WHAT'S ON | AUGUST
DEKMANTEL FESTIVAL @ VARIOUS VENUES IN AMSTERDAM | 5-7TH AUGUST
MCDE’S RIPPER OF BOILER ROOM SET IN 2014 AIDED BY HIS NOW FAMOUS PINK SHIRTED COMPANION, OUTSTANDING LINE UPS, A BEAUTIFUL SETTING, DELICIOUS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY NOT TOO EXPENSIVE BEER AND PROMOTERS WHO DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS “METICULOUS”. IT MAKES FOR A GREAT PACKAGE AND NOT SURPRISINGLY DEKMANTEL HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE BEST FESTIVALS IN EUROPE.
“ONE WHO IS CONSUMED WITH DETAILS AND PERFECTION” IS THE DEFINITION OF METICULOUS. THIS YEAR THE FESTIVALS FIRST OPENING PARTY WILL BE SPREAD ACROSS VENUES THAT INCLUDE THE EYE FILM MUSEUM, WHERE RA WILL HOST A DAYTIME CONFERENCE AND A DUTCH CONCERT HALL, WHERE JAMES HOLDEN WILL PLAY A LIVE SET WITH BAND.
AS MANY FESTIVALS EXPAND, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THEY FACE IS TO NOT SUCCUMB TO COMMERCIAL BOOKINGS AND RETAIN THEIR UNIQUE CHARACTER. WITH DEKMANTEL’S “METICULOUS” APPROACH AND THEIR STRONGEST LINE UP YET, ONE CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT DEKMANEL WILL BE MORE INTERESTING AND BETTER THAN EVER THIS SUMMER.
I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND POPPING OVER TO AMSTERDAM FOR THE WEEKEND IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY CONSIDERED IT.
Romare & Henry Wu @ Phonox | 12th August
Romare’s music is intreging and unique. Just like his artwork he cuts and samples his tracks from mainly African influence. Having studied African culture at university this is where his interest began in rare sounds, helping him form his broad and expansive style. With his debut album “projections” hitting the ground running last year it is all the more reason to go and see what he’s got up his sleeve this year. Playing at Phonox in Brixton the club is coming up to its first birthday and still remains to be professionally run with a first class function 1 sound system. In support of Romare is Henry Wu with his sell out records on a number of different labels his music is mature and the pair will compliment each other well for what is set to be a proper party.
ByDay ByNight presents Summer Terrace Party w/ Psychemagik & Guests @ Prince Of Wales | 20th August
We all love a summer rooftop party and there is good reason to head over to Brixton regular's ByDay ByNight with Psychemagik at the helm at arguably London's most popular rooftop the Prince Of Wales. The UK duo are known for their sensational edits, obscenely vast record collections, beautiful production work and transcendent mixtape journeys. Slap on their remix of Quintus Project's 'Flight Night' to get you in the mood...
Avant Garde with John Talabot, Roman Flugel, Prins Thomas @ Bankside Vaults | 28th August
There is a host of top draw events on over this bank holiday weekend, but the Avant Garde night had to be the pick with an almighty line up featuring YO favs John Talabot & Roman Flugel at one of London's best night spots, the Bankside Vaults, which has five impressive interlinked brick arches and whole lot of space to explore; it even says in the event info, "one, perhaps still inebriated, party-goer described it as the Berghain of London." Avant Garde have established themselves as a strong outfit over the past two years, this will be their seventh event of the year, previously shipping in Dixon, Gui Boratto, DJ Koze, Steve Bug, Christian Loffler, and most recently Luca Bacchetti to the capital!
Chosen by Nick C, Barney & Ben C