PlayDub: An Introduction
In pictures
The Guardian: "Keep this frequency here: In defence of Dubstep" >>
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By Tim Bagley
DJ Emalkay at PlayDub's November event in The Magnet; YouTube: a short Dubstep documentary.
Take a look at any major dance music event across the country right now, and it’s hard not to notice the unprecedented wave of Dubstep artists bolstering up the bill. Chibuku have Caspa & Rusko, The Warehouse Project has Skream, and Fabric have just about everybody that you could possibly imagine with a bass frequency below 90Hz. Without a doubt, it’s safe to say that the age of Dubstep is in its prime.
Liverpool’s scene has progressed slowly but steadily over the past few years. A handful of events have gained recognition as mainstays of the genre within the city, but nothing had been making serious waves until earlier this year. The much needed flourish came back in May, when fledgling night ‘PlayDub’ stated its intentions by booking one of the biggest and most exciting Dubstep line-ups that the city had ever bared witness to.
With humble beginnings reminiscent of those from which Chibuku was born almost ten years ago, there’s a definite sense that PlayDub could walk a very similar line, and with Dubstep currently dominating the dance music arena it may have come at just the right time. Radio 1 DJ’s Annie Mac and Mary Anne Hobbs are amongst the musical pioneers currently championing the genre, and the Radio 1 show Dubstep Warz back in 2006 did much to nudge it into the mainstream.
Originally conceived out of a stagnant music scene, PlayDub was hastily established by three students from John Moores University back at the start of 2009, along with a sister record label called Light-Plane Records. With a view to injecting some vibrancy into Liverpool’s nightlife, they spent several gruelling months creating, planning and promoting, finally emerging with their very first line-up constructed and ready to roll.
Karan Makol is one of the three founders of the event. Originally from Heswall, he now studies Law at LJMU as well as running PlayDub. He said: “We wanted to create something that wasn’t just another night out, but rather an event with soul, vibrancy and passion. We originally came up with the idea because there was a lack of Dub and Dubstep nights in the Northwest, even though it was gaining serious mainstream recognition.”
The launch night at The Magnet on May 16th was absolutely explosive. As debut events go, theirs had made an instant and resounding impact, blowing everything else out of the water and leaving everybody wanting more. PlayDub had not just arrived, but rather crash landed right into the heart of Liverpool’s music scene in a blaze of low-slung bass lines and a relentless party atmosphere.
Despite a no-show from headliner Coki (Digital Mystikz) the night remained an unequivocal success. A packed out Magnet was treated to monstrous sets from DJ’s Sukh Knight, Stenchman, Scandalous Unltd and Joe Dubz, as well as a roof-raising show from 9-piece band Gentleman’s Dub Club.
Fast forward five months, and after a summer of carefully crafting their next batch of line-ups, the guys behind PlayDub are ready to unleash the mayhem once again. With Three dates currently confirmed, including some of the most exciting new dubstep DJ’s around, PlayDub are steadily cementing themselves as Liverpool’s flagship dubstep event.
Their next event is due to be held on 5th December at The Magnet on Hardman Street, Liverpool.
Lineup: Silkie
Conquest
Kromestar
Heny G
Razor Rekta
Jay 5ive
Connectionist
Tenmen
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