TOM’S TOP TENT : ARTIST LOWDOWN
July 26th, 2004 by susanna
Big Chill stalwart, sonic ‘evanchillist’ and disco catalyst Tom Middleton stages his very own musical sanctuary complete with palm trees, deck chairs and beanbags. And that’s not all – expect an eclectic old school vs new school mash up of encyclopeadic proportions redefining and re-evaluating many genres over three days.
On the one hand Tom’s highlighting some of the rising stars today and on the other he’ll be revisiting anthems and classics from ten years of big chilling.
Friday is themed after Tom’s mix album ‘The Trip’ showcasing artists from the album. Saturday is a paean to ‘The Sound Of The Cosmos’, featuring Tom’s choice jocks and bands while Sunday is devoted to Ten Top Tens in honour of The Big Chill’s 10th anniversary where ten Big Chill regulars pick personal top tens they feel represent The Big Chill.
BRUCE BICKERTON
SUNDAY (DJ)
see alucidnation, main artist A-Z
DAN JORDAN
(HARMLESS/UNISEX RECORDINGS)
SATURDAY (DJ)
Dan runs the Harmless and Unisex labels and has worked alongside artists 4Hero, Kenny Dope, Coldcut and DJ Spinna to unearth some of the finest black music to from the past 40 years.
DJ COPIUS (JETSET)
SATURDAY (DJ)
International crate digger DJ Copius supplied beats for Morcheeba in their early days and is collaborating with Tom Middleton on a folk funk compilation. Expect a back to the womb set of super mellow, tripped out listening pleasure.
FRED DEAKIN
SUNDAY (DJ)
Fred, one half of Lemon Jelly (Open Air stage, Saturday) has a rare talent for playing some of the most embarrassing (but secretely you love ‘em) tracks on the planet and getting away with it. Go dance your socks off.
HOT CHIP SATURDAY (LIVE)
Hot Chip see themselves as a modern day pop group with the spirit of Brian Wilson, the passion of Public Enemy and the niceness of The Neptunes. They balance the soulful, the humurous and the experimental with aplomb.
IAIN WATT FRIDAY (DJ)
The start of a long weekend at Tom’s Top Tent is ushered in with blissed out Balearic beats from sometime manager and publican Iain Watt.
JIMPSTER
+ SHUR-I-KAN
FRIDAY (DJ)
Tom Szirtes aka Shur-I-kan (also Open Air, Friday) goes back to back with Jamie Odell aka Jimpster for a journey through broken jazz, downtempo beats and filmic soundscapes.
MATT BLACK SUNDAY (DJ)
see Colcut, main artist A-Z
MITCH FRIDAY (DJ)
Veteran West country B-Boy Mitch of UK’s longest running electro night U.F.O spins old and nu school electro. Don’t forget your lino, phat laces and windcheaters!
MR SCRUFF
SUNDAY (DJ)
see main artist A-Z
MIXMASTER MORRIS
SUNDAY (DJ)
see main artist A-Z
MYLO FRIDAY LIVE
Dubbed “Scotland’s answer to Royksopp”, Mylo grew up on the Isle of Skye. After soujourns in London, Paris, Oxford (University) and Los Angeles he returned to Scotland in 2001 surfacing with his critically acclaimed debut ‘Destroy Rock & Roll’.
PAUL GATHERCOLE (AGK)
SUNDAY (DJ)
see main artist A-Z
PAUL THOMAS
SUNDAY (DJ)
A Big Chill institution, having been involved since the legendary Black Mountain days, Paul is one of London’s top music men, producing One World for Radio 1 and DJing at clubs and festivals all over the world.
PETE LAWRENCE
SUNDAY (DJ)
see main artist A-Z
QUANTIC FRIDAY (DJ)
Will Holland is a busy boy. As well as recording successful music as Quantic he’s also formed the Quantic Soul Orchestra (an 11-piece live outfit playing Open Air stage, Saturday) and is one half of acclaimed duo The Limp Twins.
RADIO SLAVE
SATURDAY (DJ)
The man behind that Kylie Minogue remix (mashing New Order’s Blue Monday with Can’t Get You Out of My Head), Radio Slave has since remixed X Press 2, Fischerspooner and The Neptunes. Expect an eclectic set of rarer than rare late ’70′s early ’80′s electronica.
RYAN SHAW
SATURDAY (DJ)
Mentored by Tom Middleton, Ryan Shaw won the inaugural ITV series of ‘The Joy of Decks’. Of his style, Ryan says “filtered sounds, squeaks, bleeps and b-b-b-bass lines!”
SAM HARDAKER (ZERO 7)
SUNDAY (DJ)
Few Britons have yet to discover Zero 7 after their debut ‘Simple Things’ went gold. Sam represents the hip hop side of the duo and for his DJ set it’s fair to assume you’ll be reaping the aural benefits of his discerning ear.
SEAN ROWLEY
SATURDAY (DJ)
Sean’s highly varied ‘Joy Of Music’ show on BBC London has won acclaim from ‘Jockey Slut’ to ‘Harpers & Queen’. Today he will preview his forthcoming ‘Guilty Pleasures’ album featuring those tracks we love but are too embarrassed to admit to loving.
SEB CHEW
SATURDAY (DJ)
By day Seb Chew is A&R man for P Records and by night he promotes the now legendary West London club-night Yo Yo. Tonight he’s bringing a large slab of the Yo Yo party vibe to the Big Chill for the first time.
SIMON SMUGG(ORIJAHNAL)
FRIDAY (DJ)
Founder member along with Andy Gangadeen of The Bays and the man behind reggae specialist label Smugg Records, Simon has just come back from Jamaica where he is making a film about legendary producer Bunny Striker Lee. Expect pure reggae vibes.
TOM MIDDLETON
SATURDAY + SUNDAY (DJ)
There will be a proper old school acid house/detroit techno/electro P-funk and Go Go set from Jedi Knights. Star Wars chic is optional!
VICTOR MALLOY
SATURDAY (LIVE)
Monsieur Malloy is the nom de beatz of production whizz Russ Jones and singer/ photographer Kenny Mackracken. Their album ‘Lions And Tigers And Bears’ is one funny, sad, whacked-out, beautiful, cerebral sonic adventure. Don’t miss.
