Sydney's top five drum n bass nights
Sydney brings you the breakbeats and the sub-bass.
By Sarah Theeboom
Jungleheads will be happy to know that Sydney's drum n bass scene is alive and jumping. The really regular nights are still few and far between, but there are a couple of new events cropping up and the quality of local and international acts being booked is pretty damn impressive. If you think DnB is the refuge of beer louts and bogans, you're severely mistaken: what you'll find at these parties is a room full of good vibes, serious energy, a love of music and not one iota of pretension – and, of course, breakbeats to short-circuit a pacemaker. Here’s our pick of the top five Drum n Bass nights Sydney has to offer:
1 No Frills/Locus
This well established promo outfit brings out some heavy hitters from over-the-seas, as well as plumbing the local talent. Satellite gigs happen quite regularly, as well as the monthly Bass@202 (at 202 Broadway) on the second Thursday of the month. Girls, leave your heels at home and make sure you’ve got a sturdy pair of sneakers on for these events.
2 Foreigndub
Focusing on the liquid side of DnB, this crew is behind the summer DNBBQ parties as well as monthly events like Remedy (a free Friday night party at UTS Loft Bar) and Exhale (a Friday takeover of one of the rooms at superclub, Home). They put on reggae sessions on occasion as well, so don't be surprised to hear roots, hip hop, funk or soul at any of their events.
3 Bass Drop
A relatively new addition to the Sydney Drum n Bass scene, this monthly event takes place at Yu (part of Soho Club) in the Cross. The line-ups are almost always big name internationals and the event has steadily gathered steam, changing venues after just a few months and moving from the hump day Wednesday slot to a start-the-weekend-early Thursday night.
4 The Collective
The Collective's parties are diverse in genre, sometimes showcasing the deeper, harder aspects of DnB and sometimes putting on chilled out reggae events. They're a collaborative bunch on the whole so don't be surprised to see them at any of the other events mentioned here, or vice versa.
5 The Night
Generally
happening one Saturday a month at The Bunker (downstairs at The Bourbon
in Kings Cross), the line ups are nice and local and there's usually an
MC on the mic. No website as yet, so best to join the Facebook group
for a heads up on parties.
And just for good measure...
Void
Okay, so this isn’t actually a Drum n Bass night, but if you’re into loud bass-heavy music then you’ll love this. It’s a dubstep night – kind of like DnB but with the bpm (beats per minute) slowed way down and the bass cranked right up. Very dirty. Void happens every month and is Sydney’s top dubstep night, pulling in massive names from around the globe and even better sets from around the city along with its sister party, Index. Grab yourself a pair of earplugs and check it out.
