The wait was finally over. Hospitality returned to Cardiff a year after the label last took the city by storm and once again showed why it's one of the most prolific labels in drum & bass.

For the event, Cardiff's street clothing label Droneboy, in conjunction with Bedlam and Aperture, worked closely with Hospital Records to put on one of the best nights that Cardiff has seen in recent years. Dave Shaw, head honcho of Droneboy and the man responsible for changing the face of drum & bass in Cardiff had designed the artistic and colourful flyer, which in a way was representative of the lively vibes of the night.

The support acts at the start were some of Cardiff's finest DJs and producers, Speedo, Dean Ransom and Tribe, all of whom represent Aperture and regularly entertain the dance floor masses at the capital's Clwb Ifor Bach (The Welsh Club). Having previously supported Hospital artists, it was evident that these boys were in their element with a lively performance that echoed Hospital's distinct sound and suitably set the mood for the forthcoming performances.

Cardiff's biggest export since High Contrast, 20-year-old producer Lung was next up, mixing effortlessly his unique dubstep sounds and infusing it with some uptempo treats. With an forthcoming release on Hospital Records' 'twisted sister' label, Med School, Lung is sure to take the electronic music world by storm if his sets continue to be as focussed and professional as it was on this night.

Cardiff's Student Union is possibly not the best venue for a rave like this but with a lack of large capacity clubs in the city it was suitable for the scale of the sell-out event. The lights on the evening were some of the most creative lighting systems that the union has employed, enhancing the music perfectly. Provided by Bristol based lighting technician Tom Laurent, it was definitely a wise booking on the organisers' behalves.

 

 

Filling in for London Elektricity, who sadly was unable to play because of an injury, was TC. Mixing it up with elements of house, drum & bass, dubstep and even grime, his set was a big surprise on a night that many assumed would consist of liquid dance floor fillers and mellow, glittery sounds. When the Bristolian dropped True Tiger's Slang Like This, the crowd went wild with the track going down better than jerk chicken at Notting Hill Carnival. In a city that is not known for a love of grime, it was amazing to see just how many people knew the track and sang in unison to P Money's urban lyrics.

The dubstep flavours in room two didn't disappoint either, with Cardiff's Magenta setting the tone nicely for Koan Sound, Stenchman and Bar 9 who were to play later on. Stenchman played a really varied set with elements of all different genres that really won the crowd over. Despite room two being much smaller than the main arena, the vibes were energetic and the sound was large.

Catching up with Stenchman after his set he said: "I've played a few times before in Cardiff with Neuropol at the Welsh Club and the atmosphere is always lively. I like to play a varied set, mixing it up a little, throwing in some 2 step too. Many people say for a dubstep DJ, I don't play much dub but you get a varied crowd at a dubstep rave, and definitely here at Hospitality tonight. I've really enjoyed it."

Pdubz was supporting on the mic, a producer and DJ in his own right, who has now turned his hand to dubstep after initially starting out as a grime artist in Cardiff. "This is the first time I've supported Stenchman but I've sent him a few tunes before and we chat regularly on AIM," he said. "I love the union for the simple fact that there's not so much of a scene here, all kinds of people are raving side by side and that's what events like Hospitality are about. There's always nice vibes when Hospital are in town."

Danny Byrd played the last set of the night and showed exactly why he is one of the biggest artists on the label. Keeping the energy flowing until 4am, delivering knock-out dub after knock-out dub, his set packed a punch of the hardest variety. Completely destroying (in the best possibly way) the crowd with Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up, a track which was made in 1997 when most of the ravers that night were still in primary school.

By all means, Hospitality Cardiff was nothing other than energetic, musically surprising, and overall a thoroughly enjoyable night. The local supporting artists definitely did their city proud and Hospital Records proved, undeniably, why they are a such highly respected label. The only disappointing aspect of the evening was knowing that we have to wait another year until Hospitality Cardiff comes around again.

Words: Joanna Louise Ranson
Photography: Andrew Attah

 

 

 

Related Links:

• RAM Touches Down In Cardiff
• Hospitality Q+A+E Video
• RAM Cardiff Review
• Knowledge Wins Best Magazine
• Fwd>> + Rinse Cardiff Preview

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