We can’t believe it’s May already but that means a full-on 2015 Festival Season is almost upon us.
Festival dates play a significant part in the current Defected In The House Spring Tour, and it’s time now for a more detailed run-down of the big dates coming up over the next few weeks: Extrema Belgium , Outbreak and We Are FSTVL. We also take a longer view of Defected festival action all the way through to September. This year we’re taking in Holland, Croatia, the Dominican Republic plus a good few on home turf too. Of course, there’s also our festival-sized line-ups in Ibiza at Amnesia alongside Together, every week from 09 June.
With a world-class array of talent including MK, Noir, Hector Couto, Deetron, Nick Curly to name but a few, read on for the full roundup of Defected In The House festival dates in 2015.
First though, we’re back from the crisp slopes of Mayrhofen, Austria where Defected In The House awed and thawed revellers at annual music spectacle Snowbombing for the very first time late last month. Snowbombing 2015 was the usual exciting maelstrom of DJs and bands, Defected favourites MK, Cristoph and Oliver Dollar appeared among the likes of Skrillex, Rudimental, Carl Craig, Damian Lazarus and PBR Streetgang in satisfying tastes for both the underground as well as international superstar talent. As tradition dictates, either as the last event of winter (or the gateway to Summer) Snowbombing, paves the way for the main festival season – and, of course, slightly warmer climes....
There’s not very long at all to wait for Defected In The House’s next festival appearance actually. We’ll be returning to Extrema Outdoor Belgium for the second time on 23 May - with an almighty bang. Extrema, one of Europe’s most important gatherings in terms of quality house and techno, dances around the edge of picturesque Lake Kelchterhoef in the Belgian municipality Houthalen-Helchteren – that’s around 85km east of the capital, Brussels. Following its rapturous debut in 2014, Defected In The House will be taking over Extrema’s main stage with a scintillating line-up including MK, Noir, FCL, Sonny Fodera, Sam Divine with label boss, Simon Dunmore. We’ll be appearing in partnership with famous Belgian club La Rocca (based in Lier, close to Antwerp), which is contributing its own talented residents to the mix as well as respected deep-tech local Axel Haube. And then there’s the wider festival line-up across the whole 22-24 May weekend, featuring Claptone, Riva Starr and Jamie Jones among others. Check http://xofestival.be for more. Rightly so, this is an emphatic start to the summer season.
A week later and we’ll be back closer to home at We Are FSTVL, which takes place on 30-31 May, at Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Upminster, Essex. In just its third year (we’ve been there every step of the way) ‘FSTVL’ is an award-winning, ‘MUST PLAY’ UK festival on the itineraries of the very best dance artists and DJs – it’s comfortably handling 120 artists, 12 stages and 50,000 fans already. In no time at all, an award-winner. Defected In The House commandeers its own 6,000 capacity Saturday stage with Masters At Work, Andrea Oliva, Cristoph, Noir, Oliver Dollar, Sam Divine, Andy Daniell, Hector Couto, Sonny Fodera and Simon Dunmore. Sam Divine will be closing proceedings but there’s plenty else to hear across the weekend – with stages from Loco Dice with Used & Abused, Jamie Jones and Paradise, Cocoon featuring Sven Vath , Ame, Dixon and Ten Walls Live, to What Hannah Wants and drum & bass kingpins, Hospitality. Find the official website at www.wearefstvl.com
In June, Defected In The House returns to Lakedance in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, a staple of our summer for the last five years. The first of two related summer festivals at the Aquabest Recreational Park, Lakedance (13 June) boasts Defected performers The Shapeshifters, Chocolate Puma, Copyright, Sonny Fodera, Andy Daniell, Sam Divine and percussion master Shovell in their own dedicated space. Other headline acts include Claptone, Otto Knows and Sam Feldt. More via www.lakedance.nl
And so we reach July, Defected returns to Holland for the Extrema Outdoor Netherlands show on Saturday11 July. It’ll be our first time at the Dutch instalment of Extrema, this year celebrating its 20th anniversary. Simon Dunmore plays ‘back to back’ with Franky Rizardo, driving forwards a fabulous Defected takeover of the main stage. And who else is in Eindhoven you ask? A comprehensive sweep of current movers ‘n’ shakers such as Gorgon City, Nic Fanciulli, Jamie Jones, Brodinski, Boys Noize, Guy J and Sander Kleinenberg. Ticket and location details at http://xofestival.nl
August is also the time for Defected’s first ever Croatian festival – the Barrakud Festival, 8-15 August. Barrakud, situated on Zrce Beach, close to Novalja on the Croatian isle of Pag, is four this year and offers serious pedigree in terms of firmly underground 4-4. Its emergence reflects the stunning growth of Croatia’s dance music scene in recent times, stunning Adriatic locations and relatively unspoilt, historic resorts complementing great value for money and a desire by local promoters to push cool and quality – not the same as those brash beats heard in some of the Mediterranean holiday locations. It’s a huge recipe for success, Pag and fellow isle Hvar are among the destinations leading Croatia’s stylish club charge across Europe – and for some Croatia is now a bigger consideration than Ibiza.
Last August, Defected held a smart if rather compact residency on Carpe Diem Beach along Hvar’s glamorous Stipanska Bay strip. Copyright and Flashmob were among those firing out eclectic grooves perfectly in tune with Croatia’s fun, intimate and incorrigibly independent atmosphere – an atmosphere a million miles away from the more regimented and relentless pace of a London, Amsterdam or Berlin. Croatia, then, is a backdrop made for Defected. And Barrakud 2015 totally reinforces it – the refreshing mix of Dennis Ferrer, Oliver Dollar and Sam Divine (all due to play Zrce hotspot Kalypso) promises to elevate hearts and minds wholesale on 10 August. Defected’s party is flanked, either side, by other, innovative festival guests; for example, Matthias Tanzmann, Davide Squillace and Ellen Allien all appear and the full rundown is at http://2015.barrakud.com/
Back in Britain Defected In The House will, for the first time, attend Brighton’s Shakedown Festival on 15 August. Based at the Waterhall, Shakedown represents our only South Coast show this summer and we have assembled quite a team: MK and Oliver Dollar back by Cristoph, Purple Disco Machine, Sam Divine, Sonny Fodera and Simon Dunmore. Such is the house scene explosion in the major South Coast cities of Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton recently that it represents an essential stopover for the Defected tour bus in 2015. The full lowdown is at www.shakedown.co.uk
As summer draws to an end, there’s two more key dates to mention. Firstly, we’ll be at the appropriately-titled Sundown Festival on Norwich’s Norfolk Showground on 5 September – our second visit here (following an ecstatic reaction in 2014) drawing in bass-skewed manoeuvring from Gorgon City, Hannah Wants, Low Steppa and Shadow Child, as well as the impeccable house flow of Sam Divine, Sonny Fodera and Simon Dunmore. Generally speaking, Sundown, 4-6 September, very refreshingly blends pop and street for its own unique take on the ‘dance’ agenda. Hence attendees can expect a wide range of artists from Tinie Tempah and Ella Henderson to our guys and, on Sunday, Ram Records drum & bassers Andy C, Sub Focus and Jaguar Skills – a broad and engaging proposition guaranteeing maximum value for a dedicated, open-minded and tirelessly thrill-seeking crowd. Full information at www.sundownfestival.co.uk
Farther afield, we’ll also be at Groovefest in Puerto Plata, the Dominican Republic. Groovefest specifically runs 9-15 September at the ultra-luxury Holidays Vacation Club for just 2500 lucky guests. This is high-class entertainment – butlers on private beaches, champagne and oysters and Presidential accommodation all to a lush soundtrack of soulful house and nu disco. Taking place on 10 September on the shores of the Caribbean Sea sees Osunlade, Sonny Fodera and Sam Divine in both pool party and club settings. Excitingly, more names are to be added. Meanwhile Groovefest’s wider line-up already includes Kevin Saunderson, Norman Jay, Terry Hunter, Green Velvet, DJ Pierre, Art Department and Bobby & Steve among others. Smooth surroundings and a similarly smooth sound policy are the perfect ingredients for some of that swish ‘n’ swinging Dominican Republic magic. Visit www.groovefestevents.com now!
Of course there’s also Ibiza – we have some truly festival-scale line-ups this summer as part of our epic residency alongside Together at Amnesia. Defected In The House will be on the Terrace every Tuesday, kicking things off from 09 June and completing the season across a Closing Party double-header on 15 and 22 September. Some of the world’s finest house names are firmly on board; DJs such as Julio Bashmore, MK, Deetron, Groove Armada, Dennis Ferrer, Pete Tong and Hot Since 82. But that’s just the Terrace! Together’s main room is full-on festival headline stuff, corralling a further rich and varied sweep of electronic protagonists – everyone from season headliners Chase & Status to global phenomenon Skrillex and breakbeat sensations Rudimental to bass hounds Redlight and Chris Lorenzo, and soaring drum & bassers, Sigma. This is an Ibiza residency on the biggest, most unmissable scale. Visit www.amnesia.es/es/tickets for full ticket details.
So there you have it, Defected’s ‘all summer long’ festival has officially begun – what are you waiting for, get stuck in! There’s something for you all!
