To celebrate our biggest ever show at warehouse venue Drumsheds on Saturday 28th September, we take a look at some of the key moments from our rich London history…
With just one month to go, secure your spot at our biggest party of the year using this link: Defected London Tickets - – Saturday 28 September 2024
Defected, Glitterbox, and D4 D4NCE will all host across Drumshed’s three stages, with sets from Green Velvet, MK, TSHA B2B Melé, Nic Fanciulli, Low Steppa, The Shapeshifters, Mousse T., Melvo Baptiste, Girls of the Internet, Fat Tony, Alex Mills, and more…
One of the most important cultural hubs for electronic music in the world, Defected owes a lot to its birthplace of London. Read on for a deep dive into some of our city highlights…
MINISTRY OF SOUND
Defected Records and the dance music cornerstone that is Ministry of Sound will always be inextricably linked, with founder Simon Dunmore receiving funding from the already well-established MoS to help establish Defected - 25 years ago in 1999.
A major highlight of our protracted history includes multiple new year’s celebrations; the first ever Defected NYE party at MoS took place in 2013/2014, featuring blinding sets from some of the biggest names in house at the time, including MK, Nick Curly, Simon Dunmore, Copyright, Sam Divine, and an impromptu appearance from Nic Fanciulli. Watch the official aftermovie here...
MoS was also host to Defected’s sold out New Year’s Eve Party in 2015/16, notable for its celebration of an amazing year for Defected – one that saw DJ Mag name us as Best Label at their Best Of British awards for the second time.
The NYE celebration was rapidly followed by a return to the venue in February of 2016, fronted by now Defected heroes Todd Terry, Sonny Fodera, Riva Starr and Sam Divine.
With multiple returns to MoS over the years, including parties with sister labels Glitterbox and D4 D4NCE, the history between Defected Records and Ministry of Sound remains forever intertwined.
CAMELPHAT & SAM DIVINE – LIVE FROM TOWER BRIDGE [2018]
Two of the label’s hottest acts, the ‘Cola’ hitmakers CamelPhat and The First Lady of Defected Sam Divine took to the skies for a 2-hour livestream atop Tower Bridge in May 2018.
Pulling out all the stops to make this a next-level broadcast using state-of-the-art filming and streaming equipment, the Defected helicopter was drafted in to cover all the angles of Tower Bridge and beyond. Relive the stream here…
Earlier in the day, CamelPhat & Elderbrook were presented with a plaque for one million sales of 'Cola', with Platinum sales in three countries and Gold in five. The plaque was presented by Sam Divine at another famous landmark, the London Eye.
The event also marked ten years of Sam Divine at Defected, who would then later go on to DJ on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol - taking the label to dizzying heights once more.
DEFECTED LONDON FSTVL [2019]
One of the most ambitious outings in Defected’s history, our debut FSTVL in September 2019 brought together over 10,000 house fans for our 20th birthday celebrations.
The festival’s five stages were each hosted by a branch of our family tree – Defected, Glitterbox, Classic Music Company, 4 To The Floor and DVINE Sounds – ground-breaking imprints that form part of the extended Defected Records label family.
Masters At Work, Claptone, Dennis Ferrer, Dimitri From Paris, Purple Disco Machine, Todd Edwards, Heller & Farley, Smokin Jo, Honey Dijon, X-Press 2 Derreck Carter, Mike Dunn, Sam Divine, Dames Brown and more all graced the various stages for an open air celebration like no other.
Little did anyone know, just a few months later the events industry would be completely turned on its head...
DRUMSHEDS [2021]
Throughout the lockdown, our highly ambitious virtual festival kept our loyal community of house heads connected, but our first UK event post lockdown was a triumphant return to the events scene we know and love. Our determination to continue delivering the best parties in the world resulted in an epic celebration of dance music, and more importantly, a reuniting of souls on the dancefloor.
Taking place at the colossal outdoor venue Drumsheds in 2021, our weekend celebration featured stages hosted by Defected, Glitterbox, Classic Music Co., Sondela, 4 To The Floor and Faith. The event marked the first ever UK show since the lockdown, and the second show post lockdown (following a major return to The Garden Resort in Tisno for our flagship festival Defected Croatia).
PRINTWORKS [2023]
A staple of the London nightlife scene during its six-year tenure, the multi-faceted 10,000sq/m industrial event space Printworks caused a major stir when it announced its closure in 2023.
Defected’s closing party on the 11th March (and Glitterbox’s in April) signalled the end of an era for many Londoners. Now in redevelopment and hoping to open in 2026, there is still hope for another unforgettable Defected rave at Printworks if the stars align...
For now, Drumsheds remains an epic, industrial destination for our signature brand of house music - as it's meant to be heard. See you in September!
The next Defected London will take place at Drumsheds on Saturday 28th September 2024. With just one month to go, tickets are currently available via Kaboodle.
