Upfrontuk DNB are promoters based in Essex who have been running events for more than two decades. We caught up with owner JD to find out about the mammoth Let's Get Busy tour that is planned for 2012. 

 

How long have you been running nights and why did you start?

We started back in 1988 by helping other promoters to promote there events. We became ticket agents for a lot of people like Life, Utopa, Desire and Elevation, selling tickets, merchandise, flyer distribution, the lot. It come to a point that if you wanted tickets or distribution done in Essex or Kent, you would come to us. That in turn, was the foundation of Upfront. It wasn’t long before we started to get involved with the production of these events by supplying sound and lighting systems. In 1989, we started putting on our own parties and in 1992 we did a large fundraising event called Meridian for Children In Need, which was held at the Roller Express, in North London. It was a major success, especially given that the media was very anti-raves at that time!

 

Over the years, Upfrontuk has been involved in many other things, within the underground music sense, such as radio stations, recording studios, and workshops for up & coming artists. We also spent three years in Spain and Ibiza and have also held events in Saint Omer (France) and Charleroi (Belgium), before returning back home to the UK. 

 

Tell us about what kind of nights you promote these days?

In 2009, we had the Summer Time Lick Tour, with big artists such as Silpmatt, Ellis Dee, Devious D, and Baby D, (to name but a few ), headlining the tour. It showed that the oldskool vibe, was still there and going strong. However, Upfront's roots have always been Jungle and Drum & Bass, and in May 2010  we started our In Search Of Space tour. The name for the tour was chosen from an event that had happened some 22 years earlier, when the government said, 'This music and culture is only a fad, and will not last!' How wrong were they?! The tour, one of the biggest the scene as ever seen, included many towns around the UK including Harlow, Southend, Walthamstow, Portsmouth, Bristol, Southsea, Peterborough and Nottingham.

 

Tell us more about the artists that appear regularly...

The artists within Upfrontuk are DJ Squeak, DJ Scratchy, DJ Fusion, DJ Sizey D, DJ Swagman, DJ AL C and MCs Bunnage, Oddball, Danger and Scannerz. Other artists that we use regularly are Stormin MC, Logan D from Low Down Deep, Harry Shotta from Uncz, Grooverider, Shabba D, Funsta, Eksman from NewBreed Crew, Modified Motion, Taxman. To be honest, I think we have had every artist play at our events over the years but we also try and give the up & coming artists a stage to perform on, and are always on the look out for new talent.

 

How has the scene changed since you started promoting?
It's nothing like it use to be, from a promoter's point of view. It’s a 'dog-eat-dog' world to many people trying to put events on, for the wrong reasons - i.e. money! And not for the music… there's too many big egos! When you went to a party back in the day, it was the whole experience of going to the rave. Part of the fun was the journey and, meeting loads of other people the same as you, all out for a good time. Today’s scene is totally different - artists are charging extortionate amounts of money for their sets and local councils are doing their best to stop events. It’s a shame really because all people want to do is party.

 

Do you have any details about the upcoming tour and any other events/ releases?

We're always pushing for bigger and better things, now it’s time to embark on the most ambitious tour yet. The Let's Get Busy Tour will be powered by the heartbeat of drum & bass but will also incorporate genres such as techno, grime, old skool, hip hop, liquid, jungle, dubstep, and house, to truly reflect the entire UK underground scene. Taking 26 months to complete, the tour will touch down in every corner of the UK. And, not limited by borders or boundaries, there will also be several events overseas. Given the scale of this undertaking, we have drafted in other hand-picked promoters who are equally dedicated to the scene, to make this tour a unifying and collaborative operation.

 

For this tour, we have joined forces with Transition DNB, one of the leading crews around within the sound and lighting field, ensuring that each and every venue is set up just right. As always, we are committed to giving a platform to up and coming artists, allowing them to shine and gain access to the scene. There will be special events just for the up and comers to show what they can do, which could lead to a slot on the main tour, plus other events with some of Upfront’s associates. Our first night will be in Cardiff on January 23, 2012 where we will be appearing on Cardiff FM's Next Level drum & bass show with DJ Kallista. Go to our Facebook page or new website to find out more details and we'll also be giving away special Golden Tickets that will give people the chance to attend every single one of our forthcoming events. 

 

Related Links:

• Promoter Profile: Dub-boro
• Breakneck Documentary
• Breakneck Documentary
• Japanese Dubstep: Greg G
• Promoter Profile: Tech:nology

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