Despite Christmas being just over three weeks away, for South West rave enthusiasts festive celebrations are arriving earlier this year. Over the past few weeks, Bristol’s bustling dance and electronic scene has been treated to some of the world’s most notable names: The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, Sammy Virji, Mall Grab, Nia Archives and many more. That said, for many the best is yet to come, and that will be in the form of the Defected XXV World Tour.
Arriving in locations such as Ibiza, New York, Washington D.C., and Bengaluru, the Defected XXV World Tour celebrates the successes of the record label’s twenty–five years in the house music sphere. Founded by Simon Dunmore in the early months of 1995, Defected Records has been a pillar stone in the house scene for over two decades, publishing releases from the likes of Dennis Ferrer, Inner City, and Peggy Gou.
Having brought the much–loved Glitterbox branch of their live events to Bristol at the beginning of last month, Defected’s upcoming installment of live entertainment promises to be nothing short of spectacular. The day is expected to commence with a double back–to–back that sees London–based Rio Tashan partnered with Lucas and Louie, a sibling duo monikered under the title Dunmore Brothers. Alongside the trio will be the remarkable Olive F who was recently described by Elrow as a “muso through and through”. The day’s opening artists will be followed by the brilliant Honeyluv, who in recent years has been heralded by some of house music’s heavyweights – Annie Mac and Michael Bibi being amongst those names. Having burst into the consciousness of house addicts across the world after being awarded with BBC Radio 1’s Future Star of 2023, Honeyluv will undoubtedly play an unmissable show to further set the tone for the day’s proceedings.
Advancing through the nine–hours of music, Document’s doors will welcome more distinguishable guests – firstly, in the form of another sibling duo: Shermanology. Respectively composed of Andy and Dorothy Sherman, the brother–sister collaboration began in 2009 following Andy’s departure from garage outfit Artful Dodger. Since, the pairing have been rocketed to the summits of the house and tech house world with releases such as Boyz N Da Club (2021), alongside partnering with tech house giant, Fisher, to release It’s a Killa (2022). Revered for their fusion of catchy vocals and punchy bass lines, this will be one of the day’s many highlights – and certainly a set not to miss out on.
One of the day’s more peculiar artist options, at least for those who are unaware of the individual’s musical ventures, is IDRIS – better known to many as Idris Elba. Alongside his globally acclaimed acting career, Idris began his musical journey with a four–song EP Big Man in 2006. Since, he has produced with stars like Jay-Z and Giggs, whilst also featuring on Taylor Swift’s London Boy for her seventh studio album Lover (2019). That said, under the title of IDRIS, The Wire actor is no stranger to the DJ booth – playing sets at Coachella, Hï Ibiza, and soon Document Bristol.
Now, for those who follow Defected Records, many will understand that whilst the record label endlessly produces iconic house tracks – keeping a worldwide community dancing – they also provide unforgettable in–person experiences. Document’s three–thousand–person crowd will witness this first hand as they get a glimpse of the evening’s legendary headliners: Dennis Ferrer and Sam Divine. Starting with the prior, Ferrer is a long time collaborator with Defected, and is one of house music’s veteran artists venerated by the masses. With a career that has spanned over three decades, few would struggle to match the musical knowledge of Ferrer who has delved into the worlds of techno, afro–beat, house, deep house, and many more genres, repeatedly bringing anthemic tracks to dance floors across the world. Following Ferrer, will be the evening’s headliner – the one and only Sam Divine. Famed for her mystifying musical abilities, Sam Divine began in the South West in nearby town Weston–Super–Mare before moving to work with Defected in Ibiza – soon becoming dubbed The First Lady of Defected. Growing in recent years, playing in some of dance music’s most iconic venues Divine has certainly won the adoration of the house community, and if history is anything to go by will provide a perfect end to what promises to be a phenomenal event.
With the countdown reaching the three day mark, there is no better time to grab some of the final tickets to the nine–hour party. Final ticket releases for the all–day event can be found here: Document Presents: Defected World Tour
Role - I am a passionate writer with an interest for reviewing concerts and music.
Available For - Gig reviews and artist interviews.
Qualification - Currently I am studying BSc in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath.
First Concert - The first concert I ever attended was Coldplay at the Royal Albert Hall (2014). It was to promote the release of their ‘Ghost Stories’ album. I will never forget the call my dad gave me to say he had managed to get two tickets for the both of us. The whole experience was just pure joy. The relative intimacy (for Coldplay) of the Royal Albert Hall, will always make that night one of the best (if not the best) concerts I have ever attended.
Dream Concert - In all honesty this is too difficult to answer with just one concert. If I were to select a few artists that I would love to see, it would have to be: Hope Sandoval, feeble little horse, Greg Foat, Kurt Vile, Lucy Dacus (specifically playing ‘No Burden’ in its entirety), Jadu Heart and The Moldy Peaches.
There is also the difficulty of dream gigs that are not able to be done. These would be: Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, Ann Peebles, Karen Dalton, Leon Russell, Mojave 3, The Smiths, and George Harrison (“All Things Must Pass” just from start to finish).
