At this time, we’re still working through the details of our new covid policy for events moving forward. It’s important to note that venues and festivals across the country have adopted vaccination and/or testing policies in order to host safer gatherings and to prevent further closures that caused many of us to go out of business for a year or more... the data shows that these policies work, and we agree wholeheartedly with them. Unfortunately, Texas is one of the only two states in the country that is actively working to prevent businesses from enforcing such safety requirements.

The State of Texas, by a recent executive order, is prohibiting public and private entities from enforcing mask and vaccine mandates under certain circumstances. While we believe that our intended covid policy conforms with this law (e.g. by giving our patrons the option to show a negative Covid test instead of vaccine record), we are still working to understand the full implications as it pertains to our business. We will update accordingly as soon as we can should there be any other updates. As a result, we will not be denying entry for those who do not have proof of such items until further notice. We do ask that you please wear a mask when indoors or in crowds.

Happy New Year, fam!!! ✨

Our artist recap here is far more abbreviated than usual because as we all know, 2020 certainly be hittin different. 😅

Looking back... we started the year on a high note with some phenomenal shows, including massive acts like Reinier Zonneveld and then Carl Cox right before COVID hit. 👊

The doors then remained closed with a near 7 month stand-still from any business or shows until we returned with a limited series of Beat Brunches for an outdoor dining + music experience in the most gorgeous garden with absolutely delicious food! It was heartwarming & reassuring to be able to reconnect with the community, reinvigorate our mind / body / soul with live music again and that ENERGY.

Finding new ways to operate responsibly, we then finished off the year with a few special shows back at Cedar Street Courtyard with artists like Claptone and i_o's much anticipated return to Austin, one of the last shows he played before his passing. That was a heavy loss for the music community and eerily special to have had those final moments to hold onto. This year has been full of ups and downs but the constant is that music enriches our lives and has given us comfort, hope, and connection throughout it all.

Era's first New Year's Eve celebration featured some of the most influential electronic artists over the last decade, pairing long-time favorites Nero and Feed Me with Dombresky as headliners for its inaugural celebration. You’d be pretty hard-pressed to find a dance music enthusiast from the early 2010s who has yet to see Nero or Feed Me, and those who integrated into the scene later in the decade are still familiar with the impact these artists had on their fellow club-goers. Such iconic names in the American market provided a great opportunity to debut RealMusic Events’ newly branded event, and to break in The Austin American-Statesman before hosting 2019’s Seismic Dance Event. This time around Era NYE, co-branded by RealMusic Events and Seismic Dance Event, shifts the style and enters the decade ahead of the curve, hosting an incredibly talented roster of tastemakers, innovators, and quickly rising talents on display at a new and intimate venue.

By now you’ve seen Seismic Dance Event’s 2019 lineup on many occasions. On an individual level, there are countless artists to be excited about, but that’s not what I’d like to dive into for the purposes of this article. Seismic Dance Event’s inaugural year managed to capture a vibe that doesn’t exist at so many other festivals around the country. But what is it that really set Seismic apart?

Historically, first year festivals do not fare well. Not only are they a huge commitment financially, but there are so many intrinsic details that inexperienced and overambitious promoters didn’t account for while organizing the event. When the festival ultimately opens its doors, failing to prepare for these details can lead to technical and production-related issues, a sub-par atmosphere exploring the festival grounds, or festival attendees stranded on an island looting each other’s FEMA cabanas. Luckily Austin is a landlocked city with an international airport, and the homegrown promoters RealMusic Events (RME) built their festival off of a foundational decade of experience hosting weekly club events and periodic one-day label-curated mini-festivals.

Yotto - Whenever any Anjuna-related event is announced, you only need to scroll about 5 comments before you come across this fan favorite’s name requested on the lineup. The Finnish, dog-loving extraordinaire burst onto the Anjuna-following’s radar in 2015 with his groovy Memento/Azzurro EP. Since then he’s found massive success solidifying Anjunadeep as his home base for releases, associating himself with the likes of Joris Voorn and Eric Prydz, and establishing himself as one of the most reliable progressive house artists on the label.

For me, it’s his versatility that truly stands out. Back in 2017, it worked out that I had the opportunity to see him four times over the course of a month (I swear I wasn’t stalking you dude, I just really wanted to give you a picture of my dog). This spree of shows kicked off in none other than Austin, TX as he delivered a peak time club set packed with his own originals along with selections from Patrice Baumel and Sasha, bridging the gap wonderfully from BlackGummy to Dusky. Fast forward two weeks to ABGT250, and he was debuting several new tracks during an atmospheric sunset time slot on the mountainside of The Gorge, before taking an eclectic turn and flexing his Pryda-vault access in a rainy b2b with Luttrell. My quest to acquaint Otto with my dog was unsuccessful one last time that September, as he took on Sound-Bar with a particularly fun last hour heavily utilizing Chicago-style house tracks. The most noticeable repeated aspect across those sets was the utilization of his favorite acapellas (have you made your transition yet?), but even that adds an element of surprise as they’re layered on top of a different track each time.

Öona Dahl - Alright, here’s my personal recommendation on the lineup this year. And that’s not to detract from an absolutely stacked lineup we have down here in Austin, she’s just THAT good. Equally well known from her involvement with Lee Burridge and Matthew Dekay’s All Day I Dream imprint as she is from her eclectic Burning Man sets, it’s her scope that first caught my attention. Her selections can range from ambient tunes appropriately curating a yoga set to techno-leaning soundscapes well suited for a three hour Movement set. This versatility offers the capability to play any time slot perfectly, whether that’s peak time in a nightclub or sunlight hours at Carson Creek Ranch.

While she’s arguably more notorious for her selections behind the decks, she’s equally accomplished in the studio. Considering productions under both Öona Dahl and her collaborative Slumber project with Amber Cox, she’s amassed quite a discography over the past six years. Her productions lend themselves to dreamier melodies, but can range from ambient “ritual” mixes escaping traditional four-to-the-floor patterns to driving grooves capable of setting off a dancefloor. These innovative sounds have found their way onto iconic labels such as Watergate, All Day I Dream, and Anjunadeep; with ADID and Anjunadeep partnerships regularly extending to DJ performances at their events.

Marsh - As a music fan plagued with the unmitigated desire to experience a new artist for the first time, Marsh is pretty high on my must-see list for the day. Here we have the one artist on this year’s lineup that will be making his Austin debut, offering an extra layer of excitement leading into a musically stacked day. Last year, some of the best sets were provided by two of the less-familiar names on the label, as Fairchild and David Hohme set the mood for the day to come perfectly. Unlike the other five artists, I cannot say from personal experience how his live performances shape up. In preparation for this event, however, I’ve listened to all of his sets on SoundCloud and believe he’s going to do a phenomenal job filling a similar role as David & Fairchild last year. His sets are well-crafted, beautifully blending atmospheric deep house and progressively building throughout. In my opinion, this is the perfect style to set the mood as you explore your venue for the day, or to break in the dance floor early and show support towards a quickly rising talent.

Describing Marsh as “a quickly rising talent” isn’t intended as some promotional trick to stimulate interest in an artist. Instead, it’s an observation of what he’s accomplished in a short time frame. A few years back, Anjunadeep launched their “Explorations” EP series, straying from their standard releases by combining singles from various artists and packaging them together. This concept has served as a platform to showcase a variety of well-established and up-and-coming producers alongside each other, and offered label debuts to half the artists on Austin’s lineup. Marsh was one of these three, joining Ben Böhmer and Luttrell amongst the Explorations alumni at the end of 2018. His relationship with Anjunadeep has exploded in 2019, remixing Luttrell on his debut album, releasing both a solo and collaborative EP with Nox Vahn (formerly Fairchild), and returning on the star-studded Explorations 10 EP accompanying the inaugural year of the label’s destination festival.

Luttrell - In my opinion, Anjunadeep’s knack for identifying talent is best demonstrated by turning an emerging artist into a household name on an annual basis. If Ben Böhmer was 2018’s success story, then 2017’s predecessor had to have been Luttrell. Before getting involved with Anjunadeep, Eric Luttrell was already an accomplished electronic music producer as a member of The M Machine. As he decided to dive into his own style of deep house productions, Mat Zo put him in contact with Anjunabeats’ sister label and the rest is history. His debut on the 116th Deep Edition caught people’s attention with an eclectic mix of high caliber artists such as Stephan Bodzin, Dennis Ferrer, and The Talking Heads, before featuring a few of his original productions towards the end.

As we all gather at Carson Creek Ranch next month, we’ll be celebrating the three year anniversary of his Deep Edition debut. Over this time period, his discography has expanded greatly, featuring solo EPs, remixes of iconic artists across various electronic music genres, and his debut album released on Anjunadeep. With an ever-growing library, his sets have come to feature more and more of his own productions, but his varied style is maintained through his originals and remixes of industry staples such as Tycho and What So Not. At the very least, his unique brand of music provides quality background noise as you admire his well-maintained mustache from afar.

Ben Böhmer - Without question, Ben Böhmer was the breakout star from the Anjunadeep camp in 2018. First discovered by many through Lane 8’s iconic mixtapes, Ben quickly made it onto everyone’s radar following an Anjunadeep Edition (#171) debut exclusively containing his own content. He made it clear from the beginning he prefers to play his own productions, and that will be on display once again as he brings his live set to Carson Creek Ranch. The live performance he’s built can range up to two hours, but he prefers to save that extended length for special occasions and has described an hour and a half as the sweet spot. Regardless, live sets running longer than standard DJ set times serve as a testament to his ability to cohesively blend his emotive melodies and driving basslines.

Heading into his set last month, I was expecting a majority of it to include his recognizable productions, but was surprised by the amount of content I was completely unfamiliar with. He did a phenomenal job integrating debuts of unreleased material alongside his hits, splitting the crowd’s time between engaging sing-alongs and immersive moments exploring new music. It’s hard to say if/when these tracks will actually be available (it’s nearing two years since his Deep Edition and we’re still waiting on that intro ID), but we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to preview his content in Austin once again next month. To get you in the mood we’ve got his debut Anjunadeep Edition below, along with a Spotify playlist featuring all of this year’s Open Air artists.

It’s pretty wild to think that only a year ago RealMusic Events was diving into the festival game, testing the waters with mini-festival events and collaborating with popular house music labels leading up to the inaugural Seismic Dance Event. In 2019, RME doubled their output, adding Anjunabeats and Desert Hearts hosted events while continuing partnerships with Dirtybird and Anjunadeep. Three of those four are already in the books, and the final mini-festival leading up to Seismic’s return sees the reunion of Anjunadeep, RealMusic Events, and Carson Creek Ranch. Anjunadeep’s characteristically melody-driven soundscapes paired perfectly with the waterside venue last year, and I look forward to their artists curating the progression from day to night once again this September.

For 2019’s lineup, we welcome back five of the label’s top talents and host an Austin debut for one of their roster’s rising stars. Over the course of the next six weeks, we’ve decided to showcase each artist to help familiarize you with the selectors providing your 9 hour soundtrack.

16BL (fka 16 Bit Lolitas) - The Dutch duo Ariaan Olieroock and Peter Kriek have been Anjunadeep staples since the label’s inception, and deservedly so. When you include releases from their other moniker, Cubicolor, they can be credited for several of the most iconic vocal tracks to be released on the label. Chances are if you’re reading a blog post about 16BL, you’re already got “Deep In My Soul” stuck in your head (and if you hadn’t yet, you’re welcome). But that’s enough of their credentials. When it comes to touring, Ariaan goes at it solo and the man can put on a hell of a performance behind the decks. Personally, he’s one of my favorites on the lineup, with a library that draws heavily from iconic labels such as Innervisions, Keinemusik, and Rumors. He’ll regularly set the mood with unique melodies and tribal-leaning percussive patterns before mixing in one of his Anjunadeep classics. Expect plenty of IDs throughout his set as well. Ariaan has a tendency to hold on to tracks for DJ sets alone, several of which appear to be created under his mysterious new Ariaano alias.

The countdown to festival season is almost over, and here to kick it off is the incredibly stacked and highly anticipated Anjunabeats: Austin, coming to the Travis County Expo Center on Friday, April 12, 2019. Whether you are a die-hard anjunaholic or looking to expand your musical horizons with something new, this event undoubtedly offers an extended evening of positive vibes and oh so proper tunes across the trance and progressive spectrum.

The lineup includes six diverse artists who represent the essence of the Anjunabeats label, created by global phenomena Above & Beyond. What will truly make this festival shine is not just the music nor only the sure-to-be-top-notch production. It is indeed also the community that Anjunabeats has cultivated over the years. That community is more than flourishing right here in Austin, as evidenced by the success of Anjunadeep Open Air last June, not to mention the very frequent club shows and festival appearances RealMusic has facilitated.

So tell me more about these artists, you ask?

On the first weekend of spring, Austin dance music lovers have one thing on their minds: that sun! Coming hot off of what is sure to be a hard-hitting techno set this Friday brought to us by princess of darkness ANNA, Solardo will bring us all to the light for a sunny Saturday filled with bumping, jumping house and techno.

This Manchester-based duo, comprised of Mark Richards and James Eliot, have already cornered their market despite their relative greenness. Only two years ago, the guys teamed up and started making fresh, fun tech house that isn’t afraid to break some rules. Solardo’s unexpectedly heavy hitting drops and cheeky samples have already earned them enough clout to successfully run their own label, Sola Records, and also put on an hour-long radio show “The Spot”. Contributing to their almost instant success are big names such as CamelPhat and Secondcity, who have released tracks on Sola Records, and Claude von Stroke, who provided the very first guest mix for The Spot.

Even if you don’t think you’ve heard these boys before, you probably have. They are still making a name for themselves as Solardo, since this project is still in its infancy, but their productions have solidified a place for themselves on the charts and in countless sets. “Accelerator” and “Be Somebody” are infectiously danceable, as is their first track to hit #1 on Beatport, “Tribesmen”. Solardo seamlessly blend upbeat tropical house elements with techno basslines, showing that sometimes it pays off to not take yourself so seriously and take a risk or two.

If you haven’t been keeping up with what Jason Ross is up to lately, don’t worry, this whirlwind producer makes moves so quickly that he’s hard to catch. His career has exploded since signing with Anjunabeats in 2014, and his latest 6-track EP “Rooms”, along with a country-wide tour by the same name, is further solidifying his place among the big names on the label.

The past couple years have proven Ross to be not only a fan favorite but an industry favorite as well. He is often featured, and lauded, by the members of Above & Beyond on their radio show, ABGT (Above & Beyond Group Therapy, for the uninitiated) and has played a guest mix there too.

When signed to a label as well-established and diverse as Anjunabeats, it can be hard to stand out, but stand out Ross has. In his relatively short time on the label he’s become one of the most iconic artists there. The popularity and respect he has garnered from the dance music community can be attributed to his seemingly constant drive towards finding his own sound while producing undeniable bangers and appealing to a wide range of fans.

Part of Ross’ magic is the unique dose of energy he brings to every show he plays and every single he releases. So far, the “Rooms” Tour has been selling out venues left and right since its kickoff in Los Angeles this January. It’s impossible not to get hyped up when watching videos of his shows; there is no doubt his performance in Austin will be one to remember. He manages to strike a balance of jumping-up-and-down energy and a sort of serene atmosphere where the crowd is free absorb the music and melt into the good vibes, of which there will be many at his Austin show.

Jon Gooch may be most well known for his work as Feed Me but that is only a narrow view of his prolific influence in the electronic music scene. The London based producer started releasing music under the alias Spor and subsequently moved into the management side of the industry as well. As one of the founders of Lifted Music, Gooch began influencing the drum and bass and dubstep scene in the U.K. and the U.S. with more than just his artistic talents.

Gooch’s first solo release as Feed Me is proof of the knowledge and practice he gained from spending years in the scene. The Spell/Raw Chicken EP release on Deadmau5’s Mau5trap label in 2008 debuted the hard electro house and dubstep sound that would propel Feed Me to international fame. It would be two years before another release but the 2010 eight track Feed Me’s Big Adventure was worth the wait. Featuring collaborations with Tasha Baxter and Kill The Noise, the quality and popularity of this EP cemented Gooch’s reputation as a creative force in the scene. It also featured the first Beatport appearance of the Feed Me monster, one of the most signature aspects of the brand.

There is no way to measure the impact that NERO had on a blossoming American EDM culture. They exploded onto the scene just as huge festivals began popping up in every major U.S. market. Their DJ and live performances brought a unique experience to crowds around the country just getting their first taste of electronic music. Mixing dubstep, drum and bass, future bass and everything in between, NERO create a story with each set using a musical intelligence that continues to influence the electronic music scene worldwide.

Dan Stephens and Joe Ray started their journey as NERO with an official release in 2004. Alana Watson, who provides the group’s signature vocals, joined the group in 2008, completing their unique sound that continues to endure the test of time. With years of practice and previous releases, the UK supergroup truly made an international name for themselves with their debut album Welcome Reality. The 2011 LP saw the release of huge fan favorites including ‘Innocence,’ ‘Must Be The Feeling,’ and ‘Crush On You,’ which still see remixes and club plays in 2018. But the most recognizable track from the album is the infamous ‘Promises’. Its 2012 Gold certification in the U.S. and the Grammy winning NERO and Skrillex remix of the track are both testaments to the passion and talent of Stevens, Ray and Watson.

If you call yourself a house head and haven’t heard of Desert Hearts, then you’ve been living under a ROCK my friend. And not a cool one, like, a moon rock. Or a pet rock. A boring, gray rock on the side of some road in the middle of nowhere.

Desert Hearts is a collective on the west coast, first established in 2012, that throws a bi-annual house and techno festival that has grown from 200 attendees to 3500. They are also known to bring their crew to boutique events all over the states and spread their wacky, infectious good vibes beyond California. I like this. Good people are cool.

So where did these people come from? Desert Hearts all started with this dude who used to spin hip-hop witnessing a Daft Punk performance at Coachella when he was 17 years old. That set changed it all for this guy, who traded his hip-hop records in for house, donned his iconic top hat, and never looked back.

That guy is Mikey Lion. And that guy is going to be at Seismic Dance Event.

If you’re into upbeat tech house, if you’re into tribal and psychedelic styles, if you’re into fun at all, then you will be into Mikey. This guy is all about bringing a contagiously accepting vibe with him wherever he plays, and he LOVES WHAT HE DOES. And BONUS: he’s also bringing his crew with him to completely take over one of the Seismic stages on Friday. So, have no fear if Mikey’s set leaves you wanting more, because there will be more. And more. AND MORE.

One of the heaviest hitting names on the Seismic lineup is tech house icon Green Velvet. GV is no stranger to house heads everywhere, and he is certainly no less popular here in Austin. The man has passed through our city multiple times over the past couple of years and has sold out every single night he’s played. Austin loves this dude, and he seems to love Austin because HE’S BACK this September for Seismic Dance Event... and boy oh boy are the people PUMPED.

Now, this is where I usually hit you guys with the F A C T S (mostly Kels’s personal facts, aka opinions) stating why you should get your ass to check out the artists I write about. But rather than me tell you why I think you should pencil Green Velvet into your fest sched, I hit up a few RealMusic Events regs and promoters to get a few words on their thoughts about GV, as well as their previous experiences seeing him in Austin. While their fandom ranges from starting not even a year ago to having been grooving to his sets for over half a decade, they all agree that this is a must see artist at Seismic.

A recurring word I heard from my fellow dance floor warriors while talking about Green Velvet was “energy.” RME promoter Josh stated his favorite part of one night he spent with GV behind the decks was “the palatable energy you could feel from his set….his upbeat bassy sounds reverberated through the body and mind both.” RME regular Marissa said something similarly with her quote stating GV “always kept the energy high in the club.” So, basically, if you aren’t a BORING HUMAN then GV will be an excellent guide to getting your heart pumping and your feet moving. Besides, who doesn’t want energy when they’re partying at a music festival?

DUDE. IT IS THE END OF JULY. Which means August is, like, tomorrow which means September is basically next week, so SEISMIC DANCE EVENT HYPE IS FULL FORCE.

So, as you all should know by now, one of Seismic’s booked artists is the deep house producing, cat loving, “This Never Happened” label boss Lane 8. The dude has been insanely busy touring not only with his own “Little by Little” album tour, but has also made some stops as a guest on the "Anjunadeep Open Air" series. So it’s preeettyyy cool he’s making a little stop along the way to grace us at Carson Creek with his lovely melodies.

SPEAKING OF, the point of this blog: MEWZIK. Daniel (that’s Lane 8’s real human name) released a new track that’s been floating around in his latest sets and it is a NICE LITTLE CHOON if I do say so myself. While the track consists of elements that clearly mark a Lane 8 classic, like the use of vocals and a strong melody with little to no harmonies, I think Danny Boy stepped out a bit from his usual style with this one. “The Disappearance of Colonel Mustard” starts off with a cozy, deep house warmth to it, then moves into an energetic build up we’d usually expect to smoothly crescendo into a harmony-layered version of the original melody. Instead, Daniel chooses to drop us into a groovy bassline that is eventually joined by an 80s inspired drum pattern. IT SOUNDS GOOD GUYS. AND IT MAKES ME WANNA BOOGIE. So check it out for yourself below, I’m sure you can all spare five minutes of your time.

Going into Movement this year, the techno fans were a little concerned. The headliners had shifted away from techno, and names like Diplo and Rezz on the lineup meant different types of fans would be attending. Some people proclaimed that the promoter Paxahau had abandoned the underground fans entirely. Through all the naysaying, Movement 2018 turned out to be an experience to remember, all for good reasons. Some of the top names in techno held their ground at the top of the food chain, proving they were truly the best of the best; while the legends sat at the top, a collection of talented women climbed skyward, showing that this wasn’t only a men’s industry anymore. Through these two points, Movement showed that the scene may be shifting in some ways, but is definitively staying true to its roots in others.

The Legends:

The people I typically talk music with are in what I call the “seasoned zone” (seasoned sometimes being replaced with salty). They’ve been to so many club nights and so many festivals that the magic of unfamiliarity has been replaced with a comfortable and competitive knowledge of the music. Dancing through sets in wonder of what is being played has been replaced with seeing who in the group can ID the most songs in a set.

It’s no secret that the electronic scene in Austin has had its ups and downs with finding its place among the music scene here. With such large, successful festivals like Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, and Reggae Fest attracting consistent crowds every year, analog tends to dominate as the live music of choice. Not saying I have any beef with analog, I grew up on that good good. But UGH the summertime is just SO PERFECT for daytime fests fueled by dance music. Lucky for meeeee, Andrew and Kelly of RealMusic Events seemed to have read my mind and were like “Yo Kels, we gotchu.”

RME has been working towards this moment for YEARS, and is so psyched to be producing festivals with label partnerships, plus its very own 2 day festival this September, if you haven’t heard: Seismic Dance Event! More TBA soon EEEEEEP.

SO, after an extremely successful day festival with Dirtybird hosting their first ever Texas edition BBQ, the gifts keep on comin’. Anjunadeep Open Air has hand picked Austin & RME as one of their destinations this summer, and RME has planned this melodic escape to take place this Saturday, June 9th, at Carson Creek Ranch. Known as the deep house side of the Anjuna brand, every artist on this day fest’s lineup is guaranteed to deliver an absolutely beautiful escape.

Excitement is nearing its peak as Austin’s Dirtybird BBQ date on May 19th draws closer. Across the country, our very own Austin is one of only three sought after locations for the tech-house and meat fueled festival, and you better believe we’re going to make the most of it. Partnering up with the Dirtybird team, we'll be hosting this much anticipated event at the world renowned Circuit of Americas with an over the top lineup including Claude Vonstroke, Justin Martin, J.Phlip b2b Christian Martin, Will Clarke, Ardalan, & Worthy. We'll even have a pool for this one! Fear not veggie & vegan friends... we got your covered with our BBQ options as well.

Okay so where did the Dirtybird BBQs get its start? The fiesta has been rocking cities since 2013, but the history of this event actually goes much further back than that. Before the modern version of Dirtybird BBQ was dreamt up as a one day mini-festival, it made a stage out of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Trying to do something new and different, the initial Dirtybird trio, Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin and Christian Martin, threw the first party to astounding success. That astounding success consisted of their girlfriends, Justin’s roommate Worthy, who became another member of the group, and a random passerby who has since become the grill master at every Dirtybird BBQ.

Here’s a fact that Texas techno fans won’t believe - Maceo Plex played in Dallas the day after Christmas. Why didn’t you hear about it? Why wasn’t there a big commotion with ticket presale announced and a quick sell out? Because there were no tickets, it was a free event.

Announced the day of, Mariel Ito played Dallas’ Beauty Bar on December 26th. Maceo Plex’s far less popular pseudonym gave him the perfect opportunity to play a 60 capacity dive bar on a moments notice, and guarantee that the real fans showed up. The Mariel Ito name hasn’t been used much in about a decade, but has been used to host Eric Estornel’s electro and IDM work.

Dallas might seem like an odd place to host an incredibly unique show like this, but it’s actually one of the places Estornel’s called home growing up. Born in Miami, Estornel moved to Dallas in his early teens and went from listening to rave music to proper techno in a quick, transformative two years. Working at a record store from the late 90s to the mid 00s, he had a crew of electro-enthusiast friends produced together as well as hosted nights that brought out modest crowds of around 15 to 25 people. In his own words, the town was always more interested in house music, and by the time he moved to Valencia he was done with Dallas’ musical climate.

My time at Day for Night Festival 2016 consisted of waiting in will call for over an hour, missing two sets I was excited to see, rushing through the art installations, being disappointed in a set I'd had high hopes for, and standing in a rainstorm (with 20 mph gusts of wind in 50 degrees for 90 minutes, mind you) because NO WAY WAS I MISSING APHEX TWIN.

And you better believe there was no way in hell I was about to miss it all the next year.

Day for Night is like no other festival I have ever attended. While 2016 was not the most flawless experience of my life, I saw the potential. I'd only attended one day, we arrived later than anticipated, the weather was total shit, my music taste had evolved more than I realized...these were all factors that weren’t the fault of the production team. I wanted more, so I bought a blind presale ticket the second they went on sale a month after I left the gates of D4N 2016. BEST. DECISION. EVER.

Fast forward to Saturday, December 16th 2017. My friends Brandon, Andy, and myself arrive in Houston at 1:30 pm, drop our bags at our friend's house, and call a Lyft pronto. Once there, I notice immediately that they've cleaned up the line mess from the previous year and the gates look much more organized. No lines longer than five people, clearly marked service booths... I'm already proud. This fest is still young, this being its third year, so they're clearly listening and learning from their past mistakes. Well done, D4N.

To say the Essential Mix has played a role in my journey through electronic music is definitely an understatement. The first mix I ever listened to was Above & Beyond’s 2011 Essential Mix (which also happens to be the mix of the year) and I’ve listened to Eric Prydz’s 2013 EM more times than I can count (also the crowned winner of the year.) It’s what turned me onto artists such as Nero, Calyx & Teebee, Jon Hopkins, Black Coffee, Midland, and many more from all over the dance music spectrum.

(Some of) You: “What tf is this girl talking about?”

Me: “EDUCATION TIME.”

BBC Radio 1 first started the Essential Mix series in 1993 with legendary host Pete Tong, and is now one of their longest running programs. Basically, every week, an invited artist (or group of artists) prepares a two hour mix to be played between 1 and 3 am UK time. You can tune in live or catch the mix on the BBC Radio 1 website after the broadcast, as well as download it for free. While the show tends to lean towards house music more than any other genre, the hundreds of artists showcased over the past 24 years have explored genres from all over the dance music spectrum. The program has contributed to the growth and popularity of dance music all over the world, and because of its prestige, the invitation to prepare an Essential Mix is considered quite the honor.

With the release of their brand new album “The Only Road”, it’s a good time to be a Gabriel & Dresden fan. Coming back from a 11 year hiatus, they used the power of Kickstarter to ensure they had time to write the best album they could - and the time was well spent. “The Only Road” is a collection of emotional, soaring records that is sure to blow away old fans as well as win over many new ones.

I got a chance to ask the trance duo a few questions about the album and what they’ve been up to:

As with most Kickstarters, the one put together for your new album included some jaw-dropping pledge rewards such as having G&D co-write a song with you and getting an extended four hour G&D set at your house party. Have either of these been acted on yet?

So far, we haven’t done any of the house parties yet. But we have worked with the backers who pledge to co-write album songs with us. Two of the album’s songs, “Free Your Mind” and “Jupiter” were done with backers. We didn’t know what to expect by letting fans into our studio to create with us, but in both cases we had a great time and not only made something we are proud of, but we also ended up making two new friends whom we communicate with often. We plan to do more of this sort of thing in the future because we had such a great experience with it here.

The holidays are here, and it’s been one hell of a year for RealMusic Events. From Texas debuts to multiple DJ residencies, the talent that has graced our decks has been an incredible feat for Austin as a whole. With these fire bookings comes fire merch and shit, and LUCKY YOU we are ready to give it away to our followers!

So here’s how it’s going to work...

Starting Wednesday, December 13th, we’re giving away at least one prize a day to our fans. These giveaways will consist of different contest instructions each day, from simple social media shares to the first person to answer a trivia question correctly, or even to complete a physical task at the club; be prepared for anything! Each daily giveaway will show up on any one of our social media platforms, so make sure you keep your eye on the following accounts:

Facebook: RealMusic Events fanpage

Twitter: @realmusicevents

Instagram: @realmusicevents

The giveaway won’t always be blatantly obvious, so make sure to pay extra attention for the next twelve days!

If you would have asked me who I was most excited for as I was walking into day 1 of Dreamstate, I wouldn’t have had an answer. As somebody who listens to progressive house, deep house and techno, Dreamstate, the biggest American trance only festival, had little I was familiar with. For the first time in years, I did not know the vast majority of the lineup, and it was exciting. Thanks to two generous friends, this house and techno fan was able to go undercover and experience the many shades of trance music for the first time.

The Music:

It should be said from the beginning that my trance knowledge is very small. I didn’t know the newest singles and wasn’t able to sing along to the classics. This, however, did not hold me back from learning a lot about the less-mainstream trance subgenres and enjoying myself to the fullest.

At it’s core, Dreamstate consisted of four trance subgenres: uplifting, tech-trance, psytrance, and bigroom/mainstage. As with any subgenre discussion, these can be divided down, but these four paint an overall picture.

My first impression of tech trance was how similar to techno it is at times. High-bpm, driving tunes with minimal hooks and an abundant amount of energy, tech-trance quickly established itself as my comfort genre. During certain songs, I could have even closed my eyes and been at Resident Advisor’s Underground Stage at Movement Detroit - home sweet home.

If you decide you want to research Nina Kraviz, you’ll come across a few pieces of information rather quickly. She earned a doctorate in dental medicine, holds a crazy tour schedule spanning the globe, and is constantly facing the controversy of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. From the positive, like having the “Also known as” field on wikipedia read “Techno Goddess”, to the negative, like the incessant social media comments claiming her success is entirely based on her looks, Nina just can’t seem to get away from talks about her gender.

Her popularity, regardless of controversy, is undeniable. From boasting massive social media numbers to being invited back for her second essential mix this year, Nina has built a massive following that demands she visit every corner of the electronic music world on a regular basis.

Her sound has been described as a blend of electro and techno, however, this eccentric pairing barely even scratches the surface of her musical identity. Depending on what mix you listen to first, you might think that she specialized in techno, electro, tech-house, minimal or just straight up high-bpm bombs. This diversity goes to cement that she knows what she’s doing behind the decks - emphasized even more by the fact that she will often turn up to gigs with a bag full of vinyl records to augment her digital library.

Dirty South, otherwise known as Dragan Roganović, is a man of many styles. If you only know him from his breakthrough collaboration with Alesso, City of Dreams, then you are missing out on an incredibly talented and diverse musician; Roganović is capable of producing in many styles ranging from anthemic bigroom to beautiful indie-electronic music.

Even before City of Dreams was released in 2013, Dirty South had already been collaborating with industry powerhouses like David Guetta, Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell and Mark Knight, in addition to producing songs on two of Example’s albums. The diversity of these collaborations showed his interest in multiple styles of electronic music, and foreshadowed the direction his future productions would take.

Following the success of City of Dreams in 2013, Roganović’s debut album Speed of Life was released. A majority of the album features the high energy house sound that the Dirty South moniker had come to be famous for, mixed in with some deeper cuts that quickly became fan-favorites. The first and title track, Speed of Life, opens the album with a massive four-minute intro that blends strings, synths and drums into a buildup of epic proportions. His diverse style is especially shown through Sunset and Sunrise, a pair of downtempo tracks, that do justice to the events after which they are named and help the album to breath when played front to back.

Hearing the name Moon Boots might bring a few things to mind. Some, including Google, will jump to a fashion trend from the 80’s. Others will think of Pete Dougherty, a rising talent in the world of deep house and disco. He has just released his first album, First Landing, and is currently touring North America to celebrate. Read about and listen to the album below, and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next time this funk powerhouse is near you.

Starting off with Moon Boots’s First Landing, you might not know what exactly you’re signing up for. The first track introduces a downtempo, breakbeat pattern, hip-hop esque hats, and warm synth chords. In a way, this is the perfect song to introduce the album. It sets the themes of soulful vocals, vintage soundscapes and getting the unexpected.

From song two, Moon Boots returns to his native tempo of house music. Keep The Faith Feat. Nic Hanson showcases the disco sound that some have grown to know Moon Boots for. Funky, staccato basslines dance around the guitar tracking and the luscious vocals from Hanson.

Song three and the title track, First Landing, gives the listener another surprise by delivering a moody chord and percussion driven house track, reminding listeners on what label this album was released: the mighty Anjunadeep. Many of the songs showcased in First Landing would likely not be considered for single release on Anjunadeep, but the Anjuna brand has a good history of supporting artists who have released with them before as they explore other genres. For example, in 2013 Anjunabeats stood by Mat Zo as he released Damage Control, considered by many to be a genre-defying masterpiece. Similarly, If It Were You We’d Never Leave, the studio album from Andrew Bayer, was released on Anjunabeats despite it not featuring a single 4x4 track.

Scuba was kind enough to answer some questions preceding his upcoming show at Kingdom Austin on September 30th. Read below to learn more about the man behind Hotflush Recordings and some of the deepest techno sets in the business.

If you could give some advice to yourself as you just were getting started in this industry, what would that advice be?

• Don't give up. Work hard and you'll get your chance eventually.

What was your relationship with music prior to producing?

• I was always doing something from when I was a young kid onwards. I played in bands and did all kinds of stuff. And of course I went to tons of shows and just immersed myself in the whole thing, it's all I've ever been interested in really.

You mentioned in a previous interview that you see “DJing as a creative challenge in itself, and putting on a bunch of hits in a row doesn't really meet that creative challenge." Have you had any recent gigs where you were really pushed creatively in your DJ set?

• Actually I'm planning to play one tonight! I'm at Deep Space in NYC with Francois K and I've got loads of all jungle, electro and all kinds of other stuff to play. Should be fun.

Over Labor Day weekend, RealMusic Events transformed Austin’s Ironwood Hall into a lively two night party featuring some of the best talent in electronic music. Day one focused more on underground styles, bringing Dusky, Yotto and BlackGummy together for a night of house and techno. Day two featured TJR, Chocolate Puma, Hook N Sling and Loud Luxury – a lineup that could have been featured at a major festival.

The stage was transformed into a beautiful neon creation thanks to the blacklight masters at EVOLVE. Glowing fabric was stretched into intricate patterns that, along with the help of the LED screens, painted the atmosphere on thick inside the multi-purpose venue.

Day one got off to a strong start with local progressive DJs Kai Castro and Altek, who set the stage for Mau5trap frontrunner BlackGummy. Although 9:30 is an early start for a headliner, Ironwood hall started to fill up in anticipation for BlackGummy’s signature blend of techno and dark electro. The crowd had no hesitation getting right into the mood as BlackGummy played a great set of his own tunes mixed in with remixes of techno staples such as Matador’s “The Enemy” and Dubfire’s “Exit”. As his set came to a close, Yotto appeared in the booth and the crowd went wild.

After a weekend off from shows, RealMusic Events is hitting the ground running this week putting rising UK star, Curbi, on the decks Friday. THIS. GIRL. IS. READY. (Seriously, a weekend away from music and the RME fam hurts me a little bit.)

Let’s talk about Curbi because he’s definitely worth a talk. Tobias Paul Curwen-Bingley (birth name status: regal AF) has had his hands in the musical world since childhood, which has played well into his quick rise to success in the future house scene. Being signed at the age of 16, plus his passion for his work, convinced Curbi to set aside higher education and pursue music full time. Which, I would confidently say, was a pretty good move on his part. Here Curbi sits, a month shy of 19 years old, with multiple hits under his belt including his single “51” that has over 1.8 MILLION PLAYS on YouTube. Ok, Curbi. I see you.

While reading up on this dude, including his responses to my questions below, I not only learned about his journey as a musician, but I got to see a bit of this guy as a person. And I must say, Curbi seems like such a friendly and positive ball of energy. He’s super involved with his fans, as well as his fellow musicians (check out the Curbi VS Mesto video on his Facebook for some lawlz.) It’s also clear he genuinely loves to have a good time and deliver a good time to his audiences. This is especially important because it guarantees Curbi’s energy will be bursting through his set on Friday, which makes me all the more excited to party at Kingdom for this.

The name Will Clarke brings two things come to mind, some of the funkiest tech-house on the market and a breathtaking beard. Although Will’s American popularity exploded when he signed with Dirtybird in 2015, he has been rocking and shaking dance floors for much longer. An early bloomer in the world of djing, he was playing clubs in his hometown of Bristol at the young age of 13. Equally shocking, at 16 he made his Ibiza debut and hasn’t lost the momentum since. Now 26, Will maintains a hectic tour schedule of festivals and clubs all while releasing music regularly on labels such as Dirtybird, Defected and Relief.

His personality and love for his fans can be seen in his every move. On his socials, you can find him livestream chatting with fans, replying to almost every comment on his posts and just generally being upbeat and positive.

Gain some insight into his radio show, The Barber Shop, as well as his favorite taco in the interview below. Also, make sure to catch him and BOT coming through Kingdom this upcoming Saturday the 23rd for a guaranteed great night of house music.

You’ve been producing and djing for quite a few years now. How have you seen your career evolve over time?

On September 1st and 2nd, the first ever A Labor Of Love event will be transforming Ironwood Hall into a special event with diverse artist curation. Day one and day two bring very different flavors of dance music, and our two-part article is going to help you familiarize yourself with all of the great sounds headed to Austin.

Day 2 is packing some serious festival vibes with Loud Luxury, Hook N Sling, Chocolate Puma, and TJR entrusted on the decks. Each set promises its own style of house music and will ensure a non-stop dance floor.

Hailing from Toronto is the duo Loud Luxury, consisting of Andrew Fedyk & Joe Depace. Being relatively new to the scene hasn’t kept their tracks from catching the eye of several notable producers, such as Oliver Heldens and Gorgon City. Their productions include multiple edits, remixes, and original works that showcase their ability to create effective, but not overly stated beats. Vocal driven and uplifting, this house set will be the perfect way to kick off the day’s lineup. Check out “Show Me” below for a preview.

Anthony Maniscalo, known as Hook N Sling, has been in the electronic game for over a decade. His early productions range from electro house to breakbeats to progressive house, and show his skill for creating music of all types. It wasn’t until his breakout track “The Bump” that Hook N Sling shot to fame, which landed him an Aria Music Awards nomination as well as repeated play by Pete Tong. From there, the Australian started to move into the anthem progressive house that was reigning over the electronic scene in 2014, and released “Tokyo by Night” along with an Axwell remix of the track. Lately, he’s released tracks with popular names such as Sam Feldt and Galantis, and has been successful producing high energy music perfect for the festival goer, as you can hear in “Arms Around Me” below.

The music they make is diverse, but how do the artists of our upcoming A Labor Of Love event compare when it comes to pre-show rituals? What about items on their rider?

Whether you're trying to learn more about your favorite artist, or are just tired of losing DJ trivia every Saturday, read on below to see how Dusky, TJR, Chocolate Puma, Yotto, BlackGummy, and Hook n Sling answered our ten quick questions.

What's a record you just can’t keep out of your sets?

Dusky: Kiwi - Marmora's Theme

It's the newest release on 17 Steps and gets a great reaction every time we play it.

Yotto: Apart from my own ones; Esquape by Joris Voorn.

BlackGummy: Ghetto blaster by Enrico Sanguliano

TJR: Always my biggest tunes.. bounce generation, ode to it, whats up suckaz, we wanna party.

Chocolate Puma: Oliver Heldens - Ibiza 77 (Can You Feel It) Chocolate Puma remix

Hook n Sling: Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm.

What non-musical art forms do you draw inspiration from?

On September 1st and 2nd, the first ever A Labor Of Love event will be transforming Ironwood Hall into a special event with diverse artist curation. Day one and day two bring very different flavors of dance music, and our two-part article is going to help you familiarize yourself with all of the great sounds headed to Austin.

Day one, the more house/techno centered day, features Dusky, Yotto and BlackGummy. These three artists are all making massive waves on major labels, or their own, and have been on fire with incredible records following incredible records.

BlackGummy, or Iman Marouf, is one of the frontrunning firebrands making a name for themselves on deadmau5’s mau5trap imprint. His sound started as a darker blend of electro-house, but as his career grew it evolved to be closer to techno with a hard edge. In his live sets, you can expect to hear plenty of hard hitting techno from labels such as Drumcode and Microcastle, mixed in with the hybrid-genre sounds mau5trap fans have grown to love. His newest EP, Monolith, is a great representation of his current sound; it features stripped down groovers, progressive slow burners and one of a kind bass chops.

Yotto rose to fame after getting signed to the prestigious Anjunadeep label. His initial release was followed by many, many more as he quickly established himself as one of the fastest rising names on the roster. His iconic deep house sound has been evolving lately as he took a step toward progressive-house with a beautiful release on Joris Voorn’s Green label. In his sets you can expect a great diversity between funky cuts, Anjunadeep style deep-house, and progressive so beautiful it will bring a tear to your eye. Check out a personal favorite, Fire Walk, below.

I haven't really known dance music without Jeremy Olander's name being at the forefront of my knowledge on the subject. Thanks to a very late entrance into the dance music scene, and an excellent educator, my love for progressive house bloomed immediately and has only continued to grow since. My growing passion always includes (if it is not dominated by) the music produced by Jeremy Olander.

While I haven't been watching his career in real time since day one, I've witnessed his growth for the past couple of years and it's been nothing short of impressive. Jeremy has always had a knack for taking his listeners on a journey with each of his tracks, and this growth has only refined his skill, and his particular sound, over time. Whether you're being carried by one of his high energy and driving stompers, or by the gorgeous waves of his melancholic progressions, Jeremy has a way of impacting his listeners on every level of the emotional spectrum. His growth also includes the birth of his imprint, Vivrant, which has had an extremely successful year releasing music by a talented pool of progressive house producers, as well as several EPs of Jeremy's own tracks (including his techno alias, Dhillon.)

RealMusic Events co-owners (and power couple) Andrew Parsons and Kelly Gray are two exceptionally driven people. They have spent the past eight years building RME from the ground up, booking artists from all over the electronic music spectrum to spin tracks and orchestrate the dance floor. One of my favorite things about their business is that it isn’t about who is popular, nor what will make the most money. RME is about educating the public in both new and quality music, as well as expanding the dance music scene in Austin. In order to grow the scene though, promoters first must grow their brand. Growing one’s brand takes more than just a constant flow of creative ideas, but also the time invested to embark on new concepts, and the guts to take risks.

The newest endeavor of RealMusic Events is a Thursday night series kicking off this week with Dada Life at Highland. If you’ve never been inside of Highland, then this is a PERFECT opportunity to get your first glance. With its multiple levels, spacious patio, and extra production we're bringing in, this club is going to be home to some really memorable nights. I was able to ask Kelly a few questions about this new venue and her future visions of RME with the concept. Read what she had to say below!

Your favorite artist changing sounds can be a tough experience. Some people identify so heavily with a certain period of an artist's musical journey that they feel betrayed when the artist chooses to explore other sounds. This sometimes results in not only a refusal to support the artist any longer but possibly also outward aggression towards them. This is an experience that Arty undeniably experienced when his sound started to change.

Releases on Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats label during the 2009-2012 period had a special quality to them. Many music fans speak of this time as one of their favorites; each song seemed to be pushing trance in a brand new direction. Fit for headphones or festivals, the music was progressive, high-energy, and emotional, a combination that is notoriously difficult to create. It was during this period when Arty and Mat Zo co-wrote two of the most iconic anthems of the era, Rebound and Mozart.

Riding off the success of his many Anjunabeats releases, Arty chose to explore a different sound for his debut album. Released in October of 2015 on Insomniac Records, Glorious showcased many different styles ranging from pop, to midtempo, to vocal driven bass music. The album received positive reviews all around, but those who had been supporting Arty since the beginning had a hard time finding tracks that reminded them of why they fell in love with Arty’s music in the first place.

My first exposure to The M Machine was watching a mini documentary following Porter Robinson's Language tour in which they, as well as Mat Zo, joined him as supporting acts. The documentary was premiered on YouTube and has since been taken down (NOOOOOO) but I do look back on that memory very fondly. This was the very beginning of my days in the dance music scene, so the sound of 2012 electro is basically a big bowl of feelios for me. While my taste has grown and evolved towards a different sound over the years, I still love what all of these artists are doing with their work, especially The M Machine.

Ben Swardlick and Eric Luttrell hail from San Francisco, and together (along with a third who has since left the group) began producing as The M Machine in 2011. Their first major release was on Skrillex's OWSLA label and immediately shot to the top of the Electro House chart on Beatport. This was followed by several more years of singles, remixes, and EPs releasing not only on the noteworthy OWSLA, but also Anjunabeats and Boys Noize Records as well. BASICALLY these guys moved fast, and rightfully so. The M Machine's work over the years has definitely changed, and it's still not possible to define these guys as one specific genre. This knack for creating a unique blend of music styles is beautifully portrayed in their newest album Glare.

Dance music, especially in its modern form, can appear like a segregated community. Dozens of subgenres help music fans find the sound they love most, but there remains a uniting factor across categorical lines. This unity can be described as a sense of escapism, of finding the remedy to the stresses of life. No matter if the night begins carpooling with a van full friends or coming in solo looking for new connections, the electronic sounds we all love consistently illuminate the path to a great memory.

In this post, we’d like to highlight two members of the RealMusic community who had their nights, or even their lives, turned around by one of our events. These music lovers took some time to share one of their favorite nights dancing to a RealMusic Events booking at our partner club Kingdom.

First up is Julian Shoben. His story begins at Euphoria Music Festival 2016. His pre-festival excitement was dampened so much by having to carry his group’s camping gear over multiple hills and from one of his bags being stolen, that he ended up dejectedly heading an hour home for a shower and a moment to unwind.

After some recuperation, he and his girlfriend Ashley (now fiancée, congratulations!) regained their enthusiasm for the night and decided to take their weekend on a detour to Kingdom to see Green Velvet. Since all their friends were at the festival, they were left in an unfamiliar situation of not having a big group of friends at the club. The following, in Julian’s words, is what happened next.

When Andrew first announced Jerry Folk was coming to Kingdom, I'm sure I wasn't the only human in Austin to say "Who dat?" While this might not be a dj/producer's preferential reaction from a city's scene when they're announced to play a set, it's an opportunity for that scene to broaden their dance music knowledge. An opportunity to support an up and coming artist that's, frankly, worth supporting (because hellooo when has RealMusic Events ever steered us wrong?) However, I know you guys are busy af and you've got plenty on your plate with work and family and finding the next great taco truck. This is where I come in. I have taken it upon myself to do some research and get educated on this guy. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

Jerry Folk hails from Norway (like, the happiest country on the planet, so good vibes already) and moved to the states about 18 months ago to live in LA. Jerry's been slaying the game with first making a name for himself by releasing several remixes of some solid names, including Chromeo and ZZ Ward, that date back to three years ago, which puts Jerry at 18. 18 YEARS OLD. GUYS. This dude has mad skills and dedication and I dig that.

After getting some recognition through his remixes (WHEN HE WAS 18, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT PART?) Mr. Folk decided he wanted to focus on some original work for a while. And boy am I glad he did. His overall style is pretty eclectic; very vocal driven and groovy. As a proclaimed genre snob, I couldn't really tell you where this guy belongs, but I'm totally cool with that. Inspired by the sounds of funk, disco, hip-hop, and house, you'll get just that when you hear this guy spin.

You could feel the excitement buzzing as the party crew of the 2017 SS IndepenDANCE lined up to get on the boat. Their luggage ranged from ice chests to beach bags to giant inflatable avocados, and they smelled, responsibly, of sunscreen. After some comedic (but serious) announcements from the captain, the boat roared to life and DFZ, Alec Palacio and Max Moreno, hit play on the first of many house music tunes to come.

Beach Front Boat Rentals provided a two story barge which became the SS IndepenDANCE for the night. The bottom level had chairs for relaxing, an open bar, and a grill where head chef Richard cranked out veggie burgers, chopped bbq sandwiches, and grilled corn on the cob. Upstairs hosted the DJ booth and dance floor where locals from the RealMusic Events resident team supplied the mid day energy and mood. After DFZ’s tech-house jams, Kai Castro soaked the crowd in sunny progressive house. Then came Nigel Napalm b2b Stephen Lyons, who brought the funk and groove with solid house selections. Spinning last from the locals, RME boss Andrew Parsons got the crowd prepped with some high energy records. Those looking to get wet could hop on the slide that descended from the top of the boat, dropping into the water to join their noodle and inflatable-riding peers.