During the three years of plan development and renovation, partners Donnie Estopinal and Patrick Tetrick meticulously preserved the building’s historical structural integrity while integrating cutting-edge entertainment technology. The building’s sense of space and grandeur, highlighted by 40-foot ceilings, were key to the transformation. Johnson Grain Company’s Delmo Johnson built the concrete landmark in 1959 to serve as a major grain storage facility, but in its later years he dreamed of it becoming a cultural hub.

The 30,000 square-foot modular space is an incredible entertainment experience for up to 3,145 guests. The audio is powered by over 100,000 watts of D&B sound system paired with various acoustical solutions. The dance floor is designed for optimal sound and feel, while the lighting and national size stage (40×30 feet) are set to impress. Overall environmental comfort is controlled by a technologically advanced HVAC system to ensure comfort for all attendees.

Donnie Estopinal explains, “We have a fan community who is hungry for live entertainment all of the time. Even with the success of our major festivals like Lights All Night, Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival, Ubbi Dubbi, and So What?!, we haven’t had a venue in Dallas that we can control and can call home. Silo solves that.”

With a sold out grand opening weekend with Tiesto,  followed up the following weekend with a 4 hour DJ set from the legendary Sasha, SILO Dallas is already wowing fans with a blockbuster fall and winter lineup of shows announced.

As you walk up to the venue, a converted grain silo in a warehouse district, a feeling of excitement fills you as the looming concrete structure enters your view. Supersized industrial air conditioning vents reassure you that even at capacity, the air will be moving. Street parking was easy, with additional valet parking available. The valet attendant army ensures that patrons who opted to drive are able to leave in a quick manner for one of the plethora of after hour options in the city.

It is very easy to compare SILO Dallas to Texas’ other massive dance music focused venue, The Concourse Project in Austin. Having gone to opening shows at SILO Dallas, and the early shows at The Concourse Project, one can clearly see the vision that Donnie and Patrick have for SILO. Excitement has filled the city to see the evolution of this space for the Texas dance music scene. 

While SILO Dallas has already seen several sold-out shows, the team is far from finished. “We’re just 50% of the way there,” Tetrick reveals. Phase 2 of the venue’s development is already in progress, promising to bring even more to the space over the coming months. Future plans include additional architectural upgrades and expanding the space’s capabilities to host an even wider range of events.

With three years in the making, the journey to opening night was no easy feat, with months of meticulous planning and cutting-edge renovations. Estopinal shares, “It’s been a long road, but once those doors opened and we saw the looks on people’s faces as they entered, it made all the hard work worth it.”

Upcoming shows at SILO Dallas include performances from Fisher, James Hype, Eric Prydz, Black Coffee, Camelphat, deadmau5, Charlotte de Witte, Fatboy Slim and more. Head over to www.silodallas.com for more information and to buy tickets.

The 2024 + 2025 Calendar to date:

Nov 08 – DJ Snake + Flosstradamus + Chuwe
Nov 09 – Galantis
Nov 15 – Dabin
Nov 16 – Eric Prydz
Nov 22 – Black Coffee
Nov 23 – Lily Palmer + ONYVAA + Brennen Grey
Nov 29 – Camelphat
Nov 30 – Rabbit In The Moon, Planet of the Drums, DJ Irene, Rob Vaughn
Dec 06 – Rezz + guests
Dec 07 – Rezz + guests
Dec 07 – Bingo Loco
Dec 13 – Dillon Francis
Dec 14 – Mersiv + Inzo + Wreckno +
Dec 20 – ?????
Dec 21 – Deadmau5
Dec 27 – Charlotte de Witte
Dec 28 – LAN Night
Dec 30 – Diplo
Dec 31 – Dombresky

2025
Jan 03 – Bingo Loco
Jan 10 – Fat Boy Slim
Jan 18 – Nora en Pure
Feb 21 – Two Friends
Feb 22 – Amelie Lens – Need to Request Art
Feb 28 – MauP + guests
Apr 18 – Timmy Trumpet

The post SILO Dallas Unveils 2024/25 Fall/Winter Lineup appeared first on Data Transmission.

Thankfully the team at One Out Festival were primed and ready to send off the summer in style as they returned stronger than ever to Apps Court Farm for the 3^rd year running. With a site that had doubled in size thanks to the addition of 2 new stages, and a line-up of dance music’s finest, the crowd descending upon Walton-on-Thames were in for a treat. This is an event that prides itself on being created by festival lovers for festival lovers and they certainly didn’t disappoint. 

Having made my debut for the festival in 2022 I was very kindly invited back to kick things off on the Main Stage, playing a collection of disco and funky house to get the crowds in the mood for the day that lay ahead. Stepping up to the decks after me was TikTok sensation Jakkob, who blended crowd-pleasing vocal bangers with tougher underground weapons, setting the wheels in motion for a mega afternoon. Schak’s signature bouncy sound brought an infectious wave of excitement over the crowd, demonstrating why the Geordie has risen through the ranks of dance music so fast. Eli Brown was a real highlight, his darker yet energetic style against the back drop of the setting sun guided the crowd into the night and lay the foundations for headliner Franky Wah. Melodic uplifting elements intertwined seamlessly with rumbling basslines and infectious grooves had the crowd swaying uncontrollably for the final 90 minutes. Franky closed out the stage with anthemic piano banger “Come Together,” a record whose lyrics are laced with deep-rooted emotion, serving up a much-needed reminder of how the love of this music binds us all together. 

For those that like their BPM’s a little faster, a short walk across the field landed you in the Hospitality tent where the crowds were served up some of the finest beats by Drum & Bass’s rising stars and veterans. Harriet Jaxon wowed the crowd with her unique talents as a selector, mashing together a mix of diverse records that crossed multiple eras. Stepping up straight after was Flava D, the multi-genre DJ and producer who double dropped her way through a set that thrilled the crowds with recognisable classics, bootlegs and uplifting hands in the air moments. Highly acclaimed A.M.C did what he does best and treated the masses to a display of creative and technical mixing before headliner Metrik stepped up to the stage to close things out. Guiding the crowd perfectly through a set that incorporated his original productions, dubplates and hits spanning the last 10 years, it is clear to see why Metrik has become one of the biggest names in the scene.  

One of the more unconventional stages came in the form of a converted transit van known as Homebass. Having started in lockdown the instantly recognisable green and white rave wagon has played host to the likes of Fatboy Slim, Eats Everything and been front and centre at some of London’s wildest roadside parties. Joining forces with Save Our Scene to host their own stage, the crowds were treated to a veritable feast of cutting edge talent. Saint Ludo brought her signature mix of rap-inspired UK bass and 140bpm party starters whilst Izco & Reeko left no stone unturned, effortlessly blending grime, garage and jungle. Then it was time for The Streets frontman and UK music legend Mike Skinner to take to the decks and show the crowds why he has remained at the forefront of British music for the last 2 decades. Interplanetary Criminal closed out the night, despite looking shaky on his feet the Manchester chart topper drew a crowd that packed out arena and left everyone begging for more.  

Divine Sounds hosted the 4^th arena and featured some of dance music’s heaviest hitters. Rising superstar Jess Bays packed out the tent early with her trademark vocal house selections entangled with bouncy basslines and skippy drums, that got the crowd sufficiently limber for what laid ahead. Detlef and Tini Gessler perfectly complimented each other during their back-to-back and took the sound down a groovy, more techy route before Radio 1 aficionado Danny Howard stepped up to the decks and did what he does best, treating the crowd to a setlist of cutting edge house and techno. Paul Woolford perfectly paved the way with this signature selection before lady of the house Sam Divine tore roof off with her energy and passion that could be felt all the way to the back, serving only to solidify her role as queen of the dancefloor.  

Attending both as an artist and as a music lover, there is no doubt that One Out has firmly secured itself as major player on the UK festival circuit. Take a short walk around the site and it is clear that this is a team whose passion and dedication to the community of electronic music lovers is unwavering. As always I am forever grateful to have played a small part in what was a truly epic day!

If this sounds like your kind of thing tickets are on sale now for 2024 so grab yours today and see you on the dancefloor.

https://www.oneout.co.uk

The post Reviewed: One Out Festival 2023 appeared first on Data Transmission.

What started off a bit damp, with rainstorms pushing back gate opening on Friday by two hours, staff were in good spirits even with the mad dash to finalize everything in time for doors. Mulch had been laid down the night before and mud was not a serious issue for the grounds. Rain was not an issue afterwards for the weekend but it did make things outside require extra layers for warmth.

Courtesy of Seismic Dance Event / Clark Terrell

On Saturday inside the Volcano the vibe leaned more house than on other days, with Austin local Robert Roman of ubiyu, bringing absolute vibes to start the day off. Charles D picked things up and things progressed darker through the evening. Capacity got reached early on Friday inside with a line wrapping back for those trying to see The Martinez Brothers and Fatboy Slim. Fatboy Slim really impressed with updated cuts of classics with all the right visual elements that fit perfectly with the Volcano theme. Sunday at the Volcano was again thick with smashing techno sets from Joyhauser, REBŪKE, and a mind blowing performance from I Hate Models.

This years edition of Seismic Dance Event saw an increased overall capacity as evidenced by the line at the Volcano stage and the Frequency stage received a huge upgrade from last year. A new area behind the Tsunami stage was setup and saw an increased dance area with the back of the crowd a bit elevated due to an incline which gave it an amphitheater vibe and helped with ensuring a consistent sound through out. With airplanes from the Austin airport taking off and landing, there was a definite DC-10 vibe in the air as basslines blasted out of the L’Acoustics sound system.

Every day at the Frequency stage saw heavyweight tech house names grace the stage, with Joel Corry dropping solid bangers to close out Friday night. Saturday saw the Frequency stage packed with house heads early for belter sets from Nala, Matt Sassari, CID, NOIZU and finishing out with Shiba San.

Mary Droppinz set the hype level high for the Frequency stage early on Sunday, rinsing in some UK Garage and Breaks amongst some house vibes, not oft heard stateside at a festival focused on house and techno, and she absolutely smashed it. Joshwa brought the heat with some tech house weapons, and LP Giobbi absolutely destroyed the sunset set. The energy did not drop once through out the night ending with Gorgon City delivering a clinical mix session. For as cold as it was outside, once you were moving you barely noticed.

The Tsunami stage was also bigger than ever this year. Focusing on the more melodic and progressive side of dance music, Nora Van Elken and Miss Monique and Cassian delivered absolute vibes on the first day. Kevin De Vries brought some bassweight with him to the Tsunami stage and Maceo Plex’s live set was the “BBQ Techno” that we needed.

Sunday at the Tsunami stage featured more live sets in the afternoon with Kasablanca showcasing a dream Eurorack modular synth system, multiple original Sequential Circuits synthesizers, and other bits of kit that Dave Smith had his hand in designing. Colyn, Camelphat, and Dixon really solidified the night for the progressive heads.

Seismic Dance Event has announced that it will return to the Spring and Fall format for 2023. We here at Data Transmission can’t wait to see the continued evolution of one of the best boutique festivals in North America. We expect the lineup for the Spring won’t be anything short of amazing.

The post Reviewed: Seismic Dance Event 5.0 appeared first on Data Transmission.

The first night is mellow, you walk around the Mind, Body and Soul section, welcomed by warming hands. You can experience food from all over the world, whilst a life-size bus with light projections beams in the middle, playing some funky, disco, summery house. Through the trees, you can experience only a taste of the forest, with the rest hidden away for Friday’s reveal. In the small opening that you can access is a line of bespoke, hand-crafted items, and shops from around the UK, hosted by smiling faces. Further into the area is a bohemia of bell tents, flowers and a clan of dancers and musicians gathered around a fire pit. With the orange glows of the fire sparks in the sky, the top of the trees decorated with purple and red up-lighting set an incredible, otherworldly atmosphere. It is difficult not to get sucked into the trance of the music and feel the anticipation of the fellow creatures of Noisily. Without a doubt, one of the most eclectic, dreamlike starts to a festival…and it was only the beginning of the Noisily world.

The Friday started with blazing sunshine, the woodlands opened their flora-filled arms and we explored the inside of the magnificent Coney Woods. The woods were dripping head to toe in psychedelic mandalas lit up in the branches, performers filling the crowds with magic, stunts, poi and playful interactions, and sunlight hitting the disco balls – the artistry of the festival was immersive and arguably one of the most exciting, imaginative displays of art I have ever seen in a festival.

Friday held a playful atmosphere in the day, where you see actors playing cavemen, interacting with members of the public, and setting the earthly and organic scene. The was music coming from every corner of the woodlands, from soulful world music, to the capricious sounds of psytrance; no matter what mood you were in you would find a happy place. Walking into the depths of the woodlands you find the Liquid stage, where the platform was decorated with a DNA, Honeycomb-type frame, with ever-moving and changing mandala projections, hypnotizing you with the beats of the music. The noises of happy festival-goers were accompanied by trippy tunes from the surround sound speakers, flowing throughout the forest floors. Looking up, you would find slackliners as high as the tree tops, bouncing and moving with the shapes of nature, taking your breath away with the illusion of them in the clouds.

You could hear the sounds of cavemen as performers took to the crowds, playing with members of the public and staying in the character of the Neanderthals. These earthly people were an accessory to the beautiful sounds of Audley who created the ideal atmosphere during their set on the Liquid stage during the day, from tinkling delicate melodies, to bouncing trance, they showcased their musical finesse. Dancing in the summer heat to his set was the perfect start to our adventures, and this was only a taste of what was to come.

As night came on the first evening, we were drawn like a fly to the flame to Monrollers set at the Leisure Center. A smaller, more intimate stage hidden between two bridges hosted some of the naughtiest and booming Drum & Bass. Monrollers’ exciting style on the decks was enticing us in accompanied by the blue and green dancing lasers falling from the stage. His set was full of big booming basslines and exciting rollers.

Moving into Saturday, we were once again greeted with the heat of the sunshine, encouraging our journey into the shade of the woodlands. As we walked deeper into the woodlands we were greeted by the strong wooden structure of the Nook Stage. Taking your shoes off and dancing in the dust of the floor, with frozen (and affordable!) cocktails in hand was unbeatable. Moving in the shadows of the trees, and feeling sunbeams shining down on you is one of the few treats the forest offer to us. Lucid Stannard played a happy, funky set and it was pleasing to see a good representation of females on the lineup. Prancing around in the sun to her energetic beats was a beautiful way to start the day.

As the evening came, we were drawn towards a huge glistening disco ball hanging in the trees, marking the dance floor of the Noisily Stage with speckles of light. The sounds of Lampe’s cheeky, electronic sounds echoed around us, triangular lanterns seem to hang in thin air, accompanied by hands down the most inventive, creative and unforgettable laser displays I have ever seen in my life. The lasers travelled sideways, creating an ocean of lights above the audience in a holographic state. They moved like water and flowed with their own life and danced in the air above us, forming shapes and progressing with the music. It captured the essence of the festival as a whole, from ocean hues to floral themes, the lasers covered the sky in a magical exhibit of nature, light, and art. The lasers were framed by the huge pyramid structures which were also covered in trippy light projections caressing the crooks of the wood.

Searching for a break from the non-stop dancing we had found ourselves in we followed the Oo’s and Aa’s of a not-so-distant crowd, where we came across a darker version of Alice in Wonderland – fire performers dressed in all the characters, with Cheshire cats in hoops, and mad hatters with fire sticks flying through their arms. The faces of the crowd were lit up by the bellowing fire blown from the circus performers, playing with fire like it was a dancing partner.

I couldn’t miss the breakbeat trickling from the Treehouse Stage, as we watched the incredible sounds of Fixate followed by Skeptical. As expected, both of the sets were filled with the tastiest jungle, blinding breakbeats and techy Drum & Bass. The Treehouse stage had lights illuminating from the middle, which was a wooden build with lights in arrows projecting off of the center, drawing eyes in and making the faces of the crowd glow. Even at night, you could see the insane forms of the décor and my hat goes to the stage builders for the whole festival, they were intricate and inventive use of nature’s materials and light. Their flawless sets were nothing short of all the breaky goodness you need on an excitable Saturday night – It felt impossible to leave the area for either of their sets and was a huge highlight of the festival for the Drum & Bass scene. You couldn’t help but join in the cheers of appreciation coming from the other dimly lit smiles of the crowd.

Finally, on our way back to the camp we couldn’t help by swing by for the funky sounds of Adop+ who was shelling it out until the early hours of the morning from inside of an intimate and cheerful tent of the Parliament of Funk stage.

Sunday, once again the sun greeted us in the early hours, encouraging us to make the most of the day at Noisily. We fell to the spell of the forests once again, exploring every nook and cranny that Coney Woods had to offer. The atmosphere of the beautiful festival was not only down to the staging and the music, but it was without a doubt one of the friendliest, safest experiences of a festival. From the security, to the festival goers, there was a huge feeling of unity and openness, no judgement was made, no shoes were worn, and nothing but warm smiles all around.

Exploring the art, watching the magic performers and devouring the delicious food was a highlight of the Sunday daytime, but as it fell into Twilight, and the woods began to irradiate hues of the rainbow into the trees, we found ourselves firmly set into the hypnosis of the trance playing from the Liquid stage. Altered State drew us into the sunset with his alluring beats and sent us into our own altered state. Wondering around the woodlands and making the most of all the stages, we travelled to the Noisily stage where John Digweed formed a seamless set full of euphoric house and dreamlike trance.  The music floated with the stunning light display, with each laser hitting the disco ball in the middle creating stars around the woods and on our faces, another example of the exquisite detail in the festival’s art décor. DJ Storm’s signature style soon came to the speakers towards the night at the Treehouse stage, drawing us in for another faultless set. Her old skool, heavy tune selection has reigned over the Drum & Bass world for years and it comes as no surprise – you can taste her expertise through the vibrations of the speakers. From heavy rollers to the old skool Metalheadz sound, Storm came by name and by nature – another highlight for the Drum & Bass at the festival. Following suit was next up Ed Rush who closed the stage in style. His fierce tune selection pumped up the audience for one final blowout in the woods, hitting harder drums and dancing to heavier beats felt like the appropriate send-off not only for this 2022 year but for the final year of Coney Woods.

Drawing the festival to a close, we gathered up to the fire bit – as we began, so we ended – where you were welcomed to sit close to the fire, gathered in a tribe of dawn dwellers, with dancing artists and musicians coming together with their drums and guitars. We were taken through chants of an ancient culture and welcomed to join in the songs and play the instruments around us – even if that was a twig and a teacup. The moments around the fire encompassed all that the festival was about – people coming together, in peace, without judgement, to be here now.

An immense and enormous thank you to all those behind Noisily for having us, for giving us that experience and letting us enter that Noisily world – and a huge thank you and goodbye to Coney Woods, for letting us dance and keeping all our festival secrets!

Noisily have released a limited number of Early-Bird tickets and a special 10 Part Deposit Scheme ticket which will allow you to secure your Noisily 2023 ticket for only £20 and pay off the remaining amount with 10 equal monthly payments.

Purchase Tickets here >> https://go.kaboodle.co.uk/Noisily-Festival-2023

The post Reviewed: Noisily Festival 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

The main change this year was the festival’s reset to Chapter One – a change saying goodbye to the eleven-year-long storyline Boomtown had previously built. It wasn’t just a reset of the storyline (an interactive element of the festival we’ve come to love over the years), it was a reset of the festival layout we knew. This year, Boomtown condensed its operations into the area previously known as the downtown bowl. This meant no Lion’s Den, no Psy Forest and a lot less walking.

People were sceptical about what this meant for the festival experience. Would it be too small? Would it be the same Boomtown experience we loved? This was the first thought many had when arriving on the Wednesday. Looking down on the festival city from the downtown campsite was strange. It looked tiny and you could hear murmurs of people worrying about it being too busy at peak times. But this wasn’t the case.

Boomtown 2022 promised the new-look city, despite being smaller, would be more imaginative and immersive than ever before. They weren’t lying. Somehow, you still managed to get lost wandering the maze of streets joining the districts, there were actors everywhere bringing flair to the city, and the set design was magnificent. Even the close proximity stages, which looked like they would have sound bleeding into one another, all sounded incredible. While I heard many people complaining before the city opened, I heard barely any complaints once the city closed.

If anything, people were more concerned with the heat and dust than the changes to the festival. Usually, at Boomtown, we’re used to torrential rain (who remembers SHY FX followed by Jungle Cakes at Lion’s Den 2018?) but this year, everyone swapped ponchos for sun cream because there was rarely a cloud in the sky. While this did bring its struggles, it created a wonderful backdrop for Boomtown’s colours to thrive.

This came to the fore on Thursday when street parties popped up across the outskirts of the city. Huge rigs, good music and blue skies – what more could you want? With Born On Road and Rumble in The Jungle running a pop-up Elektrical Soundsytem stage, and Dubtendo throwing a separate one in conjunction with Swing & Bass, there was a party atmosphere in the air to kick-start the first full day of the festival.

The Dubtendo street party set the tone for the festival with its good energy. From people donning Mario costumes and mushroom hats to others waving Dubtendo signs – and not to forget the fat rig that shook your body to the core – the party was well underway here. JFB’s vinyl scratching and Foor’s mash-up bassline were highlights of the afternoon, with the latter artist bringing about a beautiful moment when he played Rozalla’s ‘Everybody’s Free’. With the sun beating down and arms waving in the air, it was a feel-good moment reminding everyone of the freedom Boomtown represents, especially this year. We were finally back at the Matterley Bowl dancing together again. Bliss.

It’s a feeling of togetherness that became a theme of the festival experience. Titled ‘The Gathering’, this year’s Boomtown was all about the community coming back together to connect and dance. Because of that, there was positive energy oozing out of the attendees, artists and workers. From food stalls battling it out with each other blaring tunes while punters decided which stall to dance in front of, to attendees lugging water spray cans and guns around the site just so they could cool off fellow attendees mid-dance.

This infectious energy carried on into Friday, which was the day when the city really came alive. All roads led to the official opening ceremony in the afternoon, which took place on both main stages – Origin (a towering industrial structure for all things drum and bass), and Grand Central (a retro-looking stage bringing Lion’s Den flavour). Boomtown’s opening shows always pack an important message, and this year’s was around unity in the world. There were #FreePalestine flags waving and lyrics around being “all together, all races, all sexualities”. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Boomtown opening ceremony without vibrant theatrics (especially the performers dangling from a crane above the stage).

While the opening show was incredible, what followed was just as memorable – Dick & Dom playing a cameo set to warm up for Arrested Development. There had been rumours flying around earlier in the day of Dick & Dom showing up, and it prompted excitement in the campsites with people screaming “BOGIES”. This was made better when Dick & Dom came on stage and shouted the famous phrase.

For many of us, watching Dick & Dom be silly on TV was part of our upbringing, so to see them on stage blasting bassline and Drum & Bass was a surreal experience – particularly when they worked the crowd with Kleu’s ‘Rudy, A Message To You’. It set us up nicely for what was going to be a festival weekend filled with good feels and plenty of hearty tunes.

Heavy music was the main course on Boomtown’s menu this year. For the first time, the organisers kept the line-up secret until days before, which was a move met with criticism. If you were more into your house or techno or hoping for huge headliners, then you will have been disappointed. But if you love heavy bass music, then you would have been ecstatic at the likes of Born On Road, 24 Hour Garage Girls, Ed Rush b2b Optical, Dutty Moonshine, Sherelle and DJ Marky.

Boomtown always reiterated this year’s line-up wouldn’t be filled with huge acts due to the financial loss that occurred during Covid, and if anything, this encouraged the team to dig deeper with their music programming for what was arguably the most diverse line-up they’ve had. From more females than ever before to acts of all colours, races and identities, it was a joy to see so much thought go into this year’s programming.

Drum & Bass heads were especially happy with the line-up as there was a phenomenal billing of artists and collectives flying the flag for the genre. Friday felt like a love letter to the underground bass music scene with The Grid, Hidden Woods and Origin stages all proudly pushing Drum & Bass and Jungle flavours to thousands of ravers. It was the latter of those stages that stood out with a Critical Music takeover featuring Kasra, Enei, Halogenix, Bryan Gee b2b DJ Die and more. As a towering behemoth of a stage looking weathered and distressed, Origin was the perfect setting for a genre of music that has been through the mill over the years, but always comes out on top.

As the weekend hit, the feeling of celebration that had been building reached a climax with Boomtown’s official celebration fancy dress day. While many didn’t bother because of the heat, those who did ran with the theme in spectacular Boomtown fashion – the actors especially.

As important as music is to Boomtown, the theatrics are just as vital. This year, there was something happening everywhere you looked. Pop-up moving mechanical stages with a DJ inside, a band of people dressed in junk parts doing the YMCA with attendees, the little room in the Metropolis district where you could sit on the sofa ‘playing’ Xbox while listening to an intense loop of gabba – the city was a full-on sensory experience. I especially loved the actors at Area 404. By day, they were spraying people from above with water guns, and by night, they were shooting fire (not at us, thankfully).

It’s these random moments that define the Boomtown experience (and why the festival didn’t need to release a line-up beforehand). You always know you’re going to be immersed in a weird and wonderful world when you step into Boomtown’s city. Those following the storyline will have known all about this as they walked into random rooms, got asked to do questionable things by actors, and often were sent on wild goose chases to find clues.

If you weren’t following the storyline on Saturday then you were probably catching some of the incredible acts on the bill. The pick of the bunch was Fabio & Grooverider & The Outlook Orchestra at Grand Central. We first saw Fabio & Grooverider perform with The Outlook Orchestra at London’s Southbank Centre earlier this year, but this festival performance was one that was three years in the making, and a moment Grooverider admitted he felt “nervous” about.

As early pioneers of jungle and D&B, it was brilliant to see them reeling through the history of the genre in a format where the duo narrated the timeline and its developments along the way. The live orchestra was the star of the show, performing swine-tingling renditions of classics including Makoto’s ‘Golden Girl’ (with sublime live vocals from Cleveland Watkiss), and Chase & Status’ ‘In Love’, which Jenna G performed live alongside epic sax solos.

One thing I noticed during this set was the crowd energy. People were dancing like crazed beings expressing themselves however they felt fit. This is Boomtown. People oozing free-flowing energy in the dance like it was their last festival. Maybe it was the influences they were under, or maybe it was the fact we were witnessing special moments all festival that called for raw emotion. Saturday night was full of them, as across sight on Origin, Noisia were performing an emotional final UK set before parting ways. It was a performance we’d been building anticipation for all weekend and the production was fitting for the occasion with lasers and flames popping off from all angles.

I was disappointed only to see Thys behind the decks when you’d think all three members would have been there for their UK send-off. Because of that, the set was more of an experimental journey than a full-on Noisia showdown, but it was still a special occasion. Thys jumping on the mic at the end to say “And now it’s over… Thank you so much for all of these years” was a tear-jerking moment that will live long in people’s memories.

The final day of Boomtown was filled with just as many big moments to enjoy. Whether it was DJ Marky & GQ shutting down Origin when Marky scratched to DJ Hazard’s ‘Bricks Don’t Roll’ – one of the festival’s best moments that had the crowd going nuts as he spans with the vinyl deck in his hands, or DLR going b2b with Break for a hefty Sunday send-off, there were some outstanding musical moments to experience.

But if you weren’t into D&B, then you were probably watching Kool & The Gang at Grand Central. It was a beautiful show you don’t get the opportunity to see often in a lifetime as they reeled through classics sparking nostalgia amongst the crowd. When ‘Celebration’ played, there was a sea of people on shoulders and everyone was singing along. It was the perfect way to close a festival return we were all celebrating.

As always, Boomtown ended with a closing ceremony on the two main stages. Origin’s saw A Little Sound and take centre stage for what was an epic finale with hearty basslines, while also relaying an important message about the planet and being connected as one. Some people clearly didn’t get the message though – leaving masses of tents and rubbish behind after the festival closed. Sustainability is at the heart of Boomtown’s mission, so to see so much disregard for it was a big shame, especially considering the messages of togetherness throughout the event.

Here’s to hoping Chapter Two: The Twin Trail brings the same positive energy and big moments we experienced this year, but with more care for Boomtown’s values.

Keep up to date with news about Boomtown Chapter Two: The Twin Trail here

The post Reviewed: Boomtown 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

As the initial shock of lockdown passed and the realisation that this virus was going to indefinitely confine us to the walls of our homes, I decided to use the time as an opportunity to lay the foundations of a hopefully more fruitful DJ career. After landing on a name (Sir Francis if you want to check me out), setting up all my various social accounts and joining the Data Transmission course community, it was time to hit the studio. Long nights plugging away at Ableton finally resulted in some half-decent tunes that I was able to get signed onto some small and mid-tier labels. As lockdown eased and events started to fill the calendar once again it was time to go on the hunt for gigs!

Having created a bucket list of DJ achievements, one of the big stand-out tick boxes for me was “Book A Festival Slot.” First, I compiled a list of all the festivals whose line-up’s matched my style and sound before hopping over to LinkedIn to find out who was running these events and, more importantly, who was booking the artists. As outreach began, imposter syndrome began to set in and my brain kept telling me “No one knows who you are, you will never get booked.” Despite this, I persevered and after a series of ignored and rejected emails, the seemingly impossible yes finally landed in the inbox, simply saying “Happy to look at something for the opening slot on the main stage if you’re up for that?”

The festival in question was One Out Festival in Walton-On-Thames. With a line-up packed full of dance music heavy hitters, my stage would be playing host to the likes of Eats Everything, Sam Divine, Prospa and many more. With the technicalities squared away with the promoter and rider order placed, to say I was bloody excited would be the understatement of the century!

As the 18th June rolled around I grabbed my headphones and drove down to Apps Court Farm for a day filled with four-on-the-floor goodness. The festival had 2 stages with the main stage being in an open-air setting, located towards the back of the site. We walked through the backstage entrance and into the artist tent where we were greeted by the super friendly team before heading up to the stage. Being the first set of the day I was playing to an empty field, but as the gates opened and crowds began to trickle in I was able to draw in a small crowd who seemed to be enjoying my set of disco and vocal house. Getting the chance to play on a main stage level sound system alongside awesome production really was a dream come true. You envision these sorts of moments standing in your bedroom waving your hands in the air but to actually be doing it for real was a rush like no other!

As the next DJ took over I headed backstage to hang out in the artist area to do some networking and struck up a conversation with AmyElle. She had played an unreleased tune of mine a few months back on Kiss FM after sending it to her promo email. We spoke about her rise to fame, and how she utilised social media for her career and gave me some tips on where to go next as an artist. Throughout the day I made a point of going up and chatting to every DJ I knew and quizzing them about their careers and the steps they took to get to where they are today. In a world where everything is going digital, as an up-and-coming DJ, these personal interactions are still so invaluable. With numbers and emails exchanged I made sure to follow up with everyone and now have a link to some of the biggest names in the game.

No festival would be complete without watching some live music, so we headed over to watch the professionals do what they do best. A personal highlight from the day was Latmun, who played one of the grooviest tech house sets I have heard in while, all layered with infectious vocals that really had the crowd moving. Prospa also deserve a special mention, with their anthemic hands-in-the-air catalogue of music it’s easy to see how this duo has risen to the top so quickly.

As the sun disappeared the rain began to set in but this could not dampen the spirits of the crowd as headliner Eats Everything stepped up to close the main stage with a blending of house, old school rave and disco. For a final surprise, Easts headed over to stage 2 for an unscheduled B2B with a blurry-eyed Skream, giving the crowd something unexpected and providing the perfect end to the festival.

One Out was truly special and massive thanks goes out to the team for giving me a chance to come down and play, hopefully in a few year’s time I will be topping the bill! If this sounds like your kind of thing tickets are on sale now for 2023 so grab your today and I will see you on the dancefloor.

One Out Festival 2023 ticket sign up can be found here!

The post Reviewed: One Out Festival 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

As the sun shone down over Victoria Park in East London, we strolled into the festival along with the 50,000 other music fans with no major hold-ups, the first big tick from us. It’s definitely the most organised festival I’ve been to this summer; stewards actually knew where stages and specific areas were as opposed to other festivals I’ve been to, where I’ve asked where a stage was and been met with a blank response.

Exploring the festival grounds upon arrival, we then wandered over to the North Stage to catch Shy FX. Shy FX is just a staple booking for a summer festival, with his tunes encapsulating good vibes and energy. My only criticism is his set should have been on the Main Stage, as it felt wrong watching from inside a dark stuffy tent.

Mura Masa bagged himself a spot on the Main Stage and it was the perfect slot for the late afternoon sunshine. His newer track ‘bbycakes’ was a firm favourite with the crowd, but his classic tracks like ‘One Night’ and ‘Firefly’ still provided the nostalgia that had them bouncing. Appearing on the stage with vocalists Fliss and Bonzai whilst he played his instruments, the unparalleled momentum that these two brought to the set really complimented Mura Masa’s tracks. Weaving in a handful of new tracks from his upcoming album release too, I can’t wait to hear what he has in store for the future.

Following his boiler room set only a month ago which has now racked up over four million plays, Fred Again.. was up next on the North Stage. Having seen him before on a much smaller stage at Parklife, I knew things would be different this time; Fred Again.. is all everyone is talking about at the moment. From hearing his name mentioned on the overground to the festival more than a handful of times to hearing people play his tunes through their phone speakers whilst drinking on the way up to the festival, it’s clear that he’s become the talk of the town.

Luckily, we arrived early to bag ourselves a spot, but from the videos on social media, the tent was bursting at the seams. Fred has quickly become the voice of a generation, with his tunes echoing how everyone seems to feel. His music radiates warmth and togetherness, and you feel like you know everyone around you as a friend at his sets. “What I’m about to say, is a sentence I cannot believe I’m about to say… oh my days” he laughed in disbelief towards the end of the set before The Streets’ Mike Skinner made a guest appearance. Performing The Streets’ ‘how’s it come to this’ and ‘Take Me As I Am’, Skinner and Fred Again then performed an exclusive mash-up of The Streets’ ‘Weak Become Heroes’ and Fred’s ‘Baxter’; it was a moment I’ll remember for a long time.

Finally, it was time for the brotherly duo of Guy and Howard Lawrence, better known as Disclosure, to take to the stage. As the airy vocals of ‘White Noise’ echoed across the park, Disclosure jumped headfirst into their setlist of classics and newer tracks. Highlights included ‘When a fire starts to burn’ and ‘Nocturnal’, as the crowd produced a sea of phone torches. However, the real highlight of the night was Sam Smith making a guest appearance and playing ‘Latch’ with Disclosure live for the first time in five years. Ending their set with ‘Tondo’, they captured the party atmosphere perfectly and made All Points East a festival to remember.

The post Reviewed: All Points East 27th August 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

Look beyond the poetry recitals, naked cricket matches and luxury hot tubs, however, and you uncover a chunky line-up that wouldn’t look out of place on a flyer for Printworks. Coupled with unknown acts playing in secret corners of the woods and pop-up daytime raves, Wilderness is able to satisfy the appetite of any four-on-the-floor hungry raver. 

First up to kick things off for the 128 fanatics was Peggy Gou. Slotted on the main stage between the jazzy delights of Binker and Moses and ethereal sounds of headliners Jungle, it would have been safe to assume that a more stripped-back set for the daytime crowd could have been on the horizon. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Peggy started strong, whipping the crowd into a frenzy with acid-infused techno that thundered out of the dominating speaker stack. As the sun descended, she steered the ravers through uplifting vocals and disco remixes, creating those hands in the air, singalong moments that have become a trademark of the international DJ. 

As night descended upon the woodland, it was time for the crowds to make their way across the festival site to The Valley. This mammoth groove cut into the side of a hill is arguably the jewel in the Wilderness crown. Endlessness lasers and towering sound systems guide the seething crowds down the hill towards the dance stage where an evening of electronic bliss was about to ensue in arguably one of the best dance arenas the UK festival circuit has to offer. 

Flanked by gogo dancers, Jodie Harsh stepped up first, bringing a blend of infectious grooves and elevating melodies that gauged the mood of the crowd perfectly and kicked the night off with a bang. Up next came Irish producer Krystal Klear, bringing a tougher, darker sound that thumped through the trees and took the crowd on an emotional journey. Finally, it was the turn of party maestro himself, Eats Everything. Blending acid, disco, old-school rave, piano bangers and his own productions all into one, it’s easy to see why the Bristolian has ascended into the lofty heights of elite world-touring DJ. 

As day two commenced, many headed down to one of the two wild swimming spots that Wilderness has to offer. A quick dip in the icy water is enough to ease the symptoms of any raver’s sore head before marching back into the main site and getting straight back on it. 

Given the middle-class clientele attending Wilderness 2022, high-end brands have now joined the ranks alongside traditional food vendors and begun running their own exclusive areas. One of the most notable is the Veuve Clicquot tent. Despite the eye-watering prices for a bottle of champagne, this is the place to be if you are after a day-time shuffle set to quality electronic music. With no official line-up, the crowd are there for the love of the music and guest appearances are often made by main acts who have stayed on for the duration of the weekend. 

As the sun set on another day, it was back into the valley for an evening of exceptional dance music. Louise Chen was up first, bringing with her an eclectic blend of feel-good bangers and uplifting rhythms that perfectly paved the way for award-winning house legend David Morales. One of the original superstar DJs, he wasted no time in proving why he boasts a career that has spanned across the best part of four decades. Thumping melodic elements infused with classic house and emotional breakdowns, that at times felt almost spiritual, were brought perfectly to a close with ‘Where Love Lives’ by Alison Limerick. Finally, it was the turn of Circus Recordings head honcho Yousef to step up and see off the evening with his raw, chunky sound that squeezed out whatever energy the crowd had left to give. 

Day three and the headliner’s name was on everyone’s lips. 90’s Rave legends and movie soundtrack specialists Underworld were set to take to the main stage and see off the festival. With the final day having an earlier finish time than normal, many of the main DJs were playing during the day. Tribal and percussive house aficionado Melé was on-hand to liven up a visibly exhausted dancefloor before lady-of-the-moment TSHA took to the decks, bringing a high-octane infusion of underground beats mixed with choppy vocal hooks and intricate basslines. Finally, it was time for Underworld to take the stage to round off the festival with their own brand of pulsating synths and jagged melodies that have earned them a spot in the dance music hall of fame. With the instantly recognisable, ever beloved, ‘Born Slippy’ rounding off the set, the crowd couldn’t contain itself. The Trainspotting theme song touches a nerve so deep it’s enough to bring a tear to your eye. 

There really is something for everyone at Wilderness, whether it be expansive thinking, spiritual awakening or just a good old boogie in a field, the welcoming family spirit that swills around in the air keeps so many returning to the little slice of Oxfordian festival heaven year after year. 

Thanks to all for having us at Wilderness 2022, we’ll be sure to return next year! Follow the link to book now for 2023 https://bit.ly/3dTPzhd

The post Reviewed: Wilderness 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

Orrell Hill Woods, which is situated just a short drive from Liverpool, is packed with colossal pine trees. Stepping foot into the dense woodland felt like walking through a portal and venturing out into the most picturesque utopia.

The original plan was to host the event at the start of June but damage caused by storms earlier in the year forced organisers to push the event back. An incident like that might have threatened to dampen the quality of the experience but it was a pleasant surprise to discover the complete opposite.

This year there were three stages with each one providing the most sumptuous audio whilst careful consideration had gone into their visual appeal with rustic wooden designs combining well with the natural trees enveloping them.

If the charming quality of the sound wasn’t enough there was also an impressive array of pyrotechnics – The Drum & Bass stage suddenly became an inferno when flames burst high into the sky just as Kenny Ken unleashed High Contrast’s staple remix of the classic ‘Show Me Love’.

There was no chance the high-octane energy was going to subside even if the rain had started with our very own DT Radio show host Mel stepping up to showcase her turntable talents.

The Kent-based artist played after the mighty Dillinja which might have proved quite nerve-racking for some acts but she showed no sign whatsoever the occasion was too grand. Her choice of hard-hitting selections and ferocious blends soon had the crowd hypnotised, with everyone’s hands up in the air and beaming smiles on their faces.

Day one was brought to a close in superior style with the techno pioneer Jeff Mills taking to the stage. The sun had gone down which provided the perfect opportunity for a sea of lasers to paint the sky above as the American lived up to his nickname ‘The Wizard’ with a spellbinding choice of tracks. The industrial feel to his set really did feel like the perfect accompaniment for a nighttime show deep in a forest.

There were star names everywhere you looked as the festival entered its second day. A.M.C has been crowned best DJ at the Drum & Bass Arena Awards for the past three years and it was easy to see why when he stepped behind the decks.

His ferocious mixing style is completely mind-boggling and once again he proved just how talented he is with a pair of turntables, sending the crowd into a heightened state of euphoria with his earth-shattering blends. There was a brief pause in proceedings when he reached over to shout belatedly to MC Phantom that England’s women had won a major football tournament, beating Germany in extra-time.

Camo & Krooked helped to bring a curtain on the festival in scintillating style with their mind-shattering selection of beats, in particular, their recent collaboration with Mefjus ‘Break Away’.

The Austrian duo are always a real joy to behold when they are let loose on a pair of turntables and it was no different during their appearance at The One In The Woods. Whilst they were busy demonstrating their alchemist qualities with CDJs, Mel had the most vivid look of astonishment on her face up in the booth. Just one brilliant example of how exhilarating it is whenever the pair are performing.

This festival might only be in its infancy but the first-class production and serenely curated line-up made for an exuberant audiovisual experience and certainly left a desire to come back again.

The sign-up for 2023’s edition is now live so be one of the first to know when tickets go on sale by clicking HERE

The post Reviewed: The One In The Woods 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

Before heading to Studio 338, I and a few others were fortunate to ride on the Hospitality Party Bus, soundtracked by none other than Unglued and Whiney. I won’t go into too much detail as I’m sure you can only imagine how good it was. Picture 30 or so ravers on a double-decker bus, blasting Drum & Bass throughout some of the busiest streets in central London, the vibes were unparallel. We need a petition to make this the regular form of travel to every rave!

On to the good stuff…

Amoss B2B Arkaik – The Garden

Heading up the Flexout Audio takeover in The Garden, Amoss and Arkaik served up a seriously tasty set filled with all the dark, minimal Drum & Bass you could expect. Individually, these two are some of the freshest, forward-thinking producers going at the moment and one can only imagine the carnage when they come together for a back-to-back. In and amongst the array of dubs, the pair played out some of their own recent releases such as, ‘Amoss – Front Left’ and ‘Arkaik – Ominous’. Two absolute steppers which epitomise everything these two are about.

Serum + Trigga 

One of the final sets of the night was Serum in The Terrace (main room) and when it comes to late night, final sets, there aren’t many better at them than the man himself. Weighty, aggressive synths, chunky basslines and memorable melodies are exactly what Serum is about and that is exactly what we got. Spinning through a wicked selection of hard-hitters, Serum had the vibes in the main room at a serious high for the day as dropped a whole host of tracks from the Souped Up back catalogue and what I can only imagine as upcoming material on the label. In particular, tracks like ‘Original Sin & Trigga – Chronic’ and ‘Mozey & L-Side Ft. Natty Campbell – King Any Sound’ had the venue absolutely bouncing.

T>I B2B D*Minds + Trigga

We kicked things off in The Garden, for the end of the Run In The Jungle takeover, with T>I back-to-back D*Minds on the decks and Trigga on mic duties. When T>I is on the decks you already know what’s going down, fast-paced percussion, snappy drums and some seriously weighty basslines and that is exactly what we got. Now add D*Minds to the mix and the bar gets raised even higher. We’re talking angry synths, chunky drums and basslines that can make anyone throw some hands. The pair in control were destroying the decks as the dropped tracks like T>I’s ‘Belt Speed’ and ‘D*Minds – Charlie’s Sheen VIP’.

Bassi & Charli Brix

A duo that has been hot under the limelight recently, Bassi, the Flextout Audio head-honcho, on the decks with Charli Brix on the vocals, this was easily a standout set of the day. The vibes in The Garden from start to finish were second to none. I’m sure everyone reading this knows all about Charli Brix but if you don’t then get yourself onto Spotify and thank me later. The set was the perfect example of Flexout Audio. Dark, rolling liquid supplied by Bassi with Brix gracing the set effortlessly with her incredible vocals. Stepping left to right, everyone was rolling with the music as we were guided through the set by Brix. Bassi was spinning an eclectic mix of unreleased Flexout with some fan favourites such as ‘Invadhertz & Felix Raymon – Heartless’ and ‘Monty – Games (Ft. Charli Brix).

Hats off to the Hospitality crew, they really know how to throw a party. If you were crazy enough to miss out on the warmup party, get yourself a ticket and head to Beckenham Place Park in September. You won’t be disappointed.

Final remaining tickets for Hospitality Weekend In The Woods can be found here!

The post Reviewed: Hospitality Weekend In The Woods – Studio 338 Warm-Up Party appeared first on Data Transmission.