News 2002
Virgin Mobile unveils its line up of Superstar DJs at V2002
05/07/2002
- Top DJs playing in the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club
- Grand Central Sound System at Weston Park, Staffordshire
- Nuphonic Records at Hylands Park, Chelmsford
- Andrew Weatherall making a rare festival appearance
Virgin Mobile has today announced its stellar line up of DJs who will be rocking the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club, the first ever nightclub seen at the V festival. The list includes many of the UK’s most respected DJs, including Andrew Weatherall in a rare festival appearance, and a DJ set by Rob Birch from the Stereo MCs, who burst back onto the scene after 10 years with the acclaimed album ‘Deep Down and Dirty’.
V2002 is in its seventh year, and this is the third year that Virgin Mobile has been the headline sponsor. Taking place on the 17th and 18th August at twin sites Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Weston Park, Staffordshire, the acts performing will include The Stereophonics, Travis, Badly Drawn Boy, Alanis Morisette, Elvis Costello and the Chemical Brothers.
The highlight of Virgin Mobile’s on site activity this year will be the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club. As well as featuring a top line-up of superstar DJs, it will boast a hardwood dancefloor, a huge U-shaped bar, a video wall, a beer garden and a VIP bar for Virgin Mobile customers. The venue will hold a few hundred festival-goers, giving it a fantastic atmosphere, and a rare chance to see some of the DJs performing in a very intimate setting. The music policy will be provided by Nuphonic Music and London Xpress at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and by the Grand Central Sound System at Weston Park, Staffordshire.
Weston Park : Mark Rae (from Rae and Christian) and Veba
Fingathing Live
Onlychild
Funky Fresh Few
Darren Laws
Hylands Park: Andrew Weatherall
Rob Birch (Stereo MCs)
Deadly Avenger
Tom Dinsdale (Audio Bullys)
Quantic (Tru Thoughts)
Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)
London Xpress Residents
Simon Purnell
Dave Hill
Ali Tillett
Jools Butterfield
Many more big names will be announced soon, so watch this space!
The hugely popular ‘Text The Fest’ will also be back, which at V2001 saw 25,000 festival text messages being sent to the huge jumbotron screens either side of the main stage, which made waiting for bands to come on stage a real pleasure! This year, however, Text The Fest will have a twist - hit squads will be roaming the sites armed with the Sony Ericsson T68i with colour screen and the ‘Communicam’ camera attachment, inviting people to pose for a festival photo (including celebs backstage!) and then emailing those pictures to the jumbotron screens from the phones! For those who see themselves on the screens there will be prizes to be won! Virgin Mobile and Sony Ericsson will also be offering festival goers the chance to recharge their mobiles for free, use a Trial and Dial phone for the weekend and sign up for free festival text message alerts
Steven Day, corporate affairs director of Virgin Mobile, said, “We want the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club to be an essential destination for all music lovers who come to V2002, and with this line up of DJs we believe we will achieve that. We don’t believe that a sponsor should simply plaster their logo everywhere, but should give something back to the festival-goers, and we defy anyone who comes to the Red Light Club at V2002 not to have a fantastic time!"
Notes to Editors
Hylands Park, Chelmsford:
At Hylands Park, Chelmsford, the music will be provided by Nuphonic Music. In addition to their superb line-up of London Xpress Residents, who are stars in their own right, they have pulled in some awesome acts to get the crowds going.
Headlining the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club will be Andrew Weatherall in a rare festival appearance. Andrew has brought his versatile sound to the XFM airwaves. Andrew’s style stretches through techno, electro, twisted funk, experimental and downtempo and he has an exclusive London monthly residency is for Nuphonic’s very own 'Haywire Sessions' at the Bridge & Tunnel.
Joining Andrew will be David Hill and the London Xpress residents, a collective of highly respected DJs and producers invited by XFM to each host a one-off show to be called London Xpress. The show was voted Best Radio Show by Muzik Magazine in 2001.
Quality, dirty, funky, crunchy, driving, tough, energetic are all words used in abundance since the come back of Rob Birch and his band Stereo MCs with their acclaimed album Deep Down and Dirty. Rob will be supplying the Virgin Mobile Red Light Club with a taste of his reinvented sound.
Deadly Avenger has remixed three of Britain’s biggest bands: Manic Street Preachers, Travis and the Stereophonics. He has since worked his magic on the Charlatans, the Divine Comedy, Howie B, Shea Seger and Nigo. Deadly Avenger most recently put together a mix of hip hop, breaks and soul for the most recent album in the ‘Fabric Live’ series, which hit the shelves last month.
Known for devasting the dancefloor at City Rockers, Tom Dinsdale from Audio Bullys boasts a style that reflects both an ear for a classic track and an eye for the dilemmas of life as a young man growing up in London. It’s real life and we love it!
Quantic’s varied talents have led to a busy DJ schedule playing extensively around the UK, Europe and the States. He has received airplay from the likes of John Peel, Gilles Peterson and Solid Steel as well as having tracks licensed to the Big Chill compilations. Quantic’s style has elements of jazz and funk combined with tough beats.
Tru Thoughts label boss and A+R man Robert Luis is also a sought after DJ. Recording under the name Deeds Plus Thoughts, resident at the Tru Thoughts club night phonic:hoop, and running one of the country's most original labels makes Rob an attraction at any club. A proficient and knowledgeable DJ, he plays a variety of styles always influenced by quality hip hop and jazz.
Weston Park, Staffordshire:
At Weston Park, Staffordshire, the music will be provided by the Grand Central Sound System. Described by Muzik Magazine as “the sound of the British hip hop underground”, Rae & Christian are committed to exploring hip hop in its broadest form, each contributing their own unique take on hip-hop and soul and progressing the Grand Central label onwards. Rae & Christian have been working together for over four years as recording artists and remixers and have developed artists including Darren Laws, Only Child, Funky Fresh Few and Fingathing. Mark Rae is available for interview.
Darren Laws is a DJ that will play upfront records and always play to the crowd. Darren has been working for Manchester’s prolific Grand Central Records for over four years, and was responsible for putting together the Rae & Christian “Nocturnal Activity” album that has received massive critical acclaim. He’s also resident at Grand Central’s hugely popular Cargo monthly alongside Mark Rae.
Only Child is another accomplished artist from the Grand Central Records stable. His debut album ‘Satellites & Constellations’ proved his ability to produce a range of futuristic funky sounds from electro breaks and hip hop to sweet soul and deep house. His recent remix projects include for Richard Dorfmeister's Tosca, Victor Davis for Compost, Hefner as well as Rae & Christian, NLO on 20/20 to name a few.
Funky Fresh Few are a floating collective who are born out of Blackpool’s original graffiti crew, Imperial Arts. The original FFF has been responsible for some of the best 12” released on Grand Central with a style that can easily move between a native UK sound to down and dirty US street funk.
Fingathing have become known as the superheroes of the Manchester hip-hop scene, combining mastery of both classical and contemporary instruments to great effect and even greater sound. As hip-hop visionaries go there can’t be many more quirky a combination. Spreading the good-time Manchester vibes everywhere they go, the Fingathing experience is not one to be missed out on.
