Featured Artist

Warsaw Village Band formed in Warszawa, Poland in 1997. They describe what they do as ‘Modern music, played by modern people, inspired by tradition for this and future generations’. Their style is Rootsy, yet experimental, euphoric and haunting. The band have revived many musical traditions that were all but lost in their home country.

They play traditional instruments which are rarely heard in modern music; frame drums, the hurdy-gurdy and the suka; a Polish folk fiddle from the 17th century stopped with the fingernails rather than the fingers. Many of the band’s vocals are sung in a loud and powerful style much like the ‘open-throated’ singing from Bulgaria. Biały głos (white voice) was used by shepherds in the Polish mountains enabling them to be heard over long distances.

The band also incorporate modern elements into their music. The 2004 release ‘Wykorzenienie’ (Uprooting) contains scratching by the Polish hip hop artist DJ Feel-X, Dub sirens and FX brought by the band’s sound engineer, Mario ‘Activator’ Dziurex. Creating a juxtaposition of new sounds over old melodies.
Warsaw Village Band signed to German label Jaro Records in 2002 beginning a long-lasting and fruitful relationship. They have continued to release their music on Jaro through to the present day. The band’s profile dramatically improved in the UK around this time and in 2004 they won the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Best Newcomer.

Their 7th album ‘Sun Celebration’ was released in November 2016. It exalts in the spiritual brotherhood which crosses religious & ethnic boundaries and which the band have experienced on their travels. It presents universal stories told through the oldest Polish folk songs. All this happens in the unique ‘Transminimal-roots’ style of Warsaw Village Band but on a completely new scale. The album features guests from various musical worlds, including; Mercedes Peón, an avant-garde vocalist from Spanish Galicia, Iranian Kemanche genius Kayhan Kalhor and Indian Sarangi virtuoso, Ustad Liaquat Ali Khan.

The album was nominated in the Fusion category for a Songlines 2018 Award.

The new Warsaw Village Band album ‘Mazovian Re:action’ was awarded a Fryderyki (Polish Grammy) in the best Roots music category and reached Number 4 in the World Music Charts Europe. It is a symbolic return to the band’s musical origins and illustrates the pure joy of working with, and learning from, the last remaining Mazovian traditional singers.

At a time when Britain is making moves away from Europe, it is vital to recognise and celebrate the cultural and artistic similarities of our European brothers and sisters. Warsaw Village Band will bring a Polish identity to the UK, cement an affinity between us and of course play excellent ‘Transminimal-roots’ music!

www.warsawvillageband.net
www.facebook.com/WarsawVillageBand

LOST ANGELS is a Bonafide “ROCK SUPERGROUP” featuring members of SLASH’S SNAKEPIT, Alice Cooper, WHITE LION AND Gilby Clarke (GUNS N ROSES). Expect to hear songs from every band these guys played with.

Support from Saints of Sin, “ones to watch”.

Ticket Price: £15 adv / £19 otd

Ferry Corsten’s illustrious career is exemplified by a passion for music that began as a hobby and spiraled into a full-blown profession, as he continues to push the boundaries of trance music as much today as much as he did in his fledgling career.

This is highlighted by his latest project UNITY, a concept launched in 2018 that will see Ferry collaborate with iconic trance acts throughout the year with the vision of uniting the Trance community for a bigger cause.

Ferry has partnered with VH1’s Save The Music Foundation, an organisation formed to reinstate music programs for children, which has helped 2,100 schools to date. The first of these collaborations came in the form of icon Paul Oakenfold, a track that Billboard hailed as the“perfect starting point for UNITY”, following up with collaborations with the likes of DIM3NSION, Jordan Suckley, Saad Ayub and most recently ‘We’re Not Going Home’ with Ilan Bluestone, with more high-profile UNITY collaborations due imminently moving into 2019.

This project follows on from Ferry’s 2017 sci-fi concept album ‘Blueprint’, a full length for which Ferry worked with House Of Cards screenwriter David H. Miller to complete, and which includes narration from Amazing Spider-Man and Exorcism Of Emily Rose actor Campbell Scott. 2018 also saw Ferry place in DJ Mag’s Top 100 poll for the 8th consecutive year, rising 15 places and extending his ranking as the longest-serving Dutch DJ in the poll, capping what was an impressive year.

Support comes from David Nimmo and James Thomson and will feature The Impact Dancers!