PERTHQUAKE
Start practicing your dubstep shuffle and stretching your head banging muscles as tomorrow night sees Knowledge Music host genre-bending Californian, Bassnectar, at Shape nightclub for what is set to be the biggest school night out of the year for Perth bassheads (event info here).
One of the very first artists to sign to the fledgling Hospital label – way back at the turn of the millennium, Danny Byrd’s own inimitable take on soulful, vocal Drum and Bass has become a staple in the scene. His use of hip hop, house and R&B influences immediately began turning heads with his first Hospital outings.
2008 saw the release of Danny’s long awaited long player “Supersized”. Featuring the massive anthems “Shock Out” and “Red Mist feat I-Kay” this giant of an album saw massive support from big hitters such as Annie Mac, Zane Lowe, and the mighty Andy C. The VIP version “Red Mist VIP feat I-Kay”catapulted its way onto the daytime Radio One playlist receiving over Six hours of Radio One play in 2009, all to itself.
Following this up Danny brought liquid’s rave classic “Sweet Harmony” up to date in spectacular fashion. The hit single reached number one in the UK dance singles chart and took Danny’s to a whole new audience.
Championing a revival of classic dance music sounds along with his own unique and forward thinking production the second Danny Byrd studio album “Rave Digger” was unleashed October 2010. The lead single “Ill Behaviour feat I-Kay” smashed it’s way into the UK top 40. The Byrd has landed!
Supported by Qbik, Access and Jazza
Knowledge Music and Grizzled proudly present the first installment in the ultimate bass party series.
Big Acts, Big Bass, Big Venues.
For our debut show we are proud to welcome back Nero after their earth shaking electro/dubstep infused set at the sold out Origin NYE. With releases such as “Me and You” on Chase & Status’s MTA records cracking into the top 10 in the UK charts the dubstep heavy weights were an obvious choice for our opening party.
Hailing from across the world these guys have collaborated with more people that you can poke a stick at. With a swag of new tunes under their belt the boys have a lot to live up to as their recent collaborations with Noisia and Skism have made waves across the internet. Widely known as one of the most energetic performances on the circuit, the Foreign Beggars are poised to show us how to truly get grizzled.
All the way from the Midlands of the UK Trolley Snatcha returns to deliver some of the filthiest bass music known to man. Since bursting on the scene through Caspa’s “Dub Police” Trolley had only gone from strength to strength since remixing the infamous sweet shop. Now with armed with literally a stack of chest punchin bass fueled monsters I think its safe to say Villa’s sound system is going to cop a hiding from this badman.
Head honcho of Never Say Die Records Skism is our final guest. This guy blew the roof of bar open when the element unknown crew first brought this guy to Perth. With huge collaborations with Datsik and Foreign Beggars plus shit loads of personal releases it couldn’t of been too soon to get him back. An incredible DJ and Producer his reputation proceeds him and frankly makes him the perfect addition to the Grizzled debut.
Supported by the local bad man Dr Space.
‘Gary Numan’s influence on electronic music is unparalleled.’ NME
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of his revolutionary album, THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE, Gary Numan will make a welcome return to Australia this May to play the album as it was made: authentically and in its entirety.
The release of THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE in 1979 was a defining moment in music history. Not only did it mark the birth of electro-pop, ushering in the new wave movement across the globe, but it also cemented Gary Numan as an innovator and pioneer in modern pop music. As Numan’s contemporary, Devo, states, “The Pleasure Principle is so original and cool and groundbreaking … nothing sounds like that today.”
As an album, THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE abandoned tradition. Here was a rock album where guitars were largely replaced with Numans’ signature sound of synthesizers fed through guitar effects pedals; where traditional song structures were left behind altogether. The first single off the album, the iconic ‘Cars’, reached #1 on the UK singles charts and reached the Top 5 here in Australia. The album itself was a commercial hit for Numan, and became his second consecutive #1 album in the UK and reached the top sellers charts around the world, including Australia where it remained in the chart for almost a year.
Creatively, not only did THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE act as a benchmark for many electro-pop artists following in Numan’s legacy including Ultravox, The Human League and Depeche Mode, but it also had a direct impact on the works of a wide and varied range of artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Basement Jaxx, Fear Factory, Afrika Bambataa and Planet Funk.
By combining sound and force with weight, the Bassnectar experience engulfs the senses. It is as physical as it is auditory; the adventure has no rules, no limitations, and no hesitation in fusing the familiar with the strange or the classic with the cutting edge.
Bassnectar is the brainchild of Lorin Ashton, and it exists as an open-sourced musical project that is as diverse as it is heavy, as raw as it is meticulous, and as fierce as it is imaginary. Spanning the spectrum of sonic style, the music covers every genre imaginable and smashes it all into a synthesis of intense, wobbling basslines and hypnotic soundscapes.
Whether remixing, collaborating, writing, DJing, performing live, or working on constant social networking, Bassnectar’s music is the lure and social impact is the sincere intention. According to Ashton, “We are so blessed, and so deeply fortunate to be alive and awake right now…it’s a basic truth, but it’s very powerful. I think privilege confers responsibility, and Bassnectar is a reflection of that opportunity to give back; the motion of my cells bouncing back at the world.”
Bassnectar’s most recent releases are Wildstyle (2010), Timestretch (2010) and Cozza Frenzy (2009)
Through his self-run Amorphous Music label and Bassnectar Labs studio, he has remixed/collaborated with the likes of KRS-One, Perry Farrel, Fever Ray, Spearhead, STS9, Buckethead, Tappa Zuki, and Zumbi of Zion I; as well as various remix projects with producers such as Z-trip, Diplo, BT, 6Blocc, DJ Vadim, and RJD2.
Along the way, the Bassnectar tour has headlined stops at some of the most noted venues in the country. After a long line of sell-out shows, Bassnectar never fails to gather monster crowds on the festival circuit. Some of his most celebrated sets took place at the nation’s top festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza, ACL, Bonnaroo, and Ultra Music Festival.
Whether performing at an intimate club or at a major festival, Bassnectar energizes audiences with an experience unlike any other.
It was most definitely one of the most eagerly anticipated event to all hip hop lovers in Perth. With his ‘True Magic’ tour only heading down the East coast, Perth fans had missed out again a couple of years ago with all the drama headlining Origin. Knowledge Music had then done it right for everyone this time around by bringing him to Perth when he only initially announced an East coast tour again. Read the full review after the jump…
I arrived to a disappointingly empty Shape Bar Friday night. A combination of Bali and I think other events on the night seemed to have the venue representing a bit of an awkward 14th Birthday party and the sausage rolls have run out. None-the-less props have to be given to the DJ’s who played support and the headliners too. Full review after the jump…
It was a much anticipated wait to finally watch and experience one of the long serving legends in the rap scene perform live at Metro City, courtesy of Knowledge Music. With doors opening at 8pm along with a vast selection of locals to support, there was no time wasted to kick start the night with some quality rap and hip-hop.
Next Wednesday the 3rd of November prolific independent producer and beat-taster DJ Vadim (real name Vadim Peare aka Daddy V), will touch down at Shape nightclub to inject our nightlife with a dose of soulful, reggae-infused, instrumental hip hop (event details here). Last seen in Perth on New Years Day supporting one of his newfound favourite artists Fat Freddy’s Drop, this time we can expect to rock out to an intimate headline appearance from the turntablism legend who has been described as “one of the few artists creating genuinely new work in the hip hop field”.
Tonight sees Matt Harvey, one half of New Zealand dnb heavyweights Concord Dawn, return to Perth once again to promote the release of the group’s latest album The Enemy Within (due for release on the 1st of November). Event info can be found here.
