If there’s one thing heads can legitimately complain about in the US drum & bass scene, it’s the dearth of events available around the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. While the rest of the world can skank right on through the New Year, the family nature of this holiday doesn’t seem conducive to letting off steam during Thanksgiving weekend, let alone the day.
In many cities, promotion companies have taken to throwing smaller parties for those who wish to work off their food comas at 174 beats per minute but in Los Angeles, Bassrush, Respect and Andy C are preparing to once again put on a massive event on Thanksgiving Day. With the Executioner touching down in the City of Angels for a three hour set at Exchange with MC Tonn Piper, expect local heroes like Richter B2b Fallen, NoFace and host MCs Dre and Dino to help save us from our collective carb attack.
To find out more about how this breakthrough event came to be and since there’s always something exciting going on at RAM, Bassrush managed to pin down Mr. C before his trip stateside to talk Thanksgiving, RAM Trilogy and how D&B’s favorite DJ plans to close out 2019.
Who came up with the idea to have such a big event with the biggest U.K. DJ on Thanksgiving Day?
I’m not sure I remember whose initial idea it was, but when the guys at Respect and Bassrush approached me with the idea, I thought, “Yeah, that could work. At the very least it sounds like a bit of fun.” I really didn’t think we’d pack the place – I mean Exchange is such a big venue as well – not just that year but every year we’ve done it. It’s now become a gig I look forward to every year.
While some might argue that U.S. heads wouldn’t come out full force on such a family-oriented holiday it now seems like the perfect combination.
Yeah, I think we underestimate in the U.K. in general just how much of an audience there actually is in the U.S. It’s spread out and maybe not as big in terms of pop success but the fans are rabid and always looking for good shows so my experience with D&B events in the U.S. on any day is that the vibes are always wicked and it’s even better on a holiday like this.
Sort of an “if you throw it they will come” model.
[Laughs] Exactly! And it’s so fun to do a strictly D&B event in L.A. The festivals are great in the U.S. of course but the vibes with a dedicated drum & bass crowd are such that I can play anything I want and I know they’ll love it. We all feed off each other and we’re all there for the same purpose. It’s really special.
We’ve also heard that Ram has a lot planned for the end of year. You’ve come up with a big Christmas show in London next week, for starters.
I’m really excited about that actually. I haven’t curated a lineup like this in a long time. We’ve got every style and era covered from Ray Keith and Ed Rush & Optical, Dillinja, Randall, Ray Keith…then on the new kids side, Bensley, Bou and Harriet Jaxxon. I also really wanted it to have a solid old school rave feel and Printworks is just an amazing venue for that. We’ve also done it as a day party which I’m really looking forward to. I can be in bed at a reasonable time for once! [Laughs]
You’ve also got the Ram 2019 Annual coming up and a big ProgRAM release this week but the thing people are probably most excited about is the Ram Trilogy Molten Beats Remastered project which drops today.
I’m really chuffed about the Molten Beats project and how it’s come together with Shimon and Ant. I’m glad we were all on the same page wanting to do something for the 20th anniversary of Ram Trilogy and the remaster turned out so well. I’ve been playing the remastered tracks out and they’re going down a storm.
The remaster really shows how timeless those tracks are because they sound just as contemporary to the current climate as they did back then.
That’s nice to hear. We sort of tried to make it sound more digital with the remaster but to keep that bounce that our sound was originally about. We’re pleased with the way it turned out.
So aside from rocking L.A. and London proper to close out the year and the big remaster release, is there anything else going that you can give fans a little teaser on?
[Laughs] I think all that’s enough, don’t you? I’m playing so many shows and I’m loving all of it so to me that’s the best way to close out 2019. The Ram Annual is sounding really good but that’s all I can say on that one for now. Other than that, see you soon L.A; it’s going to be a great night and I look forward to the vibes as always!
Tickets are still available for the Andy C “Bassgiving” event tomorrow, November 28 at Exchange LA. Click here to purchase and use code BASSGIVING to receive $5 off tickets. Be sure to stream or cop the Molten Beats Remastered album out today here to get psyched up for the show.