Now that the curtain has come down on 2014, before the dust
begins to settle and the events calendar begins to take shape for the next few
months. Following more influential venue closures; Plastic People and Trouw
being the latest venerable institutions to bring the curtain down, there’s time
to reflect on another roller coaster year for Back to Basics. The UK’s longest
running club night being no stranger to venue closure, having seen the Garage close
without warning last November. The search for another building continues, which
we're told will consist of a music academy for emerging talent and clubbers can
expect at least two music rooms. Whilst Basics seeks its new full time venue,
they've enjoyed some memorable nights around Leeds since September, with Wire
emerging as a popular choice. The venue hosted the recent ‘Back to Basics Gets
Wired’ parties. On December 31st, Basics returned to the venue for a special
New Year’s party with One Records label manager Adam Shelton.
Arriving at the venue, we filtered into the queue and were
greeted by Dave Beer who assured us that he would have everyone inside before
the countdown. Once inside we were soon down the front with James Holroyd warming
things up at the start of the night. As Denney stepped up to the decks, Dave
Beer appeared, taking the role of Master of Ceremonies and advising the crowd
that if they can’t understand him, it was because he’s from Yorkshire. His
words were greeted with a huge cheer and as the countdown approached the party
really got started. Steve Lawler - House
Record being the track that started the year, the new release from Hot
Creations providing old school house with a modern twist. Denney has an
upcoming Hot Creations EP, with Low
Frequency being played recently on Skream’s Radio 1 show. Adam Shelton was
next on the decks, providing a track selection of raw underground music with a
strong influence of acid house and techno. Really enjoyed hearing Willie Burns
- Waste Your Time played at Wire. Shelton
had said earlier in the week that Basics' has been a staple source of
inspiration, being a meeting place for some of his best friends. Since moving
to Leeds, this is something I've also discovered and the reason I travelled up
from London earlier that evening.
Basics resident James Barnsley is another selector that
keeps things real and underground. His music working the dance floor and sound
system. Barnsley’s productions have received a great amount of support and Mystery taken from his latest release The Magician EP being another strong offering.
The night concluded with a back-to-back set from Aden Konrad and Josh Plews,
who were joined by Dave Beer to combine experience with exciting new talent.
The Basics head honcho playing Syclops - Where's
Jason’s K, which is a personal favourite through to recent releases from
Hot Creations. It’s been an exciting year for Aden Konrad and Josh Plews,
having gained recognition for pre-parties at Distrikt, they're now closing Back
to Basics with their signature sound. The bass from Junior Jack - Thrill Me being a classic piece from
early 2000’s house music. I've really enjoyed these underground sessions, the
New Year’s party providing an incredible party atmosphere. Basics has developed
quite a soft spot for Wire and will be returning there at the end of the month
with successful DJ, producer and Dame Music label owner Bloody Mary.
