With Optimo, Crazy P, Luke Una, Tigerbalm, Aroop Roy, Grace Sands, Tia Cousins and a packed roster of party starters, this is shaping up to be one for the heads, the hips, and the heart.

Sancho Panza has been setting dancefloors alight since the early warehouse days, soundtracking sweaty, euphoric nights and defining proper underground dance culture. With a two-decade reign as Notting Hill Carnival’s go-to house music powerhouse, they’ve built a legacy of big vibes, even bigger basslines, and dancefloor moments that stick with you forever—and 2025 is no exception.

Still leading from the front, still throwing down with the best, and still serving up unforgettable festival energy, this year’s lineup is stacked, bringing legends, rising stars, and groove maestros together for another unmissable Campo Sancho session.

This year, they’re serving up a feast of selectors, featuring genre-bending Optimo, the ever-iconic Luke Una, disco-funk fusionists Crazy P, and the euphoric energy of Tigerbalm. Expect house, nu-disco, Balearic bangers, and everything in between from selectors like Grace Sands, Aroop Roy, and Tia Cousins, plus a stellar supporting cast, including Lisa Loud, Pete Herbert, Stuart Patterson, Sophie Lloyd, and Serge Santiago b2b David Parr (aka Stompa Phunk Sound System).

And because Campo Sancho isn’t just about the dancefloor, 2025 sees the introduction of “Upwoods”, a brand-new woodland escape curated by Listen Here, Camp Bliss, and Sancho Panza. Expect laid-back grooves, immersive performances, and plenty of cocktail-fueled toe-tapping from the likes of Aidy West, Emma Noble, Ronnie Turner, and Dan The Drum.

Family Friendly, Dancefloor Approved

It’s not just about the grown-ups getting their groove on – Campo Sancho has something for the little ravers too. Expect circus acts, kids’ discos (yes, with Lisa Loud on deck duties!), roaming performers, and a proper arts programme to keep the young ones entertained while the parents cut shapes.

Tickets Are Flying – Don’t Get FOMO

Tickets for Campo Sancho 2025 are moving fast, with Early Birds already nearly gone. Don’t be the mate that waits until the last minute and misses out – secure your spot now at campotickets.sanchopanza.org.

Campo Sancho isn’t just a festival – it’s a reunion of the real ones, a weekend of dancefloor escapism, and a reminder of why we all fell in love with this music in the first place. See you in the fields, Sancho family.

The post Campo Sancho Festival announces Complete 2025 Lineup appeared first on Data Transmission.

Leading the charge are Leftfield and Orbital, ready to kick things off with their infectious beats. And if you’re into drum ‘n’ bass, you’re in luck—Sub Focus and Venbee are bringing the heat to the dancefloor. But hold onto your hats because there’s more! Crazy P, Beans on Toast, and Eva Lazarus are all on board to keep the good times rolling. And who could forget Henge’s mind-bending ‘Cosmic Dross’ and the high-energy performance from Cut Capers?

And let’s not overlook the reggae legends, The Wailers, delivering a masterclass in Bob Marley‘s greatest hits. It’s gonna be legendary! Keep your eyes peeled for some familiar faces—Happy Mondays‘ Bez, Dick & Dom, and Woody Cook will be adding their own flair to the festivities. At the heart of it all lies the Toil Trees stage, serving up killer sets from Floorplan, Mella Dee, and the one and only Mr. Scruff to keep the Sunday vibes alive.

Meanwhile, Trash Manor promises pure chaos and good vibes with Greg Wilson, Zed Bias, and SHY FX tearing up the decks. Over at The Fortress, it’s all about the heavy hitters like Fabio & Grooverider, K-Klass, and Andy Carroll, ready to blow your minds with their beats. And if you’re craving some serious MC skills, Sparkz at the Smoky Tentacles stage is where it’s at.

But wait, there’s more! Beat-Herder isn’t just about the music—indulge your taste buds with a diverse range of food stalls offering everything from gourmet burgers to plant-based delights. And for those looking for a bit of adventure, there’s plenty to explore between sets, from awe-inspiring art installations to rejuvenating wellness workshops.

So mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable experience at Beat-Herder 2024! It’s gonna be off the charts.

Aside from the killer tunes, Beat-Herder is famous for its downright magical vibe and stunning scenery. Picture this: larger-than-life sculptures, interactive art installations—basically, it’s like stepping into a wonderland of creativity and expression. Everywhere you turn, there’s something new to discover, from hidden tunnels to secret swimming spots. And how about a church with handmade hymn books? Yep, they’ve got that too!

Their attention to detail is seriously next level, earning them the title of ‘Unique Festival Arena’ at the 2019 AIF Festival Awards and the coveted ‘Extra Festival Award’ at the UK Festival Awards. Oh, and let’s not forget The Guardian naming them one of the Best Festivals for their lively atmosphere. Talk about impressive, right?

But here’s the real kicker: at the core of Beat-Herder are six pals who go way back to the wild rave days of the ’90s. They’ve poured their hearts and souls into this party, keeping it fiercely independent and true to its roots. It’s more than just a festival—it’s a gathering of like-minded music lovers. Here, strangers become instant pals, and the connections you make under that infectious energy? They last a lifetime.

Three-day tier 3 tickets are available from £182.32 inc booking fee

Four-day tier 3 tickets are available now from £253.34 inc booking fee

Tickets can also be purchased via payment plans. Glamping options are also available

More info and tickets for Beat-Herder 2024 can be found here!

The post Beat-Herder 2024 announces full lineup! appeared first on Data Transmission.

Shindig Festival has evolved over the years from being a party for the network of friends of the Ghetto Funk record label to a festival with a reputation for an incredible line up and a super-friendly vibe.  It’s a glorious mash up of a gig, a free party, a circus show, a series of curious craft workshops, a wellbeing retreat and a kid’s party.  Voted ‘Best For Family Rave’, it has been blazing a trail since 2014 and attracting an ever more diverse crowd.

Some of the artists announced include Roy Ayers, Goldie, Stanton Warriors, DJ Flight, Crazy P, De La Soul, Nighmares On Wax, Dillinja, Kosheen, T>I, Jamz Supernova, DJ Rap, Birdee, Uncle Dugs and a load more too!

“I’m so excited about 2022. It’s the most diverse lineup we’ve ever seen. From gospel choirs to Shindig regulars and everything in between: pioneers, legends and luminaries, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to dance the weekend away in beautiful new surroundings.” – Will Lardner, Festival Co-Founder

There are no main stages, just a beautiful arrangement of stretch marquees. From watching circus to hearing spoken word or learning a new skill, there’s something for everyone. Bringing a healthy dose of foot-stomping funk and a packed programme of entertainment for all ages, Shindig Festival offers relaxation and revelry in equal measures.

For those that like to mix wellness with wildness, Shanti Shala is the perfect place to unwind, recharge and reconnect. You will find a variety of therapists offering treatments to relax and restore your body and mind. From yoga, massage, pilates, tai chi and ecstatic dance – there is a huge range to choose from.  Bigger than ever before, the Craft Area will offer workshops on everything from felt making to spoon whittling, woodworking and jewellery making for all the family.

The Kids Kingdom has expanded. This year it will house a skate ramp, crazy golf course, kids cinema and plenty of inflatable fun. You can book clay-modelling workshops with Aardman, drumming sessions with Jamba de Samba and make clothes from scrap materials. Not forgetting the outrageously and abnormally energetic Flying Seagull Project who are back by popular demand!

More info and tickets can be found here

The post Shindig Festival drops full lineup for 2022 appeared first on Data Transmission.

Data Transmission proudly presents sets from Joe Goddard, Ben Westbeech x Lex Wolf, Sofi Tukker & Crazy P Soundsystem as part of the global charity, In Place Of War‘s Around The World in 80 Raves campaign. 

In Place of War presents: Around the World In 80 Raves | Worldwide sponsored fundraising challenge meets the global rave. Across the month of October, members of the public and our worldwide music industry partners all collaborated in a fundraising challenge – to cover the 7,200 mile / 11,600km distance across some of the 26 countries where In Place of War has projects.

To carry on the support for the Charity over the coming weeks, you can tune into the sets & support incredible music development projects in places of conflict in São Paulo, Brazil and Cape Town, South Africa, by donating via the dedicated JustGiving page.

Second up, Crazy P Soundsystem – Tune in a 5pm TODAY!

This short video tells you where your donations are going. Be part of the global music community making a positive change by just enjoying the music you love.

Follow the In Place Of War story via their socials: 
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The post Crazy P Soundsystem is Around The World in 80 Raves appeared first on Data Transmission.

For this debut year, the team have hand-picked a selection of some of the greatest and jazziest artists from funk, soul, disco, jazz and brass music such as Craig Charles, Crazy P (LIVE), Kon, Greg Wilson, Norman Jay MBE, Smoove & Turrell, Mixmaster Morris, Riot Jazz Brass Band and many more. 

The nighttime events will take place at Panama, whilst Norman Jay’s Good Times and Craig Charles are hosting boat parties. These parties will cruise through Amsterdam dancing to the best funk, soul and disco hits to ever be heard on a 600 capacity double-decker party boat that will be kitted out with extra sound and lights and featuring a fully stocked licensed bar, making this one hell of a floating nightclub!

From the cosmic disco-funk of Crazy P‘s spellbinding live show to the deeply dug out delights of Craig Charles via American crate digging sensation Kon and his love of disco, boogie and funk and on the Geordie trendsetters Smoove & Turrell and the uplifting sounds of the Riot Jazz Brass Band, this will be an ultimate soundtrack for funk and soul lovers of all ages.

You can grab tickets www.funkthedam.com

Craig Charles
Crazy P (Live)
Greg Wilson
Norman Jay MBE
Riot Jazz Brass Band
Kon 
Smoove & Turrell
Eddie Piller
Sir Funk
Mixmaster Morris
Liem Jay
Wicked Jazz Sounds
Johanna Mecrker
Steve Fly Agaric 23

The post Craig Charles, Crazy P, Greg Wilson, Norman Jay and more to play Funk the Dam appeared first on Data Transmission.

Though set in an isolated and unknown location at the top of Northern Wales in Llanwehtu, it did not deter those from travelling from across the UK to attend this scenic welsh haven. This is the last place you’d expect to find the biggest names in underground music playing b2b sets throughout the day and night.

Its reputation as a UK dance festival has augmented rapidly over the past couple of years especially, with many students from Northern England and Wales attending and spreading the hype. One thing that I had repeatedly heard from attendees from previous years was the implausible setting in which the event takes place. Having heard it being described by a friend as a “mystical land”, I was highly intrigued to see the visual efforts of the festivals production team.

The drive from Leeds to the festival shocked me. Setting off a tad later than planned due to the typical last-minute pre-festival panics, the two and a half hour journey in itself was mind-blowing. To my right lay the vast Irish sea and to my left, the endless hills and cliffs of Northern Wales. These views created anticipation and excitement, as we cruised along the scenic motorway in our packed-out car, listening to a Margaret Dygas Sunwaves set from 2017. We couldn’t’ wait to get there! Having seen all of my friends, friends of friends and everyone’s grandmas photos from the previous year, I was intrigued to see the Carregylwd Estate that hosts this marvelous boutique festival, to see if it was just as beautiful in person.

Arriving at 6pm on the dot after a stunning journey, we parked up our festival-ridden car. Looking over the passenger seat and copious amounts of unnecessary festival gear, I only then realized that we were in fact on a cliff top overlooking a descendant sun, slowly sinking into the horizon over the Irish sea. I tried to capture this using my iphone camera, but the photos just didn’t do it justice. It was absolutely breathtaking. To think that was the view from the carpark, we could only expect that the main grounds were going to be even more notable.

The queue system seemed a little disjointed, however, it didn’t take as long as expected to enter the festival. As a group, we were keen to set up the camp quite sharpish, as you can imagine. Having pitched up our rather glamourous and unnecessary TP tent/home for the weekend, everyone seemed to be chasing the sun, advancing into the main arena.

After a quick settle in, we explored the grounds for the first time and we were not disappointed. The infamous Gottwood Festival mansion that Move D supposedly stayed in for the weekend with his family, overlooked a stunning lake, which was aesthetically heightened by thousands of luminous green lily pads, with the Gottwood Festival 10 year anniversary feature centered in the middle. It felt like we were in someones garden, which I think we quite literally were.

This reinforced the boutique nature of the festival with around 5-10,000 people attending each year, making Gottwood Festival one of the most renowned within the UK.

Food stalls, vintage clothing shops and various independent brands all laid within one big enchanted forest, which you had to walk through to get to the main stages. This was a nice touch, as they encouraged independent and local brands to showcase their handmade goods and reworks. This added a sense of uniqueness to the grounds and offered something else to do in the day when feeling a little ropey!

Standing out from the rest of the lineup on the first night, I was keen to witness Enzo Siragusa delve deep into his old-school vinyl collection, for his much anticipated jungle set. With this, he attracted his avid followers to The Barn stage, where this small, intimate dance space quickly turned into what one could only describe as a sweaty, warehouse rave. The crowds were going crazy and Function 1s sound system complimented his class mixing skills and heavy beats. This set the bar high for the rest of the artists performing the following days of the festival.

Despite the days almost merging into one, for me personally there were particular artists that highlighted my weekend musically, through their impactful sets. Sonja Moonear was the one that completely wowed me over the course of the four days. This being the third time I’ve seen her, I made sure to be at the Walled Garden stage a little earlier than her set time as this stage hosted some of the biggest names in minimal and micro-house including, Nicolas Lutz and Craig Richards.

This meant that the queues before these big sets had to be controlled by a one in one out system. I managed to carve my way through the impending crowds, to the front of the stage, as I love to actually be able to see Moonear in the mix. Seeing a DJ as passionate about their music as she is, is just so great to watch. There is something about the way she interacts with her music and the crowd she is playing to, that is so endearing and captivating.

Saturday’s weather took an abrupt turn for the worst, with torrential downpours causing flooding to both the campsite and the main festival arena. This, however, didn’t dampen anyone’s night, though I did hide in the tent for an hour or so, waiting for the worst of the storm to pass. I couldn’t wait to get back out there, despite being covered in mud and being soaked through 5 layers.

Slightly hungover from my couple of hours sleep that night, I decided to make a trip to the lawn on Sunday afternoon as the sun was shining and I could hear the harmonious beats vibrating through the tent, (despite being at least 100m from the closest stage). I don’t think I was the only one feeling slightly spaced out, as everyone lay there on the grass, tinnie in hand, slowly bopping to the funky house beats, trying to escape their hangovers and lack of sleep.

Despite feeling rough, hearing Krywald and Farrers notorious ‘Persie Edits’ made me get up and dance involuntarily. The lawn was definitely the place to be when the sun was shining in the day. Even when the rain fell, this stage was the most communal out of them all, with people interacting as if they were one big family. It was the main hub of interactivity – bar the endless food stalls, chilled areas and of course the campsite. In particular over the course of the weekend, one of the busiest times on the lawn was during Crazy P’s live set, which saw people in the rain macs and hoodies on others shoulders to get a glimpse of the man himself, in his natural habitat.

Although all of the stages boasted their own unique and individual experience to its crowds, the stages mentioned in particular seemed to always be attracting the crowds. Contrary to this, one stage that always seemed to be a little empty was the treehouse stage. A little more isolated from the main grounds and other stages, it was situated halfway between the campsite and the main arena. This changed on Sunday afternoon, as I saw a huge crowd beginning to surface. I stuck around to see what the fuss was about and I then realized why. Up high in the tree house, Seth Troxler had emerged for his 3 hour set.

On Sunday night, at the Walled Garden stage watching Craig Richards and Nicolas Lutz, I heard some suspicious bangs coming from afar. I wasn’t the only one left curious, with people from within the tent peering outside, to be surprised by an expected firework display coming from The Lawn. Although wanting to stay and watch Lutz do his thing, a group of us ran towards the lake to catch the last of the display. It was heaving, as people gathered to enjoy this immersive visual spectacle. This was such an amazing way to end the festival… and what a high this was. Despite rumours that this unique sight on the coast of Northern Wales will no longer lend its beautiful grounds to the Gottwood Festival, this year marked its 10th anniversary and what a birthday celebration it was.

I’m sad that the iconic Gottwood Festival grounds will no longer be in use, but I am excited to see what the team have up their sleeve for 2020. A statement was released shortly after the festival last week, stating that information about next year’s event will be released soon!

INCREDIBLE.

The post Reviewed: Gottwood Festival 2019 appeared first on Data Transmission.

GALA Festival is an independent music, culture and arts festival which launched in 2016, and took place in Peckham Rye Park in 2018. The event showcases the best food, drink and music from South East London and surrounding areas.

GALA have put together a line-up of heavyweights in the house, disco and good time party music, all alongside a well-considered local food and drink offering. To keep the intimate feel of the festival, GALA have kept capacity and site footprint almost exactly the same for 2019’s event.

Artists to watch out for (in no particular order)

Palms Trax

Palm Trax has an open-minded following with his cult monthly radio show, the decidedly less-than-culinary ‘Cooking with Palms Trax’, which has broadcast on Berlin Community Radio since 2015. On each show, Donaldson takes a deep, vinyl-led drive into his adopted history, fostering a level of trust and shared curiosity that has allowed him to helm all-night sets under the ‘Cooking with Palms Trax’ moniker which he brings to GALA Festival 2019. He’s been holding down residencies in Boston, Glasgow and Bordeaux, as well as inviting like-minded DJs into his metaphorical kitchen, throughout a series of self-curated evenings into early mornings of music. This is definitely not one to miss.

Crazy P (Live)

Crazy P are a disco/house acts that play live, bring total vibes to any venue they grace and have the ability to really get the crowd buzzing. Daniel the singer is absolutely fantastic and they are a really talented bunch of individuals. They are playing at GALA for the third time, and are definitely one to catch.

Honey Dijon

Honey Dijon stormed to DJ stardom early 2018 with here Boiler Room recording at Sugar Mountain (AUS) and has since become a house old name in the electronic music scene. Whether it’s for her pumping energetic sets, her on stage dancing or the Instagram account which oozes personality and charisma there is no surprise she is where she is now, and is fully deserved (if I don’t say so myself). She returns for the second consecutive year and let’s see what the Queen of House brings to Peckham Rye.

Midland

Another enormous act returning for his second consecutive year. Bringing his self-acclaimed far from perfect set which includes, groovy house, disco and fist pumping techno. Midland is a DJs DJ, and holds a place in many peoples all-time top 5. He also went on the record top say “GALA’s sound and vibe were the best I’ve experienced at a London day festival.” Listen to his recently recorded set @ the infamous Robin Johnson in Frankfurt earlier this year.

Horse Meat Disco

The group label themselves as queer music for everyone and have curated a reputation for bringing disco back to London. Holding numerous parties across the capital and making appearances worldwide, if you want a constant good vibe, there set will be a must watch.

Tickets are available from here

Need a hotel? Head to booking.com

The post 5 Acts to watch out for at GALA Festival appeared first on Data Transmission.

Founded in 2017, La Discothèque have gone from selling out Albert Hall in Manchester, filling Printworks with 5000 funky dancers to heading back to Leeds for their highly-anticipated Canal Mills return.

Onto the massive line up of the heaviest weighted disco world champions.

If the line up was a menu the cuisine would be European classics with a British tropical twist. The mouthwatering line up included French Disco God; Dimitri From Paris, Germany’s beloved superstar; Purple Disco Machine, London’s rare groove legend; Norman Jay MBE and Nottingham’s notorious disco diva Danielle Moore from Crazy P. As well as support from Leed’s very own brand Back to Basics.

Arriving at the venue the current DJ playing was Danielle Moore (Crazy P) providing the golden numbers. Danielle had fairly chilled, groovy tracks. Very Hot Toddy like. She was warming up the room for what is set to be a huge night. Track highlight from her set was ‘Like A Fool’ – a personal favourite of mine – a track that got me into disco. It was a magical moment.

Gracing the decks next was the legend himself Dimitri From Paris. I am always astonished in the presence of Dimitri as he blows my socks clean off – sends them fly all the way to France! Of course, playing his classic Le Chic remixes which were lapped up by the crowd. He also added to his set Phil Fuldners new track ‘Take Me’ which samples and reworks Mary Clarks 1980 track ‘Take Me, I’m yours’. Truly amazing!

Hard as it is to follow such an iconic legend, Purple Disco Machine smashed it. The change-over really was a significant memorable moment. The two DJs have such a special connection and you can feel a genuine friendship between them. The vibes from the boys really radiated from the booth onto the dance floor, the crowd really sensed this beautiful harmony.

Tino Pointek (Purple Disco Machine) is super hot stuff at the moment and he definitely brought the fire to the table. It was evident he was going to raise the roof this evening. PDM has so many tunes right now; from chart topping tracks like ‘Dished’ (Male Stripper), rereleased ‘Body Funk’ to remixes for Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Jax Jones and Weiss. Purple Disco Machine also played many tracks from his new Glitterbox compilation Discotheque which was to be released the following day – Good Friday 19 April. There were a few cheeky unreleased remixes from Tino like a groovy base line track with ‘Funky Town’ sampled over the top. He also selected some throwback songs from his classic album soulmatic, tracks like Devil In Me. Purple Disco Machine has a huge year in front of him. I personally can’t wait to see what tricks this Disco Wizard has up his sleeves.

Following Purple Disco Machine local lads Back to Basic’s turn to hop onto the decks to dance the night away into the final early hour countdown. Taking the disco vibe up a notch the boys played disco infused house with a couple of slightly techie tracks to give the crowd their last little bit of will power and energy before they headed off home for a disco doze.

Of course the downside of the evening was unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances Norman Jay MBE pulled out. I was so thrilled to finally witnessed Norman’s magic as I had never before been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this legendary icon but although there was this little downside, the plus sides blow this out the park.

The overall atmosphere of La Discothèque was so warm and welcoming. I didn’t see a single person stood still the whole evening – from the back of the room to the front barrier everyone was grooving. The diversity of the crowd was really special to see as well, from students to a middle aged crowd – though, it felt there was absolutely no age gap. Everything just flowed, everyone danced together. The power of disco!

La Discothèque have just got this absolutely nailed. There were 2 stage dancers that I couldn’t take my eyes off. Half way through their performance they came into the crowd and gave out branded fans and danced with us in the crowd. They had fire breathers and people walking on stilts. These quirky touches and attention to detail don’t go unnoticed by the audience – it lifts the atmosphere and makes the event even more so intimate and special. The sound and production were on another level as well. They exceed all expectations of what you normally predict of an ordinary event, this is why they have established such a supreme brand and deliver a superb event.

La Discothèque have created a very special brand and community. Stay tuned for a very busy year. The fabulous flamingos have announced their 2nd birthday tour. From Croatia to Newcastle with their big birthday party to be held in their home town and venue Albert Hall, Manchester on 24th November. They have also been teasing us with snippets of information regarding taking the iconic brand over to the white isle of Ibiza. Exciting things ahead.

The post Reviewed: La Discotèque appeared first on Data Transmission.

The UK is an industrious country and a festival hub, but despite being two of the islands defining characteristics, it is extremely rare that the two worlds collide. It has always seemed odd to me that industrial spaces have failed to make it out of the realm of the club and free party scene and onto the festival circuit. Mainland Europe is a different story altogether. A brief exploration of the Netherlands and Germany alone reveals a huge variety of sites that step away from the traditional field and foliage for a different approach. Factories, airfields, oil rigs, bunkers and powerplants galore, Europe has a penchant for utilising industrial space and I think it is something the UK is crying out for. Then along came Bluedot, set in the grounds of Jodrell Bank (an observatory site owned by the University of Manchester). The site is a home of space exploration and served as a whole new concept for what a festival can be. The Lovell Telescope is the dominating feature and an absolute marvel of engineering, a talisman of sorts for the industrious nature of the Mancunian North. If you haven’t had the joy of seeing it up close then the pictures will have to try to do it justice. This thing is an absolute beast and genuinely makes you feel rather taken aback as you approach the site through the fields of Cheshire. Upon arrival, it becomes immediately apparent that the telescope isn’t the only thing that makes this site special. Although it is spread throughout the forests and fields there are an array of other dishes, light and sound installations and so much more. An absolutely huge globe sits floating amongst the trees in the forest, lit and slowly rotating, there is a steampunk style fire area full of strange and bizarre fire-breathing contraptions and everywhere you turn there is something that catches the eye. Perhaps most importantly this is a weekend of education and learning with science at the core. With various discussions and lectures on the universe, our place within in it, sustainability and much more all in the midst of a serious musical line up. Whilst I dabbled in some of the educational sides, it was my job to explore the musical elements and certainly didn’t shy away from the task at hand…

The crowd were a serious curveball. I had been expecting a healthy mix of punters here to party and then families here to entertain their kids, sit around in the sun and learn a thing or two about the universe. All in all, this was a pretty fair assessment. What I was not expecting was the kind of families that turned up… if I’m being honest my worry was that this would feel like a family day out, an excuse to go and do something to entertain the kids and that a lot of the music, particularly the electronic side of things would largely fall on deaf or disinterested ears. How wrong had I been?! This was the realm of ‘the old party dad’ and the ‘let’s have it mum’. This was an introduction and a lesson into mum and dads world and if anything they were going just as hard (if not harder) than all the rest of us!

The opening concert on the Thursday was absolutely incredible. As everyone sat in wait for the big show, the unassuming and brilliant Laura Misch took to centre stage. Using live loops, drum pads, mike and sax, Laura intertwines, layers and entertains with a sweet confidence that won over everyone that sat to listen. As the beautiful tones of Laura’s sax ebbed away and the sun dipped behind the clouds, we applauded the arrival of Blue Planet & The Halle Orchestra. This was an experience. As a big fan of the programme, I had some idea of what was to come… the deep, some beautiful, colourful fish backed by a string section and some uplifting horns to set the tone for a nice family friendly weekend right? I think not. Although there were some friendly and sweet moments to the performance a lot of it was absolutely brutal! As the fairly middle-class crowd sat around on their picnic blankets with their children enjoying a nice sunset, The Halle Orchestra played the ominous soundtrack to some of the most epic and terrifying scenes ever captured at sea – with a huge dominance of Killer Wales. The most traumatic scene was undoubtedly the killer wales targeting another wales child, as they slowly attacked them both over about a 10 minute period and eventually drowned the young with the parent left to continue her journey alone. There was children crying everywhere around me and everyone was locked to the screen with an open jaw and wide eyes. It was brilliant and the soundtrack was deep and haunting despite its dark nature. That being said it did feel rather odd to be sat casually watching the brutal death of some of the planet’s most magnificent animals whilst we all enjoyed some classical music and drinks on the lawn – it all felt a little Hunger Games… Right from the off I decided there and then that you couldn’t second guess this festival whatsoever and that the old phrase ‘to assume it to make an ass of you and me’ had never been more appropriate.

Whoever was behind the bookings this year had a really interesting agenda and it was novel to see a list of names that were not to be found at every other event this summer. Mad Professor surprised the dub fans and came out with a hard, new school jungle set that got things moving nicely for Roni Size (performing New Forms Live). Much of the sound on site up till this point had been fairly tame and this wet the whistle nicely for the party to come. Ana Matronic (of the Scissor Sisters) then played a DJ set in a tribal funktronica style with a hard 4×4 set up and a sinister balaeric undertone. Eventually came the Roni Size experience. What had previously been a fairly vague space had been transformed with visuals on a huge screen in front of the booth. The set went hard and deep from the off as expected, with a live video of a double bass (perhaps Roni’s signature instrument sample) being played continuously throughout the set in time to the music. The effect was mesmerising and the energy was flowing full force.

The Flaming Lips are one of those bands that you really just don’t understand until you see them live. If they were to come on the radio I don’t know if I’d listen to them or not if I’m honest. That being said these guys put on a show and I will never in my life forget stumbling out of a dance tent to see a giant pink inflatable robot taking up the entire main stage, spitting gigantic multi-coloured bouncy balls out of its face and into the crowd. Within seconds there were hundreds of them floating slowly through the air until they reached the eager hands and fists of the crowd to send them back into orbit. It was one of the most amazing and bizarre festival sights I have ever come across.

Speakman Sound were a very apt booking for this futuristic space festival as they stepped on stage in their silver geometric masks. With a powerful, energetic drummer and a serious synth set up with mini Moog and keys galore – these guys took us from tribal house, through garage and trance and almost made you feel like you’d stepped into a club in a Ridley Scott tale. There were elements of Moderat and Thom Yorke in the performance and it seemed like the two have a rich and intriguing musical background that I am very keen to learn more about.

Spacecassette kept things rather weird and laid on a crazy interactive show. After an alien-esque opening announcement we were introduced to ninjas on keys and drums – apes were dancing around to big synth lines and hypnotic trance lines pumped through the tent in what felt like a really strange dream.

Crazy P were undoubtedly the highlight live set of the weekend and seemed to have the biggest impact on the dancing shoes at the main stage. Live disco bands of this sort are few and far between these days but these guys have been pushing the sound and arguably leading the UK disco revival since 1997! When you listen to their distinct brand of future disco it is easy to forget that they’ve been doing this for so long, it’s almost like the more they release the more relevant and integral they become. Perhaps the biggest clue comes from the band’s ability to weave genres and influences quite so elegantly – as this time the crew danced the careful balance between tough deep and soulful funk, inclings of acid house and bigger hard-hitting 4×4 tunes all with a soft disco vocal melody. Danielle Moore, the Mancunian front lady, was classy as hell and relished the opportunity to entertain the home crowd. An absolute stormer of a performance all around.

Keeping things homegrown the Mancunians continued to impress, as what was arguably the best DJ set of the weekend came from Kerouac (LOVE DOSE/ Reform Radio). With a backdrop of old-school Playstation 1/early windows media style graphics, the reserved character started with rolling deep house with nice delayed snares and clicks and through into wonky slow techno and downtempo Arabic influenced house. People were seriously getting down and the energy and mood was all round infectious.

The Chemical Brothers did what they do best and put on a proper party with the most interesting and experimental use of the lighting rig we had seen all weekend. As an assault of green lazers came out with a giant evil looking white zombie king on the screen, we were all reminded why the duo has been around for so long. Serious business. Although things eventually drifted a little too far into T4 on the beach, the set was a nice throwback and an apt way to send things off with a bang on the last day.

As I walk home through the forest to the campsite and catch sight of another huge satellite dish poking through the trees, I can’t help but feel like I am at a party at a rebel alliance hideout or another planet that some lucky few have been taken to. But this is not the case, we are on earth, we are on the pale blue dot and what a place it is!

 www.oneeyein.com

The post Reviewed: Bluedot Festival 2018 appeared first on Data Transmission.

Belfast’s AVA Festival is leaving Northern Ireland this weekend for a first of its kind event in London at the Hackney’s Hanger across Friday 16th and Saturday 17th March.

By day, Friday 16th March includes a series of free talks, tech workshops, industry panels, plus studio tours featuring the most exciting emerging Irish talent and conversations with leading industry figures (think Moxie, Crazy P, Monki).

Saturday 17th March is a full St Patricks Day shakedown with two nights filled with parties including Dark Sky, Genius of Time, Ryan Vail, Optimo, Orl:la, Saoirse and Swoose. 

Tickets here : http://bit.ly/AVALDN

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