Southampton Forward has teamed up with local partners on a weekend that celebrates Southampton’s electronic music scene – and the hotly anticipated line-up has just been announced.
The weekend shines a light on local connections to drum and bass, house, techno and garage, over the course of Friday, March 8th and Saturday, March 9th.
Friday will host some of the UK’s hottest names in Drum and Bass including Friction and Harriet Jaxxon, with Saturday seeing the return to their home town of internationally acclaimed House DJs Alan Fitzpatrick and James Zabeila, with both nights showcasing some of the city’s best up-and-coming talent.
Teaming up with Orange Rooms Southampton, EngineRooms, SoCo Music Project and Pioneer DJ, Southampton Forward is proud to present a weekend-long celebration of what the city has to offer across Drum and Bass, House, Techno and Garage.
The weekend will include free DJ workshops and a DJ Masterclass for young people in Southampton, providing hands-on experience with the latest equipment and inspiring the next generation of DJs and producers.
Students from Solent University have also been invited to get involved. The students will be creating stage visuals in response to a paid industry-standard brief, providing an opportunity to develop their portfolios.
Gary Bennetton, event producer and owner of Orange Rooms says, “Orange Rooms prides itself on being a top venue in the city and we always want to do what we can to nurture local talent. We want to give a platform to the next generation of DJs coming through which is why we’ve partnered with Southampton Forward to support this event.”
Southampton Forward is an independent charity working across culture, festivals and events, and a focus on enhancing networks between the city’s music venues and other organisations to create more and varied cultural experiences that can also provide work experience and career pathways for young people.
Claire Whitaker CBE, CEO of Southampton Forward having previously worked in the music industry for over 25 years, said: “We’re really proud to present this event. Southampton has a rich history when it comes to Electronic Dance Music.
“Music is so important, it helps tell a story and express who we are. We want to invite lovers of EDM to come down and celebrate this important part of Southampton’s rich musical heritage. ”
Featuring top-class DJs and musicians including Alan Fitzpatrick, James Zabeila and Sophix J, the weekend will span electronic music genres, spotlight the story of the city’s electronic music scene and provide a platform for some of the amazing new talent coming out of Southampton.
The event aims to bring together the vibrant community of Southampton, featuring a carefully curated lineup of DJs with strong ties to the city, emphasising local talent while also introducing national and international names.
Claire added: “ together with EngineRooms and Gary Bennetton from Orange Rooms, we have strived to keep the event accessible by making tickets as affordable as possible.”
On Friday, March 8th the club night will be dedicated to drum and bass; Saturday, March 9th – house & techno. Prices start from £5.
For more information and to buy tickets, please visit https://southamptonforward.org.uk/projects_initiatives/electronic-music-weekender/
