In the house music sphere, there is one truth that is universally known: nobody puts on a party like Defected Records. Founded by Simon Dunmore, Defected Records has been a cornerstone in the dance music scene for over two decades, boasting some of house music’s most iconic artists and songs within its unparalleled catalog. Rooted in its foundational years at London’s Ministry of Sound, Defected’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric, gaining an ardent following that now spans the globe. To celebrate this in its twenty-fifth year, Defected announced the XXV World Tour – a series of multi-city parties across the world. Last Saturday, it was Bristol’s turn.
Despite the South West’s red and amber weather warnings a day prior, Storm Darragh was not going to obstruct what would unfold as an unforgettable evening. Journeying to Bristol’s relatively new venue, Document, the metronomic thuds of the house bassline could be heard echoing down the nearby streets – summoning the crowds to the party’s epicenter. For the most fervent of supporters, the day began at two o’clock with a family affair: the Dunmore Brothers. Sons of Defected’s founder Simon Dunmore, Louie and Lucas have made considerable waves in the house scene in the past year, playing at some of rave’s most iconic venues, notably Ushuïa Ibiza. Their set was not completed alone, as they were joined for a double back-to-back with the London-based Rio Tashan and Olive F – an artist heralded by Elrow. Mixing house classics alongside the genre’s latest releases, the quartet perfectly warmed the crowd up for the day’s beginnings. As ninety minutes came to a finale, BBC Radio 1’s Future Star of 2023, Honeyluv, seamlessly entered the fray. Having been noted by the likes of Michael Bibi and Annie Mac, the crowd began to fill to capacity, readying themselves to witness house’s prodigy. Rising to new heights following the release of “Thr33 6ix 5ive” in 2022, Honeyluv mixed house, afrobeat, and other subgenres of dance to create an extraordinary set.
It had now been three hours of non-stop house, yet the party had only just begun. To mark the beginning of the evening’s proceedings was another sibling duo – this time it was the Dutch pairing Shermanology. Founded in 2009 after Andy Sherman’s departure from Artful Dodger, recent years have seen the pair rise to global fame through their releases “Boyz N Da Club,” “Ready to Go,” and “It’s a Killa” – a collaboration with tech house giant Fisher. On stage, the brother-sister collaboration was energetic and, in many ways, unique. Unlike the vast majority of DJs, Dorothy Sherman brought live vocals to their set, singing the melodic lyrics to their biggest hits. The crowd responded by echoing back the vocals and raising themselves onto shoulders to get the best views in Bristol’s Document for what was one of the night’s many highlights.
Closing in on the end of their spectacular show, Shermanology handed over responsibilities to local hero Sam Divine. Raised in Weston-super-Mare, she has since been dubbed the First Lady of Defected due to her extended involvement with the record label. Having started her musical journey in her mum’s shed, Divine has embedded herself in the house music world through residencies at Eden, Amnesia, and Pacha. As she stepped on stage, she was warmly welcomed by the South West crowd, all of whom had not taken a moment to pause their dancing in almost five hours – and they showed no signs of stopping. Perfectly blending an array of house tracks, Divine displayed her encyclopedic musical knowledge throughout her set. Progressing through her mixes, the crowd hurriedly pushed their way to the front as the undertones of PAWSA’s “Dirty Cash” slowly merged into the current beat. The crowd raised their hands, voices, and drinks in appreciation for the local DJ’s hour-and-a-half of brilliance.
Despite having already witnessed three brilliant sets, the night still had a few treasures left, and the penultimate artist was arguably the most interesting of the night: Idris Elba. Known under the alias of IDRIS for his musical endeavors, the world-renowned actor made his way on stage. Much to the delight of the capacity crowd, IDRIS instantly captivated the audience with his high-energy performance, flawlessly mixing house and techno. Throughout his set, Elba dropped some of his latest releases, notably “La Trumpeta” and “Shake Body,” which were highly praised by the onlookers. For the duration of his performance, IDRIS fed into the audience’s desires, adding to the atmospheric feel around the venue and creating a euphoric mix.
Finally, after over seven hours of raving, the final act was ready to perform: one of house music’s true veterans, Dennis Ferrer. Having burst into the consciousness of the house world over three decades ago, Ferrer has collaborated with Defected on multiple occasions and mastered multiple house subgenres. From afrobeat to deep house, Dennis Ferrer truly works magic when presented with a pair of DJ decks – and his closing set in Bristol was one to remember. Inducing the crowd into a rave-fueled frenzy from the first track, Ferrer took the adoring fans on a musical journey, exploring different moments in Defected’s twenty-five-year span. Playing tracks like “Hands Up,” “Is It All Over My Face,” and Sam Divine’s remix of “Mind Ur Step,” the dance mastermind kept the energy levels high for one final set. Having been a central figure in the house music scene for such a lengthy period, it was only fitting that Ferrer finished the evening’s events. As the ninth hour of the day came to a close, a formidable feeling of adoration and warmth filled Document. Defected truly knows how to create one-off experiences.
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).
