Ever since attending the venue for the first time a few years back, there has been one name that I have been dying to see appear on the listings. This artist has one of the most enduring names in electronic music and has been a pioneering force for almost 20 years, time and time again pushing the scene to its technical and musical limits. Of course – I am referring to Eric Prydz.

Prydz’s shows are renowned for their one-of-a-kind spectacle, with fans flocking from far and wide to witness his phenomenal performances. Towards the end of last year, I was finally given some closure when the news was announced – after three years, Eric Prydz was finally coming to Printworks! February 28th was set to be debut day for Prydz, and the fact that this would be his only London show of 2020, made the occasion just that little bit more special.

In terms of support acts, Ukrainian duo ARTBAT were warming up for the Swedish titan. The pair have recently taken the world’s dancefloors by storm, with huge support from some of the biggest names within the scene.

The 28th Feb arrived and as we landed at Printworks, you could tell that the event had sold out. It was the busiest I had seen the venue for some time, with queues stretching out the door and round through the shipping containers. Despite this, the queues moved relatively quickly, and we were inside the venue within about 25 minutes. After grabbing some drinks, we headed out into the Press Halls and settled into the evening.

As the clock struck 9pm, ARTBAT kicked things off with a considerably heavier set than usual. Whispers in the lead up to the event had indicated that the duo were armed with some serious new productions, which were set to be released over the coming year. These whispers totally rang true. Artbat’s set was stuffed full of IDs, amongst classics such as ‘Return to Oz’, ‘Element’, and ‘Keep Control’, to name but a few. I would say that ARTBAT warming up for Eric, is one of the most sensible and synchronised combinations currently on the circuit – their styles flow seamlessly into one another’s productions. With ARTBAT’s set creating countless sighs and shouts of excitement from the riled-up crowd, the clock hit 11pm and Prydz stepped out into the booth to join the duo. It was time for a three-hour set from Eric Prydz.

As the lights came down, the room was filled with darkness, leaving that iconic white spotlight to light up Prydz in the booth. Kicking things off with a production from his alias Pryda, ‘Armed’ could be heard slowly building up through that almighty sound system, shaking every single raver to the core. Prydz’s visuals interconnected perfectly with the audio, and the next three hours took every single attendee on a truly unique journey.

Many of Prydz shows are centred around huge 3D projections that fly out over the crowd, creating a large optical element to his performance. As his event at Printworks didn’t fall under the branding of his recent HOLO shows, his performance was a lot more centred around the music. Don’t get me wrong, Printwork’s lighting certainly put its own spin on the performance, but it was nice to also truly appreciate some of the productions being thrown out.

The next three hours passed way too quickly. Prydz was constantly switching between some of his originals, and some considerably harder content from his two alias, Pryda and Cirez D. The crowd were also treated to several IDs that night, which popped off at several points throughout the three hours. I would say that it was also evident that Prydz was enjoying himself. He could be seen jumping about the booth on regular occasions, with a big smile on his face, and the crowd absolutely loving it. There’s something particularly special about when a DJ/producer interacts with their crowd. Usually, this is hard for Prydz, with him regularly being tucked away behind a screen of visuals. I am presuming that he relished an occasion to be that close to the crowd, in a venue as impressive as Printworks. It certainly added something to the night.

As well as the ID’s, Printworks were gifted with tracks such as ‘Javlar’, ‘Full Stop’, ‘Bus 605’, ‘Stay With Me’, ‘Emos’, ‘Every Day’, and of course ‘Opus’. The final track of the evening was a ‘Midnight City’ remix which left everyone dancing out of the Press Halls.

After waiting so long for a Prydz appearance at Printworks, I can’t help but find myself looking forward to the next occasion. Flawless production and event organisation as usual. Thank you to the team at Printworks, thank you to Artbat, and a big thank you to Eric Prydz. Until next time.

The post Reviewed: Eric Prydz at Printworks appeared first on Data Transmission.

Ever since attending the venue for the first time a few years back, there has been one name in particular that I have been dying to see appear on the listings. This particular artist has one of the most enduring names in electronic music and has been a pioneering force for almost 20 years, time and time again pushing the scene to its technical and musical limits. Of course – I am referring to Eric Prydz.

Prydz’s shows are renowned for their one-of-a-kind spectacle, with fans flocking from far and wide to witness his phenomenal performances. Towards the end of last year, I was finally given some closure when the news was announced – after three years, Eric Prydz was finally coming to Printworks! February 28th is set to be debut day for Prydz, and the fact that this will be his only London show of 2020, makes the occasion just that little bit more special.

In terms of support acts, it has been announced that Ukrainian duo ARTBAT will be warming up for the Swedish titan. The pair have recently taken the world’s dancefloors by storm with huge support from some of the biggest names within the scene. With rumours that new music will be landing from the duo this year, we can expect an extremely exciting performance to kick off the evening.

Tickets for the event previously sold out in a matter of minutes, so anyone who is looking to try and buy a ticket at this stage, success is looking unlikely. However, if anyone is lucky enough to be offered a ticket, don’t hesitate, just do it. This will undoubtedly be a treasured evening, and personally I cannot contain my excitement. To those of you who were lucky enough to get a ticket during the sale before Christmas, I look forward to seeing you there!

Make sure you go to official ticket resellers for tickets!

Get tickets to upcoming Spring Season events at Printworks from here

The post Looking ahead to Eric Prydz at Printworks appeared first on Data Transmission.

Headlining the ‘SuperCharged’ Main Stage on the day, were the infamous Chase & Status, with support from Andy C, Wilkinson, My Nu Leng, Dread MC, Holy Goof, Ms Banks, Jaguar Skills, Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn, and of course the SuperCharged Residents. Bringing a line-up to rival the main-stage, ‘The Arch’ Big Top House Tent was set to be headlined by the legendary duo CamelPhat. Supporting the duo would be Alan Fitzpatrick, Sonny Fodera, Detlef, Danny Howard, Mason Maynard, Meduza, Ku De Ta, Maklipz, and Olliver Sturdy.

First impressions seemed good, as a steady stream of people made their way through the woodland to the site: entry was organized and efficient, and the clouds above seemed to be holding off as best they could. Upon entering the site, the house stage was already packed to the back, with Alan Fitzpatrick doing what he does best. As we got closer to the tent I could hear Fitzpatrick doing a perfect blend between a remix of ‘Joys’ by Roberto Surace, into the extremely popular ‘Put A Record On’ by Matt Sassari. The crowd absolutely loved it!

Keen to get straight into the action we headed into the main arena where Jaguar Skills had just started his set. This turntable ninja is well known for his high energy, in your face bass, and more than anything else, entertaining DJ sets. Living up to his reputation, the crowd was witness to some absolute classics, mixed perfectly into some bone-crunching drum and bass – the energy was huge! Towards the end of the set, the sound started to cut out and this continued to happen on a number of occasions. This unfortunately caused Jaguar Skills to retire a few minutes earlier than planned, but this had been an electric start to the festivities!

Continuing on at the main stage, the sets that followed were nothing short of mammoth that afternoon. Highlights for myself were hearing Andy C play out Distress Signal’s new release ‘Horizon’, and Wilkinson pull through with ‘Desire’ by Sub Focus.

Keen not to miss out on the action happening over at the house stage, we kept popping our heads over to catch a few glimpses of the warm up acts before finishing the night with the house headliner. Highlights from the warm up acts were witnessing Detlef’s ‘Music Please’ bring the entire house stage into a unison of chant, and also hearing Danny Howards new single ‘Need’ which features the vocals of Alex Mills.

By the time it came to the headline slots, the rain had been falling for a few hours. Despite this, due to the whole festival being located under the big high-tops, performances went on with no issue at all. Spirits were high and all sound issues that had previously been a problem in the earlier part of the day, seemed to have been fixed.

Opting to finish Boundary Festival 2019 with CamelPhat in the house tent, the stage was bursting at the seams as thousands tried to catch a glimpse of the duo working their magic. Combining some of their originals such as ‘Breathe’ featuring Jem Cooke, with some blissful remixes, like Cristoph’s recent remake of ‘Sweet Deposition’, this was a beautiful set to end the festival, and brought nothing but smiles to those around the arena. It was safe to say that Boundary had smashed it for yet another year, and that the festival is clearly continuing to go from strength to strength. I look forward to seeing what lineup appears on the books for next year, and I can predict with some confidence that this festival is going to continue to expand and grow into something even more spectacular than it is today.

Thanks to Boundary Festival 2019 I had a blast and I look forward to seeing what 2020 brings along!

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

Boundary main-stage will be sponsored by SuperCharged. The bass fanatics behind Brighton’s SuperCharged have taken the city by storm, carving out a position at the top of the tree when it comes to break-beat, dubstep and drum ’n’ bass. Headlining on the day, will be the none other than the infamous Chase & Status. Support will come in the form of some absolute titans with the likes of Andy C, Wilkinson, My Nu Leng, Dread MC, Holy Goof, Ms Banks, Jaguar Skills, Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn, and of course the SuperCharged Residents, all making an appearance!

The Big House Top Tent will be sponsored by The Arch. Playing host to the likes of Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Annie Mac and many more, The Arch has one mission – to blow Brighton’s underground club scene out of the water. Bringing a line-up to rival the main-stage, the main act will be none other than the legendary duo Camelphat. Supporting the duo will be Alan Fitzpatrick, Sonny Fodera, Detlef, Danny Howard, Mason Maynard, Meduza, Ku De Ta, Maklipz, and Olliver Sturdy. Some mammoth names making an appearance this year!

The third and final stage will be the OneAway Outdoor Container Stage, with Friction, Hybrid Minds, Randall, Benny L, Kronical, Stanton Warriors, and Krafty Kuts making up last piece of the Boundary 2019 puzzle.

As well as a day of fun, festival goers will also be privileged to a number of official and non-official after parties sweeping the city. SuperCharged will be back on their home turf at Concorde 2, OneAway will be taking over The Arch for the evening, and Boundary resident Olliver Sturdy will be back for his un-official ‘Syndicate’ party at Badda Bing. So much choice!

For those of you who still haven’t grabbed a ticket yet, move fast as they are running out. You can find all remaining tickets here

The post Boundary Festival promise their biggest event so far appeared first on Data Transmission.

For those of you who haven’t heard of the brand ‘Clockwork Orange’ before, let me just give you a little bit of a history lesson. The first party started as merely a gathering of friends. It wasn’t long before the word spread, and gatherings started to become more regular. They began popping up in multiple locations throughout London.

In 1994, Clockwork celebrated its 1st birthday and started to throw its first sold out parties at Electric Film Studios, The Cross, and Camden Palace. In no time at all, the brand was off to Ibiza with a summer residency at Es Paradis. Ibiza was the perfect springboard for Clockwork. It gained a huge reputation and an extremely devoted following within the 90s clubbing scene.

As a result of its roots being buried deep in the 90s, Clockwork has picked up a particular breed of followers. Referred to as either the ‘Orange Army’ or ‘Clockies’. These die-hard ravers are exactly who you want showing up at your events. These old school groovers are the true spirit that rave culture was built on. As a result, a Clockwork Orange crowd is predominantly of the older generation, and that is what makes it all the more special. The variety of people who attend these events is vast. Such a spectrum of characters, somehow all coming together around one particular love: music. It really is special to see.

Clockstock at Chelmsford Racecourse is one of Clockwork Orange’s new ventures. Attempting to bring the old school and the next generation together for one party. This is a new and substantial step for the brand. Selling out months in advance and promoting an extremely diverse and talented line-up, Clockstock was THE place to be on Saturday 22nd June 2019. This year’s line-up had huge potential with the likes of Erick Morillo, Roger Sanchez, Joey Neggro, Tony Humphries, Todd Terry and DJ Sneak all making an appearance. It was also extremely nice to see the Clockwork Orange veterans would also be making up a large percentage of performing artists, including Clockwork’s masterminds Danny Gould and Andy Manston.

Arriving at the event on the morning of the 22nd, the sun was streaming down over the UK with not a single cloud to be seen in the sky. Clockstock could not have fallen on a nicer day! Getting into the event was interesting. Chelmsford Racecourse is definitely out in the sticks, let me tell you that. I will say though, it was a great venue to hold the event once you eventually got there. Security was efficient and in no time at all, we were through and amongst the madness. A sea of orange, weird and wonderful outfits could be seen laid out across the racecourse as we came out into the central bar area. It looked quality!

Clockstock was operating under a drink token policy with wristbands being used to actually make the drink purchases at the bars. Having seen this at previous events, this is easily something that can put a dampener on the day, with adding tokens to the wristbands becoming extremely long-winded and time consuming. This was certainly not the case here though. With countless stewards circulating the grounds with portable card machines, it was a matter of minutes before we had our wristbands filled up and ready to hit the bars.

The stage layout for the event was ideal. All were within a reasonable walking distance, but not too close to intrude on each other. The main stage was packed out from early on in the afternoon with the other areas filling up extremely quickly as well. These included the Clockwork Terrace, a Future Skool Stage, a Disco Stage, a Grandstand stage, and of course an Old Skool Stage as well. To say that Clockstock catered for all would be accurate.

Having been in the festival for about an hour, and having done a circuit of all the stages, I had learnt a few things about Clockstock and about Clockwork Orange. This new event, filled with happy friendly faces, and strewn with musical talent from around the globe, was quickly becoming one of my favourite parties I’ve ever attended. I am going to struggle to describe the feeling that I got from the event that day but I’ll give it a go. A combination of a few things made it feel particularly special.

The older generations coming together with the younger generations was probably a considerable factor. There was not a hint of trouble throughout the day. Clockwork Orange lived up to its reputation of peaceful friendly ravers coming together to enjoy inspirational music, and get along as one. Another factor was definitely the music. Having been to some events recently, and hearing the same drum roll over and over again for 10 hours, it was a breath of fresh air to take a step back into the ’90s and experience some outright dance classics. Personally, I couldn’t fault a single track selection throughout the day and I don’t think I have ever experienced that before. Flawless.

I would say there were a number of particular highlights for me during the day. Witnessing Xpansion’s ‘Move Your Body’ dropped on the Clockwork Terrace by Seb Fontaine. Andy Manston hitting the terrace with some saxophone support to really bring through that summer feelings. Watching the sun go down behind the main stage as Todd Terry, Roger Sanchez, and Erick Morillo provided the soundtrack. Sunset over the main stage was something else entirely!

Usually, in my reviews, this is where I would dive into which artists I saw throughout the day and go into some particular highlights from each set. For a few reasons though, I’m not going to do this. Firstly there were too many gems that occurred to sit here and list them. We would be here for days.

The second is that Clockwork Orange has blessed the public with one final gift. All main stage, the terrace and Paul Trouble Anderson stage sets have been recorded and posted on their Soundcloud. For all of you who either attended or for those of you who unfortunately couldn’t make it this year, I would encourage you all to go and have a browse. These sets are the perfect summer soundtrack and I think there is unquestionably something there for everyone to enjoy. A true example of the talent that was witnessed at Clockstock.

Clockstock 2020 planning is already underway and believe me you do not want to miss out. I am already itching to get back to the racecourse. An amazing crowd, perfect weather, even better music, and a brand that is truly reaching its potential. For those of you who just can’t wait until next year, Clockwork Orange will be out in Ibiza 18th – 22nd July for an array of boat parties and club appearances. For anyone who’s staying in the UK, there will also be an event at Printworks London taking place on 21st September and a day party at London’s fabric on 30th November.

A big thank you to all involved in the organisation of Clockstock. It really was a special day.

Photo credit: Daddy’s Got Sweets

The post Reviewed: Clockstock at Chelmsford Racecourse appeared first on Data Transmission.

Eric’s HOLO show was debuted in Glasgow and Belfast in summer 2018, and concluded the tour with a headline closing slot at Creamfields on the Sunday night of the August festival. Once again playing the Steel Yard, Eric aimed to draw the crowd from the likes of Martin Garrix, who closed the Horizon stage, and Tiesto, who closed the Arc stage. Reports say that the Steel Yard was so packed, fans were gathered on the grass outside, trying to gain a slight peak inside the arena to catch the action.

As one of the most exciting innovators on the global dance circuit, there are none who come close to the production value of Prydz’ live shows. Following several years of development work behind the scenes, HOLO uses unique audio visual technology to create and design a tour-able holographic live experience. Since its inception, the 15,000 Steel Yard superstructure has revolutionized the ‘event’ experience for electronic music fans. Designed and created exclusively for Creamfields, it’s the largest of its kind in Europe. Featuring ground breaking technology and production, this unique structure lends itself perfectly to an artist of Prydz’ calibre.

Eric is in charge of three highly respected labels whose releases are in feverish demand, consistently selling huge quantities of vinyl, which is truly incredible in the markets current climate. The labels, Mouseville, Pryda, & Pryda Friends are arguably proving to be the most successful and forward thinking imprints currently existing. Each label was strictly developed to give Eric a platform to release his own productions without outside interference. Simply: his music, on his terms. It was important for Eric to step back after his previous successes, and to release music without schedules and pressure. Ultimately he wanted to control his own image & destiny, something he feel is extremely important to him and his career. The ethos behind the labels is truly underground, scarcely any promotion, no press intrusion and true label/design identity… a formula which has proven massively successful!

As May 26th arrived, a hot and sunny day broke over London, as though it knew that Prydz was coming to town. The line-up for the event featured some extremely talented artists such as Alan Fitzpatrick and Cristoph, who were followed by a back to back set between George Fitzgerald and Tiga. As the pairs set came to a close, there was a silence that fell over the crowd and some toned down background-music began to play through the hugely impressive sound system, that surrounded the arena. As about 30 minutes passed, the Steel Yard filled up at an incredible rate, and it wasn’t long before the entire establishment was bursting at the seams. Only whispers of anticipation could be heard, circulating the space. As the clock hit 8.30pm the lights turned off and darkness fell over the Steel Yard. The background music began to rise, and shouts of excitement erupted across the crowd due to the realisation that this was it! This was the moment. The moment we had all been waiting for. Eric Prydz had arrived.

Kicking off his set with a couple of Pryda IDs that showcase the first holograms of the evening, a gigantic 3D cube and face floated out over the crowd, causing many to reach up and try to touch it. Prydz continued to play countless Pryda IDs, including a particular crowd pleaser from Cirez D, which is his musical alias he uses to produce alongside techno producer Adam Beyer. A sea of mobile phones could be seen floating above the 15,000 strong audience, who were nothing but desperate to try and capture the beauty and elegance that they were witnessing.

As we reached an hour into the set, Prydz played an incredible mashup of his track ‘Genesis’ with the classic ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics, mixed in with absolute perfection. As a huge Jupiter hologram flew out over the stage, a completely devoted crowd sang the lyrics to Sweet Dreams with such force and volume, you could tell that this was something truly special that was happening in the capital that day. This was then followed by his astonishing ‘NOPUS’ ID which brought nothing but smiles and happiness to the mass of shouting bodies streaming back through the Steelyard structure– energy levels appeared to be at their peak!

With Prydz knowing perfectly how to keep a crowd engaged, it was at this point that his Pryda Terminal 5 ID track could be heard building up through the sound system. The space could feel those progressive chords sending vibrations tremoring through the crowd’s bodies, causing the anticipation to build yet again at what was about to come. As the build reached its pinnacle, strobes shattered out across the audience, broken only by a savage laser show which completely tore the room apart.

As the crowd continued to euphorically jump in every direction at what they were currently witnessing, Prydz moved into one of his new releases: his remix of Camelphat & Christoph’s ‘Breathe’. I have personally come to prefer this remix slightly more than the original, so to say that I was keen to see this particular track dropped live at one of Prydz’s HOLO events, would be a substantial understatement. I was not to be disappointed in the slightest. As the track began to build, a hologram of stars flowed out over the crowd making it seem as though we were flying through space. Four red lasers floated majestically across space, the background of the venue started to glow red, and two spot lights lit up the DJ booth showing Prydz, with his hand held high above his head, looking out across the sea of people before him. As the drop to ‘Breathe’ approached, the spot lights faded and we were back into darkness again. At the drop, the place exploded with strobes, and a brutal red laser show, which honestly took the roof off the place!

As we moved further into the set, Prydz started upon a slightly more nostalgic and dialled back vibe. Part of the reason for this is in dedication and memory of his greatest fan: James Lillo. James tragically passed away 3 years ago after a long battle with cancer. After the passing, Prydz decided to pay his respects using his favourite tool, music, and went on to produce a song titled ‘Lillo’. With a picture of James being displayed on the screen above Prydz, it was truly a moving and emotional point in the evening.

As we reached the close of Prydz’s inconceivable journey, the familiar hologram of the astronaut stretched out over the crowd, and the melody of ‘Pjanoo’ could be heard gradually building in the background. As festival-goers started to jump around in excitement at the classic Prydz track, suddenly both the hologram and the sound of Pjanoo started to fade – one final twist from Prydz!

Instead, and again perfectly blended in, we could hear the sound of “Everyday’ start to build, perfectly complimenting those piano chords from ‘Pjanoo’. The reaction from the crowd was unforgettable. Every single raver, jumping up and down, and screaming the lyrics from ‘Everyday’ as though their lives depended on it. What a sight!

This brought a close to a truly unforgettable day. Prydz took the crowd on a journey that very few artists could replicate. I would say that there are a handful of artists who are even in the same league of Prydz’s production and talent. He truly sets the benchmark for how and where the music industry should be going, and it does nothing but excite me on how things will look in years to come. He is a true pioneer and innovator in the live scene, and I have nothing but respect for an artist of this calibre.

If you have a chance to go and see his show at Creamfields, and for some reason you find yourself questioning whether it’s the right choice – don’t think about it. Do yourself a favour. Go!

Tickets to Creamfields area available here

Need a hotel? Go to Booking.com

The post Reviewed: Eric Prydz Presents HOLO at Steel Yard appeared first on Data Transmission.

With the main man himself on headline duties, he had enlisted a top lineup of highly respected DJs, all with reputations of delivering fun-fuelled sets. This included Motor City Drum Ensemble, Skream, Tama Sumo & Lakuti and Dyed Soundorom. A very special live set was also arranged for Mr G, bringing his infectious funk-filled energy to the main room aka ‘The Press Halls’. In the more intimate ‘Dark Room’, revellers were to be treated to an array of underground heroes and rising talent with Muallem, Grainger, Ceri and Moses all featuring on the line-up.

We arrived at the venue at about 3:45pm, and as usual were in and through security within a matter of minutes. For anyone who has read my previous reviews on Printworks, you will know that I am a big fan of the way security is run at the venue. I have heard countless people mention that it’s never a pleasant security experience – I think they might be attending their local printing press instead of THIS spectacular location.

We had arrived with the intention of catching the start of Skream’s set at 16:00. After seizing some drinks from the bar, we shuffled up the stairs and out into the Press Halls. Perfect timing – he had just stepped out into the booth. With the knowledge that Skream is extremely versatile with his sets, it was still a slight surprise to me when I first saw him on the line-up alongside the likes of Kerri Chander and Mr G. They have some pretty different styles, so to see what he had planned was always going to be interesting.

For the opening minute of Skream’s set, things all seemed pretty relaxed. You could see him smiling at the front of the room, which was filling up rapidly. A whisper started to echo out of the sound system and you could feel a drum roll start to build up from behind the vocal. As the roll reached its peak, a sharp burst of three chords rang out across the crowd, and the place erupted. As the track dropped, a pounding house beat could be felt driving through the mass of bodies. The crowd exclaimed at the huge red face that had now appeared on the massive rectangular visual set up, behind the booth. It had begun!

The next hour from Skream was a mixture of fast-paced funky tech, with a selection of particularly energetic disco, slotted in perfectly. A specific highlight of mine was when he played ‘Mental Geller’ by The Phantom’s Revenge. Skream absolutely killed it and his ability to get the crowd going as much as he did, whilst at the same time flawlessly falling in line with a similar style to the rest of the acts on the line-up – its nothing but raw talent.

Next to step out on stage was Tama Sumo and Lakuti, as a double act. Unfamiliar with both artists, I was intrigued as to what the next hour would entail. As the minutes passed, the crowd experienced an array of particularly groovy left-field beats, reminding me of the likes of Metro Area. This particular style of left-field has its roots thoroughly embedded in post-disco R&B and Italo disco. It is certain to get you moving, let me tell you that! After about 20 minutes from these two wonderful artists, I was getting so into the set, I decided I needed to get a better look. A few of us headed off for the backstage area in order to get a little closer at the action. Once we reached the stage, you could see a crowd of people surrounding the duo, smiles on faces, shuffling to the groove that was pounding out through the room. The sea of people laid out in front of the booth were dancing in a way that I have never seen before at Printworks. This was taking us back to the true days of disco and it was magical! Pure positivity was resonating throughout the space, and Tama Sumo and Lakuti had us all in palm of their hands.

As their set sadly drew to a close, it was now time for the act that I had secretly been most excited about seeing. I say “secretly” – I think everyone I was attending the event with probably knew this for the past few months! My first time experiencing what Mr G is all about, was the first time I saw his Boiler Room set on Youtube. Some of you may be familiar with this particular video, but for those of you who aren’t, let me give you a few details. The clip’s sound is incredibly distorted and the video quality also isn’t particularly good. However, the live productions that Mr G lays down in this video have never failed to get me moving and grooving, no matter where I am. Mr G’s infectious live beats are laden with throbbing funky bass lines alongside a mixture of high hats and snares, which he tends to add whenever he feels appropriate. Now though, it was time for the real thing. No distorted sound. No grainy picture. Just a grooving Mr G in the flesh.

The next hour had me in my absolute element. Mr G ran us through some of his regular productions with his infamous vocals echoing out through the halls. ‘If House Is A Nation’ was a particular highlight. The beat and the vocal work so well, and with those delayed intermittent claps that run over the top – it’s a true groover. Standing on stage, it was also very easy to finally witness some of the notorious Mr G dance moves. This guy can move let me tell you that! Embracing his productions with every inch of his body, this guy did not stop moving for the entire hour he played. One moment he was standing up next to the decks smashing his head up and down with his bucket hat on, the next he was in the booth moving from side to side like gravity didn’t exist. To say I am glad that I finally got to witness this master at work, is a sure understatement. I would say an hour’s worth of Mr G is by far a better alternative to 3-4 hours of some particular producers – you just can’t beat it. We were also particularly lucky that evening, as Mr G had decided to bring a new track just for Printworks. This track doesn’t yet have a name I believe, but the vocals ‘we drink too much that’s why we dance too much’ with a classic Mr G bass line was nothing but spectacular. Definite future hit right there!

It was now time for boss man Kerri Chandler. As Mr G and Kerri exchanged a hug, Kerri pulled out his keyboard and proceeded to add an additional layer to the final beats of Mr G’s set. Kerri started out with his selections continuing a similar vibe to what we had experienced for the last hour. Using the lower end of his keyboard, he pounded out some slightly darker productions for the first part of his set, embracing the huge dark space that is Printworks. As we moved into the second half of the set, things started to turn more vocal, with those classic happy piano vibes bring yet more smiles to faces. Feeling it was an appropriate time, we headed back out into the crowd in order to fully embrace the magic that was currently going down. As the lights lowered down towards the crowd on the huge trapezes that they sit on, it suddenly felt like a much more intimate space. I would say this was probably the peak of Kerri’s set. As ‘In My System’ blasted out across the crowd, everybody was up and jumping, holding nothing back as that saxophone truly brought the party home. What scenes!

With Kerri’s set drawing to a close, he left us with one final treat. Finishing with Chic’s ‘Lost In Music’ he had the whole of Printworks singing their heart out. Again, I have never witnessed this at Printworks before, but I guess this had been nothing but a special night. Motor City Drum Ensemble then took to the stage to bring us a final set of house, disco and techno. Bouncing between the decks he proceeded to play out euphoric tracks such as Krystal Klear’s ‘Moonshake Minor’ which was an amazing way to bring the night to a close. As the lights came up and people started to shuffle out of the venue, all you could hear around you was the buzz about how special the night had been. With a world class line-up, new music, a crowd that had given 100% throughout, and a venue to match the magnitude of talent that had been present, it had been flawless.

Thank you Kerri Chandler, and thank you Printworks.

The post Reviewed: Kaoz at Printworks appeared first on Data Transmission.

Personally, I hadn’t been to Printworks since November, and truthfully I had started to miss it quite a lot over the Christmas period. It has definitely become one of my preferred places to head out to in London. I’m not sure what it is about the place. Maybe it’s the layout? Maybe it’s the fact that there never seems to be a big queue at the entrance? Maybe it’s the fact that it honestly blows my mind every time I step inside the place? Maybe its all of those things? Ha – I’ll let you decide. Regardless, I was very happy to be returning and extremely eager to see how the day and night would unravel.

We arrived to Printworks at about 4pm and within a matter of minutes we were inside and ready throw ourselves into everything that Edible Beats had to offer. After casting our eyes over the line-ups dotted around the venue, and grabbing some drinks from the bar, we headed up the steps and out into the Press Halls where we were met by the thumping sounds of Andres Campo. Arguably one of Spain’s most successful DJ’s currently, it was a pleasure to finally hear him live doing what he does best. The hour and half that followed was truly something special to witness. His set rose and fell throughout, bringing with it a selection of foot stomping tech, blended in with some beautiful, progressive, chord-driven techno. By witnessing Andres Campo at work behind the decks you can really start to understand how this guy has come so far, and how he has achieved as much musical recognition as he has. A bit of a musical wizard in my opinion. A personal highlight for me was when Andres dropped the dub version of ‘Time to Breath’ by Ignacio Arfeli. What a tune!

Next on the schedule was Anastasia Topolskaia, the Ukrainian DJ better known as Nastia. Now for those of you who haven’t had an opportunity to listen to one of Nastia’s sets before, I would describe her sound to be something that resembles the act of opening up Pandora’s Box. You never know what you are going to get, but I can guarantee that it will be an array of strange, weird, and wonderful sounds, that will truly captivate you. For Edible Beats 100, Nastia decided to drive a particularly heavy techno set into the foundations of Printworks. The tempo of the music shot up considerably, and you could see the crowd were absolutely loving every second of it. I would say the pinnacle of Nastia’s set was when she played out ‘Gundam’ by Raffaele Attanasio. If you haven’t heard this particular track then go and give it a listen immediately. It’s a crowd pleaser every time. Printworks completely erupted, and as the lighting production went absolutely crazy, you could see Nastia smiling away behind the decks.

As 7.30pm arrived, the lights dipped down low casting a red tint over Printworks with the Edible Beats sign glowing in orange above the crowd. It was time for Eats Everything B2B with Green Velvet. A ringing could be heard building up through the sound system and it was at this point that we all heard a familiar sound. The muffled voice of Green Velvet speaking into his headphones echoed round the halls welcoming all those to their night of fun. As Green Velvet finished his words of wisdom, the sound of laughing erupted round the space, and we were immediately flung into an explosion of strobes as whole place went off! What I love about Eats Everything and Green Velvet, is that their musical tastes compliment each other so well. Granted, Eats Everything will play pretty much anything under the sun if you give him the opportunity, but whenever he gets together with Green Velvet, there always seems to be a stomping techno vibe with some extremely heavy acid influences. Another thing that’s also worth mentioning about Eats Everything, is that he also seems to love taking a particular track that he enjoys, and ‘Reebeefing’ it. What I mean by that is he will take music that he likes and then bulk it out with his particular sound, to the point where it becomes a pounding track that will rattle even the biggest of sound systems. One of the tracks that got the biggest reaction was his ‘Reebeef’ of ‘U’ by Scot Project, with the vocal from St Germain’s ‘Rose Rouge’ laid perfectly over the top. Throughout the set you could see Eats Everything and Green Velvet laughing and joking with each other, as they dropped track after track flawlessly to the entranced crowd that they had laid out in front of them. It becomes obvious when a pair of producers enjoy performing alongside each other and I would say that these two as a duo, tick all the right boxes. They truly showed Printworks how to have a good time, and what a performance and set to celebrate the 100th show.

The final act of the night was Alan Fitzpatrick. I have always loved Alan’s particular style ever since I first heard one of his records. His techno always seems to have some quirky groovy melody, whilst at the same time maintaining that dark and muffled underground vibe that so many producers attempt to replicate. As well as playing some Fitzpatrick original classics such as ‘We Do What We Want’, he also stayed in line with how the rest of the evening had played out, and continued to pound out some extremely cheeky acid. My favourite track of his set has got to be ‘303 003’ by Planet Rhythm. It gives off that 90’s warehouse vibe, and I think that’s what we are all looking for to be honest. Wouldn’t you agree?

As the night drew to a close it was clear that Edible Beats 100 had absolutely nailed the evening, and had left a happy memory with everyone that night. Printworks was as usual a pleasure to attend and I am extremely excited to get back there this month. A big thank you to all who helped organise the night, and a shout to Eats Everything for continuing to provide us with the parties that he does. Edible Beats…..until next time!

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It was back in May of this year when we first heard the whispers of a one-off show at Printworks, headlined by none other than deadmau5 (aka Canadian producer and DJ Joel Zimmerman). The show promised to be an audio-visual spectacular, with ground-breaking music from an individual who has truly mastered the art of composition and production.

Joel and his label ‘mau5trap’ are responsible for some of the most prestigious and ingenious productions within modern day electron music. Having had singles, and albums that have topped charts around the globe, deadmau5 is now quite arguably one of the notorious electronic artists on the planet. Headlining countless festivals and club nights across the world, Joel has also become renowned for captivating his audience and plunging them into a musical journey like no other. With visuals playing a key part in his performances, and a venue as unique as Printworks scheduled as the location for the event, to say I was feeling excited is a definite understatement.

In this day and age, Printworks is truly a unique venue, with a substantial reputation for holding some of the most innovative events currently taking place within London. It is comprised of six vast event spaces, all arranged over numerous levels with a maze of corridors and rooms. Original machinery and industrial features are also retained throughout the establishment and act as a reminder that the venue used to once be a fully functioning printing press. Tickets for the event sold out far in advance and it was clear that once more, Printworks would be the location for a particularly special evening.

On the night of Friday 16th November, we arrived at Printworks at about 9pm, and it was clear from the number of people that had turned up, everyone else also knew that this deadmau5’s first indoor show in the capital for 4 years! We quickly made our way through security, which was extremely smooth and well organised, before strolling through into the first bar area. After loading up with some much-needed drinks, we headed straight into the action. Walking up the stairs and coming out into the cavernous main room is truly breathtaking. For those of you who haven’t yet been lucky enough to yet attend an event at Printworks, the sheer size of the place is hard to comprehend – 5000 capacity! With the crowd laid out before us, the speakers rumbling through the foundations, and with the night still young, we head forward into the madness.

The first supporting act we witnessed that night was Monstergetdown (aka Eliazar Torres). Deadmau5 actually released a new album a few days before this event took place, titled ‘mau5ville: Level 2’. The release featured three new tracks from the label boss, a collaboration with Mr. Bill, a remix by Chris Lorenzo, and new original music from Gallya and Monstergetdown. Born and raised in California, Eliazar has had support most recently from the likes of Richie Hawtin and Pete Tong. Over the past few years, this young artist has gone from strength to strength and he continues to tour with Deadmau5 in both the US and Europe. With this in mind, I was particularly keen to hear what sounds would feature within Monstergetdown’s performance. Shifting between genres seamlessly, the set compromised of some particularly groovy tech, blended in flawlessly with some truly atmospheric house – thoroughly enjoyable! A particular highlight for me was Kyle Watson’s remix of ‘Prophecy’ by Tchami and Malaa.

Next on the bill was fellow LA producer Rinzen. In March 2017, Rinzen fulfilled a long-time dream, officially joining Mau5trap with his debut original, ‘Renegade.’ Over his career, he has become increasingly well known for his unique ability to blend cinematic tropes with forward-thinking house and techno production. He then followed up with his debut EP, Forbidden City, again on mau5trap, in October 2017. The three-track concept EP was applauded by Billboard, who hailed it as “a sonic exploration of human depth.” More recently, he’s been selected for Mixmag’s coveted Impact series. He opened his set with ‘Muyu’ by Tom Demac, Rinzen and went on to prove exactly why he is such a highly regarded artist. The talent and skill behind his set were mesmerising and I was truly transfixed from start to finish. Previously I had not had the chance to come across much of Rinzen’s work, but having now experienced a taste of his performance capabilities, I will definitely be keeping track of his imminent progress through the industry.

The final supporting act that night was OFFAIAH. Originally from Argentina, OFFAIAH received support on his debut single back in 2016 from the likes of Annie Mac and Danny Howard. Since then he has gone from strength to strength producing some particularly clever productions and facilitating the use of some especially playful hooks. Some particular highlights from his set for me were two of his originals titled ‘Private Show’ and ‘Work It Out’. Both tracks follow a particularly techy style and are the result of some of his most recent work.

Unfortunately, we had to cut the OFFAIAH’s set slightly short in order to resupply for the final two hours of the evening. Drinks needed to be restocked and a crowd position would then need to be renegotiated. Heading back out into the main room we managed to nestle ourselves into the main body of the crowd, making sure that we had a good view of the action that was about to take place. Complete darkness fell over the room.

From the darkness, a red laser visual started to create a large loading pattern on the rectangular screen, which stretches between the decks and the ceiling. This marked the beginning of one of the craziest visual displays I’ve seen throughout this year. One can’t help wondering if deadmau5 and Eric Prydz perhaps share tips and techniques around one another’s visual effects. Their styles are so incredibly similar, but also extremely unique at the same time. Regardless, they both completely captivate their audiences with their immersive effects in order to create the perfect musical journey.

The opening half hour of Joel’s set was inspired by his alias ‘Testpilot’. Blending and sculpting some thumping techno through the darkness, the music could not have been better suited to the venue. Testpilot is Joel’s step away from the growing expectations of deadmau5 and into his ultrasonic alter-ego. Testpilot first premiered in a legendary back-to-back performance with fellow Canadian producer Richie Hawtin at South by Southwest in 2013. Since then he has used the alias to pop up at a few different locations over the years, but it is only within the last year that the frequency of these occasions has started to increase. I would say that this is probably one of my favourite styles that Joel currently produces, and that initial half hour was absolutely mind-blowing.

As we reached the half-hour mark, the mood changed and we saw the introduction of some of deadmau5’s true classics. Accompanied by some extremely animated visuals, the Mau5-head went on, the big bright eyes lit up, Joel’s hand raised up towards the ceiling, and the original deadmau5 had finally arrived! Smashing through some of his biggest hits including the likes of ‘Maths’, ‘Sometimes Things Get, Whatever’, ‘Raise Your Weapon’, and of course ‘Ghosts ‘N’ Stuff’, you could look around and see that everyone was truly transfixed by what they were witnessing, and the room was aglow with countless smiles.

The biggest reactions of the night went to a number of key tracks. ‘Monophobia’ which acted as Joel’s second collaboration with Rob Swire from Pendulum, was definitely a crowd pleaser, with ‘Strobe’ and ‘The Veldt’ also playing a crucial role in the evening’s structure. As the show started to draw to a close, Joel removed his helmet again and could be seen on stage standing above the decks, cigarette in hand, surveying the ecstatic crowd that was laid out before him. It was at this point in the night that I realised a few things. Firstly, this had been one of my favourite events that I have attended over the past 12 months. Secondly, the amount of effort and time that it must take both Joel and his team to create the display and sensations that they do is astounding. It raises the bar massively in regards to live performance and I believe sets a benchmark that many will struggle to even come close to. My final realisation was that the event had run incredibly smoothly and was probably the first event in years that I’ve attended where I haven’t witnessed a hint of trouble. Maybe that was down to the crowd that attended, maybe it was down to Lock N Load being extremely well organised and run as a promotion company, or maybe it was just the magic that Joel brought to London that night. I guess we will never know. A huge thank you to all who were involved. It was truly an experience.

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Back at the beginning of July, we learnt the news that Stephan Bodzin was to bring his new live visual show to London this September, for a full weekend of mind-blowing performances. This immediately made me excited due to the fact that before now I had not had the opportunity to witness Stephan perform one of his notorious live sets. It was clear that others were also as excited as I was – both nights sold out in the week building up to the event!

The two nights were to be held at the Electric Brixton (previously The Fridge), which is a fantastic venue located in the south of London. The dècor of the establishment has all the features of a large theatre; featuring a big stage area, surrounded by viewing ledges and a central dance floor, with the bar stretching the entire length of the opposite wall. The smoking area upstairs might be too small in relation to the venue’s capacity of 1,700, but the only way to reach it is through the narrow ledges looking out onto the stage, and that’s a brilliant view for any event taking place – let alone Stephan Bodzin! Having been to the venue previously I was aware of what to expect of the establishment, and to be honest I believed it to pair perfectly with what Bodzin was scheduled to perform.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

A selection of extremely talented support acts were also on the agenda for the evening I had chosen to attend – Friday 21st September. The main room boasted a line-up of Antonio De Angelis, Fideles, Luna Semera and Marc Romboy, whilst room 2 was to be hosted by Till Last Track. The last event I attended with Till Last Track was back at the end of July when they were supporting Ellen Allien at The Cause – definitely one of my preferred brands currently making its journey through the London music scene.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

Friday arrived, and we found ourselves getting to the venue at about 11pm. Having turned up with some of the guys who were set to play in Room 2 that evening, that was the first place we headed. With security checks taking a matter of minutes and with stamps quickly applied from the door staff, it wasn’t long before we were walking through the main room towards the room 2 doors. Catching a quick glimpse of Fideles warming up the main room, it seemed as though the majority of the partygoers were yet to arrive.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

Upon reaching room 2, we found Chesster playing out one of his infectious, vinyl only sets. I had the pleasure of seeing Chesster perform under his alias ‘Just Vee’ about 3 years ago at Café 1001. He always plays an extremely neat and minimalistic set, with some exceptional mixing skills to accompany his selection – this was no exception. Originating from Venice, this talented young DJ and producer has had releases on labels such as Kina Music, Rewire Musik, Zeitlos Music, and his most recent EP was released on DubGestion under the name ‘No Distance’. I have also come to learn that he will be releasing a new EP over coming months which is definitely one to watch out for. After listening to the wonderful foundation that Chesster had started our night with, we headed back to the main room to see how things were progressing.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

The time was 1am and France’s Luna Semera was taking to the main booth. By this point, the number of bodies within the venue had risen substantially and there was a buzz of excitement flowing through the crowd as the music started to build on their anticipation. Similar to Bodzin, I have never had a chance to see Luna play previously and I was excited to see what she had to offer the masses – I was not to be disappointed! Luna has worked alongside Bodzin previously, with her hugely successful debut EP ‘The Pink Room’ being released on his label – Herzblut Records. Luna works very closely with Stephan both from a live and a production perspective, and his influence is obvious in Luna‘s productions. Her tracks have an almost natural feel to them, despite being electronically generated. Luna’s fondness for analog synths was nothing but obvious in her performance. Taking us on a journey that moved the crowd up and down with the utmost precision and skill, I could not have enjoyed her set any more than I did. I could have stayed and listened to her play all night! Some of the chords and synths that resounded through that crowd were just divine, and with a set that I could only describe as beautiful, you could tell that everyone was equally as captivated. A highlight of the set for me was hearing ‘SYSYGY’ by GHEIST.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

As Luna’s 90 minutes of beauty came to an end it was now time to welcome the main man – Stephan Bodzin! At 49 years old, this techno veteran has done it all. Bodzin has endured where many have fallen by the wayside, due to his devotion to authenticity. In a quote taken from his biography, he states that without authenticity “everything would appear to be nothing more than a hollow shell” – clearly something that he lives by. After starting out composing music for several prestigious European theatres, Bodzin soon fell in love with nocturnal club sounds and began producing his own branch of techno. Since then he has taken his authenticity, and dominated the techno scene, with his live sets becoming an increasingly common feature. Running his own Herzblut label has also defined his career since 2006, and as well as being a place for his own work, it has also housed refreshing contemporary music from Dominik Eulberg, Max Cooper and Pig&Dan to name but a few.

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

For the next hour and a half, Bodzin blew every single member of that crowd out the water. His live set created multiple mesmerising, high impact soundtracks that caught the crowd where Luna had left them, and threw them straight into maximum drive. Accompanied by some incredible visuals and lighting, the sound was also extremely impressive. With Bodzin reflecting the energy in his body language, a room that was packed like sardines, and an array of originals that consistently flowed from start to finish, the room couldn’t have been more alive! My favourite and most memorable part of the night was seeing ‘Strand’ echo out across the top of an ecstatic sea of jumping Londoners. Seeing this performed live was nothing short of unforgettable, and truly a memory to treasure. What a production!

© Photography by Jake Davis (fb.com/hungryvisuals)

As Stephan’s set came to an end we found ourselves headed back to room 2 in order to escape some of the crowds. Upon entering the room, it was almost empty, however, taking to the stage at the far end of the room was none other than Elia Cordaro. As the hype from Bodzin started to reside, room 2 started to fill up – and fast! Before long we were surrounded by partygoers looking for the perfect ending, to the perfect night. As the next two hours progressed, Elia was certainly on hand to deliver that perfect ending that we were desperately craving. Filling the room with some incredible, foot-stomping productions, such as Dave Clarke’s remix of ‘Dream On’ by Depeche Mode, those final couple of hours seemed to fly by! As 6am approached, the final track to play out that night was TWCOR’s ‘Grey Matter’, bringing with it a sublime ending to a quality event! Definitely, a night that I will not be forgetting anytime soon.

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