Hospitality
Danny Byrd, Shy FX,
London Elektricity,
Nu:Logic, S.P.Y, Calyx
& Teebee, Metrik,
Preditah, Om Unit
O2 Academy
Friday 1st February

The archetypal drum and bass event in Leeds returned once again to the O2 Academy in Leeds city centre last week.  With a lineup devoid of some of the recent regulars such as Netsky, High Contrast and Camo & Krooked, the lineup instead presented the refreshing inclusion of Ram Records’ gritty drum and bass artists Calyx & Teebee to take centre stage in the main room, and the likes of Preditah – the grime DJ/producer who has been rightfully propelled to the forefront of the scene in recent times taking control in Room 2.

Having freshly released the critically acclaimed All or Nothing LP, Calyx & Teebee’s role was to warm the crowd up with their mesmerizingly technical, hard hitting riffs, using their hour to showcase the full 360 degrees of drum and bass.  They divinely ripened the ethos of their audience just in time for the big man from Brazil to take to the decks. Like his on-screen counterpart Bond, S.P.Y was still revelling in his success from 2012; he used this to lure the minds of the crowd with his tantalising melodies so that he could then proceed to infiltrate deeper with his soul-resonating basslines.

Among some of the other artists performing was Hospital Records’ big man London Elektricity, who demonstrated both his ability to mix soulful vinyl, and that dancing like a dad to drum and bass is both respectable and encouraged.  The synergistic combination of Nu:Tone and Logistics in the form Nu:Logic proved a personal highlight, showcasing tracks from their upcoming collaboration album whilst pouring the water back into liquid D&B.

words: Tom Dance