ON THE FLOOR The on-the-pulse guide to the deep, down and dirty gyrations of global clubland DJ MAG ANNOUNCES BEST OF NORTH AMERICA AWARDS TOUR We celebrate our first BONA Awards in LA, Miami, San Fran and more… MAY 2017 will see DJ Mag USA spread its wings to thrive in 2017. Over the past couple of months, we’ve more, we’ll head over to Soundcheck, Washington cover our friends in the north (this means you, been busy fleshing out the nominations, which the following day (7th July) with Autograf. Next up Canada) and in its place, DJ Mag North America include unstoppable talents such as Carl Craig, on Saturday 8th July, Heart Miami hosts Moon Boots, takes flight. With it comes the sister awards to our Maceo Plex, The Black Madonna, Mike Servito, My Favorite Robot and a very special headliner yet to wildly successful Best Of British Awards, aptly titled Kaytranada, Lauren Lane, The Martinez Brothers, be announced, before we switch coasts to San the Best Of North America Awards. Claude VonStroke, Kerri Chandler, Avalon Emerson Francisco where Victor Calderone heads up our party Here at DJ Mag we know how polarising the Top 100 and DJ Earl. at Halcyon on Friday 14th July. Then we’ll be flying DJs poll can be — however, it’s publicly voted and To celebrate the BONA awards, we’re touring across back east on Saturday 22nd July, when the legendary therefore is out of our control. Best Of North the States and Canada, bringing a selection of Carl Craig will headline House Of Yes in NYC. America, however, allows us to highlight the nominees along for the ride. Kicking off on Thursday With more dates and acts still to come, keep your hard-working acts that have helped the underground 6th July at Exchange LA with Chris Lake, Blaise and eyes on our website for more info. PERCOLATE LAUNCHES OPEN-AIR FESTIVAL London promoters bring the noise to Stratford… PERCOLATE JOIN the festival game on Saturday Filling out the tip-top line-up is the weird and With the quality of talent already on show, and 29th July with a brand new open-air event in East wonderful DJ Koze, alongside Hotflush boss Percolate’s reputation for bringing world class DJs London. Taking over Three Mills Island, Stratford Scuba, Sonja Moonear, Objekt, Moxie, Saoirse and to venues across the capital, it’s probably a wise for an 11-hour daytime rave up, they boast an Krywald & Farrer. A special live show and a idea to snap up a ticket quickly for this one. We’ll eye-boggling array of underground house and five-hour triple back-to-back set were set to be see you in the circle… techno stars. announced as DJ Mag went to print. 098 djmag.com DJ MAG PRESENTS... FRI 2ND JUNE SOMETHING very special is happening in the drum & bass world this year: Jump-up titans Hype and Hazard are touring their first ever back-to-back show, and we’ve got the legendary pair locked in for our freshly revamped HQ series! With histories dating back to the birth of the scene, but still with their feet planted firmly on the cutting edge, expect crashing breaks, booming bass and golden oldies aplenty. Just try not skanking out to this one — go on, we LIL’ LOUIS DEBUTS NEW dare you! •Watch live from 4pm at facebook.com/ ALBUM AT MINISTRY OF SOUND djmagazine DJ Mag presents house legend’s “greatest body of work ever”... WED 14TH JUNE CHICAGO HOUSE music pioneer Lil’ Louis is set to unlike typical album listening parties — you’ll be make his grand return this month, staging a more than welcome to have a boogie along too. special showcase at London’s Ministry Of Sound in “After nearly 10 years in the studio, I am beyond association with DJ Mag. excited to present to you my new music,” Louis Best known for late ‘80s hit ‘French Kiss’, Louis has told DJ Mag. “This is by far my greatest body of been hard at work in the studio over the past work ever.” decade, and the result — his brand new album — is The whole thing will be filmed using innovative finally ready for public consumption. new technology, and broadcast a fortnight later on Taking over the club on Thursday 15th June, Lil’ Thursday 29th June via DJ Mag’s Facebook page. Louis’ Exclusive Worldwide Album Review will Head to the DJ Mag website to apply for free DJ MAG’S bass music live stream returns to present the full work for the first time ever, with tickets. Work Bar, London on the second Wednesday of each track introduced by the man himself, and — June with break-driven Swamp 81 offshoot, BBS. Having recently dropped a tape of slammin’ retro rave, the imprint was named in DJ Mag’s labels to watch in our January issue. Old school jungle and hardcore are the order of the day as top dogs Benton and Loefah head up the bill, alongside the drum & bass legend that is Fabio. Dubsteppa Benny Ill will be on hand too, as will original junglist DJ Ron, while BBS regulars Jonny Banger and Sgt Pokes handle mic duties. Brace yourselves! •Sign up for guestlist or watch live via djmag. com/bunker THURS 29TH JUNE NIGHT MAYOR PROPOSED DIGITAL distribution, promo and royalty FOR NEW YORK service, Label Worx, celebrates a decade of Councilman aims to protect venue in the city that never sleeps… getting the finest tunes into the hands of tastemaking DJs around the world with a birthday blowout at London’s Work Bar. NEW YORK councilman Rafael Espinal wants New hindered by bureaucracy.” Topping the bill are veteran French duo Amine York City to have its own night mayor, as with Plans are still in the early phase — with no Edge & DANCE, with support from a plethora of Amsterdam and London, to lookout for smaller candidates for the position being mentioned — talent from across the house music spectrum, venues’ interests. but Espinal feels the ideal candidate would be including Josh Butler, DJ SKT and ‘Yeah Yeah’ “What I imagine the office doing is finding ways someone with plenty of experience of remix don, D. Ramirez. we can be helpful in creating a business-friendly “frequenting DIY venues”. Also joining the bill are local acts Tuff London environment that supports nightlife,” Espinal said At the time of publication, New York city’s actual and Mindek, and Leeds lad GAWP. in a recent interview with Gothamist. mayor has yet to comment on Espinal’s campaign •Sign up for free guestlist at djmag.com/ “And I want to make sure that we’re not a city for a night mayor, but DJ Mag agrees that such a guestlist where artists’ ability to express themselves is move would be a mighty fine idea. djmag.com 099 Untitled-1 1 12/05/2017 15:08 MAY 2017 - UK.indd 1 5/11/17 6:35 PM ON THE FLOOR BOOTIN’ OFF One club promotion kicking it this month... POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Long-running Manchester night Hit & Run is engaging young voters and dropping the best in bass music too… irst started in Oxford way back in 2001, talking about how crucial it is for 18-24s [to vote], trying to force any particular ideology down Hit & Run has been a staple of the and it goes even deeper than voting — even just people’s throats,” says Rich. “The youth have had Manchester bass scene since migrating registering to vote means more policies are gonna a really tough time. With Brexit they’ve lost the Fto the northern stronghold with be made with the young in mind. So we’re giving ease of which they can live or study abroad, or promoter and resident DJ, Rich Reason, in 2006. away 200 tickets for people who can prove that even fall in love with somebody abroad. Then Originally landing every Monday, the event now they’ve registered to vote.” Best get those they’ve raised tuition fees, cut housing benefit for boasts several weekend spots a month, plus screenshots in sharpish, then! under-25s… That demographic, only 30-40 one-off specials, at venues across the city. A focus percent of them vote so they’ve been stiffed these on drum & bass, dubstep, hip-hop, reggae and Landing on Wednesday 7th June (the day before last few years. But if they get out to vote, it’s garage — generally anything underground with a the UK general election) at Best Of British- gonna be a better country for them to grow up in.” whole heap o’ bass gets the thumbs up — has seen winning club Hidden, the night ties in with Hit & BEN HINDLE Hit & Run host artists as broad-ranging as James Run’s annual end of term party, making it the Blake, Kaytranada, Khan & Neek, Alix Perez, Barely perfect time to engage potential young voters. As Legal and Kurupt FM. an extra bit of fun, acts on the night will even Where the party really does the scene proud, represent fake political groups — grime don Sir THE BIG GIG If you only book tickets for one however, is in mobilising ravers for good causes Spyro heads up the Topper Top Party, Channel One and social change. Having led the way with the Soundsystem represent the UK Dub Culture Party, live gig this month, make it this… Food 4 Thought campaign — a concept which the Liquid Bangers Party is led by SpectraSoul, raises money for food banks, and punters can even and, as the event will be something of a farewell pay for entry with canned goods, which has been for resident Jonny Dub, who’s moving to Japan taken up by promoters across the North — Rich is soon after, he’ll be standing for the Japanese now on a mission to get Britain’s youth politically Labour Party.