchester central. This is an intimate and personal festival that places the focus on world-class music, all showcased in a beautiful, historic setting at the heart of the Cheshire countryside and as such is the essential new festival of the year. There are several options to get there easily, buses will be organised by the festival, so, no need to worry about that. A variety of artists will play including Shonky, Jeremy Underground, Mathew Johnson, Margaret Dygas, Nicolas Lutz and Dan Shake.

Tickets: https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1241712

Manchester Pride Live – Aug 24 – 25

Manchester Pride Live is a fundraising event created and delivered by Manchester Pride to benefit LGBT+ causes in Greater Manchester. Many artists will perform at the festival including Sandy Rivera, Ariana Grande and Cheryl. The event will be held at a former railway station which will play host to multiple stage and performance areas in a mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces.

Tickets: https://www.manchesterpride.com/tickets

The Manchester Soul Festival 2019 – Aug 25

The fifth edition of the festival is happening this August. For four years, the festival managed to raise over £101,000. Various DJs and artists will perform at various venues in Machester on Sunday 25th August. The festival brings all the fun and nostalgia of Northern Soul music to streets of The Printworks. More info on donations and tickets can be found on their website.

Donations and tickets: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/manchestersoulfestival2019

Friends Fest – Aug 16 – 18

This is a great opportunity for fans of the famous TV series Friends. If you want to take a photo with your loved ones in Friends alike settings, make sure you register for tickets while they are still some available.

Tickets: https://friends.seetickets.com/tour/friendsfest/?startdate=02-08-2019&enddate=18-08-2

Top 5 Acts to See at Dockyard Festival

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Dockyard is one of the key events during ADE each year. 
In 2019 it happens on October 19th at Havenpark and promises 12 hours of non stop high class action. 
The production is next level and since 2014 it has built a fine rep. 
Here we look at 5 of the best acts you need to see at this year’s event, and you can find out further information on the Dockyard Festival Facebook. 
Dax J
This guy has really made a huge mark in the last year or so. He plays big, brash, textured techno that is designed for huge spaces. He can either punish you or hypnotise you and is a perfect person to catch in a super electrifying main stage with all the lights and production to really make a vast impact. 
Eats Everything
The big, happy Bristolian always comes correct. He mixes up big bass, heavy techno and plenty in between with the skill of a real pro. He is an expert at working big crowds but still injecting some fun  and humour so is always worth seeing. 
Ben Sims
Another UK star is set to play Docklands and bring with him a whole lifetime of experience. He has a loopy sound that joins the dots between the old and the new in seamless ways. His own Machine party and label is sure to have an impact on what he plays so expect to be blow away. 
DJ Bone
The Detroit star plays hard and fast. His mixing is as tight as anyones, flashing through tunes at an alarming rate. Pulling no punches, he commands the audience with forceful sounds that are timeless, absorbing and always infused with that Motor City magic. 
Surgeon
This UK veteran plays with all the precision of someone you would expect with a name like Surgeon. He has a precise sound that is infused with futurism as well as industrialism so expect him to be in his element here. 

Top 5 Performances at Neopop 2019

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Neopop is one of the best festivals not only in Portugal, but in Europe. 
It happens in the first part of August on a beautiful coastal location with great sea views, an old ruined building to relax in with massages for your aching muscles and plenty of lush green space to relax on. 
This year everyone worth their salt once again lined up from Jeff Mills to Nina Kraviz, Dax J to Pan Pot, Nastia to Ivan Smagghe. 
Everyone served up a fine session across the various different stages both during the day and at night but here are our five favourite sets.
Underworld
The iconic UK duo played on the 1st night and really fed off the high energy of the crowd. They played a lot of new stuff but the biggest cheer of the night was for Born Slippy – an enduring classic that still blows the roof off. The main stage they played was thankfully covered so kept the rain at bay and meant the crowd stayed absolute packed out, cheering and hooping through all the classics from albums old and new. 
Amelie Lens 
This Belgian has been at the forefront of the current wave of techno headliners for a few years now. her dark, hard, unrelenting sound is great for super sized festivals like this – it gets you in the zone and keeps you there marching for the duration. Her tight mixing and slick selections all make her a crowd favourite and as soon as she walked on stage the crowd went mental. 
Laurent Garnier 
Still very much a techno mainstay despite his veteran status, the Frenchman always brings a classy show. He did so again here and closed the festival from 7am – 12pm on the last day. He serve dup the sort of scintillating, complex synths that make his music so emotive, but also stripped it back to darker, more bare bones grooves that make a physical impact. He really is a master of his art. 
KiNK
There is no one as thrilling to watch live as this Bulgarian. It has been that way for years and he still keeps on smashing it with his hardware shows. He had a full bank of gear – synths, machines, keys – that he smashed about on, making loops, drum patterns and weird sounds, often holding them up to the crowd who could see for themselves what he was doing. They loved it, and he responded with yet more energy. Techno never feels more alive than in this man’s hands. 
DJ Deep 
Though he makes as much techno as he does house, DJ Deep’s style is still more intimate, paired down and personal. As such he plays don the Anti Stage which is more fitting for his vibes and really worked the crowd into a state of wonder: his warm, dubbby house and techno was kinetic and reductive, with enough detail to keep your head as locked as your heal. Essential stuff as always. 

Raresh, Mahel Daniel and More Added to MOGA Festival 2019

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The final wave of names has been revealed for MOGA Festival 2019.

It goes down in Morocco’s windy city of Essaouira which is picturesque and richly cultural and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site with lots to explore.

The Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa will host acts from the forefront of the international and Moroccan scene, with phase one including Bradley Zero, Praslea, DJ W!ld, Louise Chen, Konstantin Sibold, Behrouz, Terekke and now phase two adding further quality with Amine K, Driss Skali, Kenny Dope,  Marwan Sabb, Nathan Micay, Glitter ٥٥, Bas Ibellini, BLOND:ISH, Enzo Siragusa, Folamour, Lazare Hoche, Luca Bacchetti, Lum, Sabo, and Satori.

Head to the MOGA website for more information.

Docklands Festival Announces Biggest Ever Inner City Dance Event with Patrick Topping, Alan Fitzpatrick, Andy C and more

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On September 28th, 10000 people will descend on Hoglands Park in Southampton for the biggest festival the city has ever seen.

It will bring together huge production, three main stages, tents and containers and top brands like Switch Southampton, Foreverland and On A Mission.

The first wave of headliners from more than 50 in all include Patrick Topping, Alan Fitzpatrick, Andy C + Tonn Piper, Pete Tong, Wilkinson, My Nu Leng, Sub Focus, Jaguar Skills, GW Harrison and many more.

The Docklands website has all information and tickets.

Groove Island Announces Day By Day Listings

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Groove Island is a new festival from Whet Travel that combines action and adventure with a luxury holiday and world class music on Catalina Island from September 27th – 30th 2019.

Day 1 finds Chus & Ceballos, Sam Feldt, Anthony Attalla and more all play, while Day 2 is for Andrew Rayel, Shiba San, Mikey Lion, Sage Armstrong and Astley and Day 3 highlights include Mark Knight, Oliver Heldens, Dillon Nathaniel, Leftwing : Kody, Secondcity, Adam Auburn, Lizzie Curious, Adam Frek, and Tommie Sunshine.

Tickets start at $67 + $33 and you can Find out more on the Groove Island website.

Top Reasons to visit Essaouira This October

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Morocco is beautiful country with lots of rich history.

One of the many jewels in its crown is Essaouira, a port city and resort on the Atlantic Coast. it was a hippie haven in the 60s — rumour has it Hendrix spent time here – and has stunning sunsets amongst many other great assets.

It has plenty going for it so we look at five of the most essential reasons you should go next to the obvious first one.

MOGA Festival

MOGA Festival is a stunning musical getaway in a desert location that runs October 11 – 13. It takes place in the unique and historic Essaouira, a port city and resort on the Atlantic Coast.  With a mix of local and international names all bringing the rhythms and plenty of rich culture to explore and names like Bradley Zero, Praslea, DJ W!ld, Louise Chen, Konstantin Sibold, Behrouz, Terekke and now phase two adding further quality with Amine K, Driss Skali, Kenny Dope, Marwan. Find out more on the website. 

Sports activities

Kite surfing lessons on the Atlantic sea are a great way to get your pulse raised but also catch a tan. You could also try quad rides amongst the endless dunes or a horse ride along the beach and surfing on the sea, all of which are available from a number of different places. 

The souks

These world renowned and super colourful markets are a must visit attraction. Head to Marrakech for the best offerings.  The square/souks can be overwhelming to see at first, so get a guide if you can as you will see some things you never would’ve seen if you try to navigate the souks alone.

Discover ancient Essaouira

Follow the lovely Atlantic coastline from Agadir to Essaouira for a full-day tour of the ancient city. Explore the town’s lively port, travel to the UNESCO-listed Media, admire the elaborate marquetry, and enjoy a tranquil stroll down the endless beach. A scenic drive, trip to the old port, visits to isolated beaches and more will part of your trip.

Museum visits

There are so many amazing galleries to visit you will never get them all done so plan carefully. There are those that focus on art, sculpture and pottery with Galerie la Kasbah, Galerie D’Art Damgaard and Centre d’art Le Real Mogador all top picks.

RFM SOMNII – REVIEW

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Wit so many choices when it comes to festivals around the world, it can be hard to make up your mind about which deserves your cash. If you like sun, beaches, big scale events and some superstar names, there can be nowhere finer than RFM SOMNII.

This one goes down on a magical and seemingly endless 33km beach on Portugal’s coastal resort of Figueira da Foz. The teary by town is great to stay in and it is easy to get to from local airports. Once you arrive you will be blown away by the scale of the main stage. It literally grows up out of the sand, towers down on you and hurts your neck as you crane to see it all.

The speakers stacks that hang down next to it are giant, the screens awesome, the whole experience will blow you away, even before you hear the music. The music comes from big name EDM stars such as the main man Alesso, plus Dutch titan Afrojack and DJ Snake. Their sun kissed sets bring big drops, singalong moments and plenty of the sort of synths that get hands in the air.

The crowd is young, keen and good looking. They come from all over Europe and are not afraid to get stuck in dancing. They lap up the newer additions for this year who come in the form of hip hop and reggaeton acts like  Tyga and Ozuna. Their different sounds keep things fresh across the weekend, as do the extras.

Primarily these include the new for 2019 Casino, which is great place to go and lose loads of money but have loads of fun. A safer bet are all the myriad food and drink stalls that keep you fuelled under the hot sun. RFM SOMNII, then, is a mega festival on a mega scale that is mega fun, and should be on your to do list.