Wickerman announces Dance Line Up
Riva Starr, Alex Metric, Ivan Smagghe and Crazy P Soundsystem to headline Bass Camp
Legendary DJ and producer Riva Starr, internationally acclaimed Alex Metric, electro house icon Ivan Smagghe and disco dance outfit Crazy P Soundsystem top the bill at the Wickerman Festival’s Bass Camp dance village this year.
Featuring the renowned Em-It and Skiddle tents, dance fans can party until 5am each morning to an electrifying mix of progressive house, techno, electro and rave beats.
The Skiddle Tent, which celebrates its ten year anniversary at Wickerman this summer, is set to delight house music fans on Friday with the return of Italian-born DJ and producer Riva Starr. Dubbed ‘one of the best producers on the planet’ by Claude Von Stroke, his 2013 hit single with Fatboy Slim and Beardyman ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’, a rare house gem that was hijacked by the EDM Crew, reached number three on the UK singles chart. Topping Saturday’s bill will be exciting electro act Crazy P Soundsystem who promise to fill the dance floor with their signature mix of slinky underground disco, deep electronic beats and shimmering pop moments. The tent will also welcome top names such as X-Press 2, Britain’s influential electronic dance duo, Wickerman regular Sonny Wharton, who has created a stir across the electronic music scene and Leeds duo PBR Streetgang who seamlessly blend garage, house and techno to connect with the crowd. Another Leeds legend, Tristan da Cunha, will also be putting in a performance this year. Resident at legendary house institute Back To Basics, Tristan has performed alongside the latest and the greatest DJs for over a decade.
Block Party extraordinaire Kid Blast and Skiddle regulars James Ryan, Luke Stranger and Western Groove will also enhance the red hot bill alongside Seelie, The Filth Wizard and Taneli.
On Friday in the Em-It Tent, iconic French DJ and producer Ivan Smagghe will get the crowd’s jumping with a vibrant mix of boundary pushing electro house. Joining him will be Glasgow duo Silicone Soul who have released four critically acclaimed albums, cutting edge house and electro DJ Simon Jackson and electronic dance DJ Ray McKinney. The legendary UK night No Strings Attached will also be presented.
On Saturday the Em-It Tent will welcome mega talented British DJ and producer Alex Metric. Known for producing some of the most memorable club anthems of the last few years, his sound is deeply rooted in early underground dance, touching on disco, funk, Chicago house, Detroit techno as well as indie rock. Also showcasing his skills will be Glasgow’s Harvey McKay, one of the hottest properties in electronic music today. His one-off originals and killer remixes travel from deep driving house to powerful techno with an energetic party sound. Scottish DJs Ryan Cass, Lee Clark and Brett King will also be taking to the stage to get the Wickerman party started.
Once again the popular Headphone Disco will be returning to Wickerman this year to keep people raving quietly on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in the Headphone Arena, nestled alongside Bass Camp.
Helen Chalmers, Wickerman’s Festival Coordinator commented: “We are delighted to welcome some of the biggest names in dance music to this year’s line-up and its also great to see some of our festival favourites making a triumphant return. Bass Camp is a really popular feature amongst our festival goers and we are confident that our line-up will keep the party stoked until the early hours.”
Wickerman Festival 2014
Friday 25th & Saturday 26th July 2014 / www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk
East Kirkcarswell Farm, Dundrennan, Dumfries & Galloway
Tickets can be purchased from http://wickerman.skiddletickets.com/
More acts are still to be announced.
The Wickerman Festival
Wickerman is one of the UK’s best-loved independent music festivals and is now entering its 13th consecutive year. With ten stages featuring an eclectic and exciting mix of leading artists, alternative acts and up-and-coming talent, the two day summer party caters for all musical tastes.
It is one of the friendliest festivals in Scotland and with hundreds of music-loving families in attendance each year, there’s a host of cool kids entertainment and activities on offer. The festival site is a working farm in picturesque Dumfries and Galloway; its rolling hills, lush forests and fresh country air make for a refreshing vibe. It is also where the classic 1973 Wicker Man film was made – the inspiration for the festival’s name.
The Wickerman site is a wonderland for adults and children alike with a cinema, fun fair, circus entertainment, grass sledging, mountain biking and array of arts and craft activities scattered throughout its fields. High quality yurts, tipis and cloud houses and spacious campsites complete the magical festival experience.
Every year the festival stages an unforgettable finale, as thousands of fans flock to watch a towering 40ft Wickerman be spectacularly set alight.
Homecoming Scotland 2014
The Wickerman Festival forms part of Homecoming Scotland’s 2014 Events Programme. This year, Scotland will welcome the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014 – providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games.
The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country. Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com
Artist Information
Em-It Line Up 2014:
Friday 25th July
Ivan Smagghe
Internationally renowned French DJ, producer and former Black Strobe member, Ivan is famed for his electro house and minimal electro musical style. Regarded as ‘The DJ’s DJ’, he has remixed and collaborated with the likes of Andrew Weatherall, The XX, Roman Flügel and Tiga.
Silicone Soul
Silicone Soul are a house music production duo from Glasgow. They have released five albums on Soma Quality Recordings, manage their own record label called Darkroom Dubs.
No Strings Attached
Scottish lads Steve Cass and Justin Wilson, aka No Strings Attached, started hosting house and techno nights in a working man’s club in 1995. The venues and their musical style has changed since then, and they are now famed for playing downtempo Balearic grooves in Scotland’s best clubs.
Simon Jackson
Simon Jackson has been part of the UK dance scene from the days of the late 80s ‘Summer of Love’ through to the international global brand that it is today. Simon draws influence from a wide range of musical styles. His sets are a heady mix of cutting edge house and electro, detouring through his own personal take on breaks, and have been described as ‘Bass Heavy Warehouse Music’.
Ray McKinney
Dumfries & Galloway based DJ Ray Mckinney’s passion for electronic dance music started in the early 90s. He is inspired by techno giants such as Carl Cox, Dave Angel, Adam Beyer and DJ Dan through to artists such as Pete Tong and Nic Fanculli. Ray McKinney is no stranger to playing sets for local Dumfries club nights Twisted Disco and Ro Restless, as well as being a regular at the Wickerman Festival.
Saturday 26th July
Alex Metric
Alex Metric is a British musician, DJ & producer. Regarded as an artist’s artist, Alex’s sound is deeply rooted in early styles of underground dance music, touching on disco, funk, Chicago House and Detroit Techno as well as indie rock. He has released numerous EPs, and remixed artists such as Depeche Mode, La Roux, N.E.R.D, Phoenix, Ellie Goulding and Bloc Party.
Harvey McKay
Harvey McKay has emerged from Glasgow’s underground clubbing scene to become one of the hottest prospects in electronic music today. Lauded by Richie Hawtin, Harvey has built a reputation for one-off originals, killer remixes, and DJ sets that travel from deep driving house to powerful techno.
Ryan Cass
Edinburgh-based DJ Ryan Cass plays a heady mix of deep and tech house. His various residencies and festival appearances have seen him play alongside the likes of Damian Lazarus, Green Velvet, Modeselektor and John Digweed.
Lee Clark
Founder of the massively successful Dumfries club night Funktion, local lad Lee Clark is widely acknowledged as one of the finest DJs the south of Scotland has to offer. Lee’s sets are rooted in techno, with a little house, soul and disco thrown in for good measure, and his flawless technical skills are matched only by his ability to effortlessly rock a crowd.
Brett King
Brett King has been a mainstay of the Edinburgh club scene for 15 years, holding residencies and making appearances at some of the capital’s most prolific nights, including Wiggle, Tokyoblu, Luvely & Joy. Brett’s taste in house and dance music is extremely varied, ranging from uplifting vocal house, through to dark progressive trance beats and soulful house.
Skiddle Line Up 2014:
Friday 25th July
Riva Starr
Since releasing his first EP in 2007, Italian DJ/producer Riva Starr has established himself as one of the world’s leading electronic dance music artists through his catchy productions and memorable remixes of established artists such as Plan B, Major Lazer and Dennis Ferrer. He achieved mainstream success in 2013, collaborating with Fatboy Slim on the track ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat.’
X-Press 2
X-Press 2, a British electronic and dance music duo, first rose to underground prominence in the 90s through the tracks ‘Muzik Express’ and ‘London Xpress’. Their 2002 single ‘Lazy’ peaked at number one in the UK Singles Chart, and featured lead vocals by David Byrne of Talking Heads.
Sonny Wharton
Welsh-born Sonny Wharton is a house and techno DJ and record producer. His 3-deck wizardry is hailed the world over, and Sonny’s racked up slots at internationally renowned clubbing institutions; Pacha, Ministry Of Sound, Godskitchen and Space. He has also made three 3 prestigious guest mixes for BBC Radio 1, gaining heavyweight support from the likes of Pete Tong, Sander Kleinenberg, Mark Knight, Steve Angello and Roger Sanchez.
Ki Creighton
Ki Creighton started DJing in the early 90s and is now regarded as a veteran of the UK music circuit. As a resident at Carlisle’s Uber club night, Ki has warmed up for the likes of Annie Mac, Erol Alkan, Calvin Harris and many more. His DJ style is heavily rooted in the house vibe, with techno and tech-house all ever present.
James Ryan
James Ryan has been mixing and making house music for over a decade, playing in clubs around the UK including Turnmills, Sankeys and The Warehouse Project. He has done many remixes for labels such as Whartone, Bellarine and Baroque, both by himself and with studio partner Andrew Dent. His remix of the Beastie Boys ‘Intergalactic’ was featured in DJ mag as one of its hot picks. He is also one half of trance duo Filter Script and plays in an electronic grunge band ‘Vanya’ who have played for BBC Introducing at Radio One’s big weekender and on the radio. This is a dj who lives and breathes music so expect a musical journey over many styles building with melodic undertones and driving beats.
Luke Stanger
Luke Stanger is a tech house DJ and producer from Keswick in Cumbria. He is resident DJ at Sunday Sessions at The Lion in Keswick.
Western Groove
Western Groove is made up of Carlisle-based DJs Mike Yates & Douglas Chippendale. Their style blends deep house, disco, deep funk, edits & rare groove, and collectively they have warmed up for and played on the same bills as X-Press 2, Derrick Carter and Groove Armada.
The Filth Wizard
The Filth Wizard aka Preston based DJ & Promoter, Matt Fawbert, is the man behind BEATS OF RAGE, an underground electro night in Preston. With a disregard for genre, The Filth Wizard plays anything from straight-up electro to bassline house, disco to future techno, and beyond. He has played alongside a long list of DJ talent including Boy 8-Bit, Jack Beats, Toddla T, and many more.
Saturday 26th July
Crazy P Soundsystem
Crazy P is Danielle Moore, Jim Baron and Chris Todd, an electronic music group from the UK. They have been performing for the last 15 years and have released five studio albums. Crazy P have made their name with a unerring combination of lushly structured songs and live power, whilst never forgetting their roots on the dance floors of the late 90s’ house, disco, and soul clubs.
PBR StreetGang
Bonar Bradberry and Tom Thorpe, aka PBR Streetgang, met through the infamous circus of the Leeds nightlife. Over the last five years, their DJ partnership has evolved into audience enthralling sets which flow effortlessly from Ableton live to the turntables via a piece of circuitry that allows both heads to mix together as one.
Tristan Da Cunha
Hailing from Leeds, Tristan da Cunha has over 15 years experience as a DJ. As resident at legendary house institute Back To Basics, Tristan performed alongside the latest and the greatest DJs for over a decade. His reputation and style on the decks has taken him far and wide, performing sets at clubs such as Fabric, Panorama Bar & Below and DC10.
Seelie
Long-time resident for the seminal ‘For No Reason’ parties in Preston, Lancashire, Seelie is a skilled and technical DJ who manages to blend all ages of house effortlessly, from the raw sounds of New York to the refined beauty of Detroit.
Taneli
At just 20 the DJ and producer – inspired by the likes of Youandewan, George Fitzgerald, KiNK, Move D & Midland– has achieved plenty, turning his unique production hand to remixes on labels including Take Care Records and originals on Dusty Records, Group Hug Music, The Fat! Club and Concrete Music. Taneli also collaborated with UK artist ETML and received plenty of praise from outlets like the Guardian, as well as being a much in demand DJ himself playing all over Europe.
Kid Blast
With a history stretching from the late 80s, Kid Blast has been spinning records now for 22 years under a variety of names, and has played at pretty much all of the venues that kick started the Northern rave scene, before taking a break in the late 90s, re-discovering funk and old school hip hop and reinventing himself as block party DJ extraordinaire. He’s established himself as a Funkademia resident since 2009 at Manchester’s longest running club night of 16 years.
