United Festival 2015 Review

Looking for a rave in London, then look no further than United Festival, a dance music festival which brings back the legends of the British rave culture!

Taking over North London's Finsbury Park, a day after hosting Ceremony Festival, this single day festival returned in 2015 on a bigger scale with 8 arenas and over 150 artists.  Heading to the festival, there is a sense of old skool rave culture as we hit Finsbury Park station with festival goers dressed ready to dance.  Out of the wardbrobes have come the fluro coloured tops and pants, glitter makeup and sneakers, all accompanied with the lazer light protecting shades!

Bringing Drum & Bass, Old Skool, Jungle, Uk Garage, House Classics, Hard House, Trance and Hardcore, there was something for everyone.  Our first stop is the Frantic arena to check out a good friend of ours, Masif head honcho Steve Hill, who has flown all the way from Sydney, Australia.  With smoke pouring out of the tent, it was obvious that the Frantic arena was full of energy as 100's filled the tent to bounce to Steve's notorious hard trance sound.  Hosting the likes of Andy Farley, Lisa Pin Up and more, the hard house / trance lovers had plenty to keep them going all day.

The main stage is the place to be for Drum and Bass lovers.  Sunday brought together the best of old skool with Fabio & Grooverider, Baby D, Ratpack, DJ Hype & DJ Marky keeping the tent packed the entire day.  Complete with a massive l.e.d screen and lasers, the tent illuminated up as the sun fell down over Finsbury Park.  

One of the other highlights of our day was the TwiceasNice arena where DJ Luck & MC Neat, Ironik, Pied Piper and more of UK Garages finest lined up.  It was great to see these legends take to the stage all in one place. Luck & Neat's performance of one of the biggest known garage tunes With a Little Bit Luck had the crowd going crazy!

Elsewhere at United Festival 10,000 people had arenas like Promised Land which hosted old skool house with Brandon Block, Arkoss, Philgood & Ram and more, Mental Asylum Records where you could put your hands in the air to Trance, One Nation and Moondance which shared mixture of rave, drum and bass and more ensured that all your musical tastes were satisfied.
 

Truck Fesitval Line Up Announcement

Line Up Announcement No.3 is GO GO GO…

Clean Bandit, Temples and Public Service Broadcasting lead the third series of bands announced for TRUCK 2015

Without further ado, we have the pleasure to introduce you to….

Our two sub headliners; Grammy award winning and chart conquering Clean Bandit and Temples alongside other huge names and the best brand new bands.

Clean Bandit’s rapid rise to fame has seen the quartet bag a Grammy for their hit ‘Rather Be’, now this summer we'll see them perform this and other smash hits for our wonderful audience.

Formed whilst studying at the University of Cambridge the band hail from enemy territory, no doubt a serving of polished electro-pop will build bridges during their set.

Temples, signed to the much-respected Heavenly Recordings, bring a slice of psychedelia to proceedings. The band has previously supported The Rolling Stones, while Brett Anderson personally invited them to tour with Suede. Temples’ set at Truck therefore comes with some very weighty recommendations.

Also joining the bill are the heady mix of rock, samples, spoken word and synths make up the mind-bending experience that is Public Service Broadcasting. The duo consisting of the enigmatically named J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth will provide a not-to-miss moment at Truck.

Further additions to appear alongside headliners Basement Jaxx and The Charlatans include:

DJ Luck and MC Neat
All We Are
D.I.D
The Bohicas
Summer Camp
DMA's
Rat Boy
The Magic Gang
Neon Waltz
New Desert Blues

 

Born & Bred is Londons latest summer festival, details here

Celebrated London promoters Found are to raise their game for 2015 by announcing the first in a new Found Series of five festivals taking place throughout the summer. On Saturday 6th June in Haggerston Park, ShoreditchFound Presents: Born & Bred will champion true London sounds forged in the Big Smoke with leading figures from across the bass spectrum including Wiley, Goldie, Zinc, Digital Mystiks, Joker, Loefah, Youngsta, DJ Luck & MC Neat, Oxide & Neutrino, Trojan Sound, Moxie, Channel One, Klose One, Paleman and many more…
 
Born & Bred will celebrate some of most exciting genres that have defined underground music in the city over the past twenty years. Looking to the grass-roots of music culture in the capital, the festival programme salutes a set of true pioneers in their respective scenes. The line-up hosts a set of artists responsible for representing the city we love on a global scale and unifying generations with genuinely game-changing sounds that look to both electronic and bass music culture.  
 
Through dub to dubstep and garage to grime, UK bass culture has consistently pushed boundaries and spread its influence across the globe. Celebrating some of the finest home-grown talent, Born & Bred’s main stage will thus be headlined by Godfather of Grime, Wiley. As notorious for crossover singles like ‘Heatwave’ and ‘Wearing My Rolex’ as he is for delivering some of grime’s most iconic independent records, Wiley’s proud East London roots make him a natural choice to perform. He’ll also be joined by Metalheadz founder Goldie – an influential figure in the world of drum & bass, regarded for helping to shape the face of the genre in the UK.
 
Pioneering DJ/producer Zinc is also set to perform – an artist instrumental in shaping contemporary club culture since the release of classic drum & bass record ‘Super Sharp Shooter’ released back in 1995 – and will be joined by dubstep icons and DMZ founders Digital Mystikz aka Mala and Coki, with Bristol’s Jokeralso set to showcase new live project ‘The Mainframe’. Bringing carnival vibes to the main stage programme are bashment crew The Heatwave – famed for their nationwide series of ‘Hot Wuk’ club nights – with Soundclash veterans Channel One and Trojan Sound showcasing a host of foundation dub classics in support. NTS Live radio show host DJ Moxie is also set to make her Found debut, with up-and-coming production duo Silas & Snare Surgeon slated to open main stage proceedings.
 
Loefah’s Swamp81 imprint will curate Born & Bred’s second arena – headlined by the label boss himself – alongside a slew of label artists. Wheel & Deal affiliate Benton, School Records boss Klose One,Swamp regular Mickey Pearce and latest label recruit Paleman – best known for 2014 underground anthem ‘Beezeldub’ – are all set to perform. Rinse FM’s Youngsta – a key figure in the expansion of dub label Tempa – will also join Loefah and friends, alongside further label associates Zed Bias, MC ChunkyJonny Banger.
 
First established as grime-focused YouTube channel Don't Watch That TV back in 2009, London based events and music series JUST JAM are to take control of Born & Bred’s third arena with an electric custom live visual display providing the backdrop. Headlining on the day are grime crew OGz – featuring P MoneyBlacksLittle DeeJendorDesperado and Stormer – who are also to be joined by legendary grime MCs D Double E & Footsie, the Newham Generals.
 
Comprised of 10 members – a fluid mix of producers and emcees – Lewisham-based collective The Square represent the next generation of conscious-minded, new school grime artists and are the next to take to the JUST JAM stage. Fronted by recent XL Recordings signee and BBC Sound Of 2015 nominee Novelist, the crew can already boast a live performance at Milan Fashion Week – as well as numerous appearances on BBC 1Xtra, Rinse FM and NTS Live – since the release of debut mixtape ‘The Formula’ in 2014.
 
Leading grime DJs Logan Sama and Sir Spyro – as well as Rinse stalwart Scratcha DVA and Butterz’ grime-garage protégé Royal-T – will all represent the station alongside special guest T.Williams, who is to play under his grime moniker ‘Dread.D’ for a one-off 2002 – 2005 grime set.
 
Influential street-wear tastemakers Wavey Garms are to host Born & Bred’s fourth and final arena, enlisting a special cast of UK Garage pioneers in Scott Garcia and Sticky – who will headline asFoundation alongside MC Creed – and DJ Luck & MC NeatLegendary garage duo Oxide & Neutrino,V Recordings label heads Jumping Jack Frost and Bryan G and Jungle icon Brockie complete the bill.

LINE-UP

BORN & BRED
Wiley
Goldie
Zinc (Jungle Set)
Digital Mystikz
Joker (The Mainframe LIVE)
The Heatwave
Channel One Sound
Trojan Sound
Moxie
Silas & Snare Surgeon
 
SWAMP81
Benton
Klose One
Loefah
Paleman
Mickey Pearce
Youngsta
Zed Bias Presents: Boss LIVE
Hosted By:
Chunky
Jonny Banger
 
JUST JAM
OGz ft P Money, Blacks, Little Dee, Jendor, Desperado and Stormer
The Newham Generals
The Square (Novelist, Elf Kid, Murkilla and The Grand Mixer)
Logan Sama
Scratcha DVA
Spyro
Royal-T
Special Guest: T.Williams Presents Dread.D x 2002 to 2005 grime set
& MORE TBA
 
WAVEY GARMS
The Foundation (Scott Garcia & Sticky) & MC Creed
DJ Luck & MC Neat
Oxide & Neutrino
Jumping Jack Frost b2b Bryan G (Classic V Recordings Set)
Brockie