Renowned for its packed line-ups, Jungle Jam’s decision to run a day and night event could’ve scuppered what they were originally respected for. Running for a full 12 hours, many events would’ve sacrificed a dense selection of artists, flooding the event with filler acts to pass off 6 hours of bookings as a full day event. That is not the Jungle Jam ethos however,  and at this event, quality was certainly not sacrificed for quantity.

For those who were determined to make the most out of their post-exam freedom, the doors of Mint Warehouse were thrown open at 6pm, with attendees able to experience the sounds of the Sinai Soundsystem early doors. These early punters were also able to get free horns, whistles and t-shirts, fantastic items until they were inevitably swallowed up between sweaty revellers and amen breaks.

9:30 saw the launch of the main room, and by midnight all of the venue was in full Jungle Jam flow. The upstairs room was taken over by Leeds’ underground drum and bass aficionados, Overflow, bringing an eclectic mixture of artists which was sure to please heads of the scene. The outside room, affectionately named the ‘boiler room’, brought a break from 160bpm+, but replaced it with equally relentless bass-orientated floor shakers.

With multi-room events, it is often hard to balance quality across the entire venue. Jungle Jam took to the task with ease, scene heavyweights such as Randall and Grooverider setting the scene in the main room early doors, whilst Makoto showcased his intelligent jazz-funk interpretations of drum and bass upstairs. For those who were drawn to room three from the smoking area, Leeds local Vital Techniques again held down the fort for Yorkshire, remaining fresh despite playing out in this city countless times.

Jungle Jam was unsurprising, but never a let down. Their quality is so consistent, so unshakeable, that many in this city end up overlooking them. But for those who take a chance, drawn by the event’s big names such as David Rodigan, they almost always find themselves returning for those further down the bill.

Reece Parker