Beast interviews Lee Williams...again!

The Beast was overjoyed once more to get Lee Williams our very own resident DJ and rising star back on the line up again. He supported Denis Horvat at the last gig in May this year at Lakota and has a new release ‘Afterglow’ on the Bedrock label. His own club night Terminal in Bournemouth is one of the most talked about techno and deep house nights in the UK. He’s moved to Bristol and studies music production at DBS. You’ll notice him appearing on plenty of the best known Bristol and UK line-ups – he is one to watch!

Beast and crew wanted to find out more about his new move to Bristol and his rising (and well deserved) music standing in the city…

Lee Williams at Glitch & Minotaur on 23/11

“I feel very fortunate to be getting a good few gigs in Bristol considering I haven't been here very long. I have met and played alongside some lovely and super talented people. Having my Minotaur residency is a solid base for me here in Bristol and am very happy to be involved with the brand/event. Ultimately I want to be able to spend all my time working on music and to be able to travel the world playing and producing music.”

So what else does Lee do in his spare time we ask?

“Aside the music I love going climbing, running and Thai Boxing although I am yet to join a Gym in Bristol. I also have a strong interest in photography and art. I’m currently in my second year at DBS Bristol studying a Degree in Electronic Music Production.”

Is there anything that Lee doesn’t do?! As well as an action man he's also a top bloke and all round lovely chap who would give the shirt of his own back if his friends needed it.

Beast asks Lee about the upcoming Minotaur Sound night at The Island – so much excitement and energy will be poured in this one.

“I’m really looking forward to the next Minotaur event. The last one at Lakota was off the scale. I have played many parties over the years and that was one of my most memorable.

I think that the reason Minotaur is so special is because The Beast runs it with a real love and passion. Every small detail is looked after and there is a great team of people behind the event that all contribute with their areas of specialty. This is a great basis of a night in my opinion – I can’t wait!”

Catch a little taster of Lee in the second half of this mix – it’s an excerpt played at Glitch on 23/11. The first half is DJ Tina Hart, another utter talented and all round amazing DJ who will headline our Police Cell on Saturday 25/11. They will be joined by Much Maligned, Sarah Air, Thomas and Illy Noize – let it be known that the pulsating excitement of The Beast is running at an all-time high.

Lee's latest Minotaur promo mix can also be found here - such musical goodness to be had.

See you on the dance floor x

Beast interviews...Illy Noize again!

Beast and crew were overjoyed when DJ and Producer Illy Noize agreed to return to his Bristol haven. He’s been DJing since 1999 and producing from 2011. He has a residency at the Charles Bronson club in Halle and heads up the record label Joyfriend. We flew him in from Halle, Germany for his UK debut at The Island in Feb 2016. Fast forward to now and we déjà vu what is guaranteed to be one incredible party on Saturday 25/11 where Illy will work his magic at The Island again. The Beast was keen to find out what Illy has been up to since we saw him last in 2016.

Illy Noize at The Island, Bristol 2016

“Hi Beast, it’s good to meet you again. There were several highlights in 2016 and 2017. We (the Joyfriend Team) were working to push things forward for our label. We had some strong releases featuring tracks by our key artists Odd Only, Philipp Harms and Jonson. So for me label work and to see what impact the label gets with its releases was one highlight. Another big thing was playing all these smaller and bigger festivals in Germany. I was surprised by a small festival called Oewerall Festival at the polish border in the middle of nowhere. There was a beautiful lake and my floor, where I was playing, was situated right on the beach. My friends from the crew Herzensangelegenheit invited me to play and it was a great pleasure playing for all these lovely dancers at this beautiful venue. If you have the chance check this festival out. I think it has a great future. Besides that I am now a father and my son is, and will be, a highlight for me seeing him grow up, learning to talk. He’s a sweet little gentleman 😊”

Beast pauses to take this all in…a Dad, record releases, collaborations, Festivals (Beast takes a particular note of that Oewerall Festival to gather up a Bristol collective!) – Illy has been up to so much and is always keeping himself so busy! In amongst all this we want to know just how Illy keeps up to date with all the latest styles of music and what artists is he listening to at the moment?

“In private I listen to Funk, Hip Hop and Disco a lot. I take my time to go through promos and through Beatport and other music stores once a week I think. If I find an interesting track I will go through the labels release catalogue check the other tracks by the artist. With this method I often find older tracks I’ve never heard. In my opinion I am very versatile as a DJ. I often play different styles in my set. If the tracks have the right groove and rhythm I give them a try. For me it is important to play music I like and not what’s hip and in right now.  In the end it is important that the people going to a party have a great evening and the selection has to fit with the vibes on the floor. I always carry a lot of USB Sticks with me to be ready for whatever happens.”

As ever this is one of many things about Illy that makes Beast very happy. Reading the crowd and giving them what they want is one of the key things that we look for in a DJ.

The Beast sometimes finds that when we get DJ's over from the continent they can be quite a bit different with their musical expression! It’s a positive thing. We ask Illy how he perceives the music scene and any difference between the UK and Germany. Also we ask whether he thinks Brexit will change things in the music scene

“There are some great artists that I really admire like Bicep and Eats Everything for example. When I started listening to electronic music I was totally fascinated by UK Garage, Jungle and Drum and Bass. But nowadays you could find every type of electronic music in the UK and some mayor influences come from the island to the scene.

I guess today the clubs are a bit different in Germany than in the UK. For example the Sisyphos club in Berlin. This club opens on Friday and closes on Tuesday. So there is plenty of time to try different music like a real slow house set which is very popular in Germany right now. DJs playing 4 hours and evolving their sets more. If you are bound to a 2 hours playtime you usually go for the bangers. But with longer periods you can open up to different moods. I think this Brexit will tie the scene of electronic music more together because borders doesn’t matter when it comes to music. I am not the most political guy ever but I think Brexit is more for the older generation.”

The Beast is utterly enraptured by Illy’s response – more set times, music not having boundaries – we just want to curl up to one of our favorite DJ’s and keep him as our teddy bear.

Finally Beast asks Illy what he is looking forward to the most at the Saturday 25/11 Minotaur Sound night and whether he has any surprises for us.

“I am really happy to meet the whole Minotaur sound crew again. Last time I was nervous about my set but it worked really well so I am excited to be back again and play. And I really love the venue. It’s a special place. Can’t wait 😊”

Check out Illy's latest Minotaur peak time glory promo mix and come to The Island on Saturday 25/11 where you are guaranteed a magical musical journey like no other. He'll be supported by our other amazing DJ's Lee Williams, Tina Hart, Much Maligned, Sarah Air and Thomas. Tickets are available here: http://hdfst.uk/E40640

Beast interviews...Thomas

Another Beast interview and this time it’s with our newest resident DJ Thomas. The Beast headhunted him (no not in a slaying kind of way) after he showed off his musical talents by chance. Thomas is also known for his trail blazing work in lasers and visuals and helped the Beastly crew with a scrummy Lumia laser display at the Minotaur Sound no 2 party in Lakota in May 2017. He’s the kind of bloke who could turn average into spectacular with nothing more than a paperclip and a headlight. If he can do this with visuals/lasers then imagine what he’s like behind decks – oh yes, you’ll be finding out on Saturday 25^th at the Minotaur Sound 3 party. The Beast steps inside his head for some juicy insight…

Beast wants to know more about Thomas’s DJ’ing style and the artists that influence him the most…

“I first learned to DJ when predominantly listening to drum & bass and whilst I still enjoy a 170bpm night out, I never quite gelled with mixing big drops and breakdowns, much preferring the waves of energy you can build and ‘ride’ with techno and house. Having older siblings and friends has helped me look backwards for music as well as forwards also, so you can expect some classics to be pulled out of the record bag on the 25th! As for influences, I love what people like Denis Sulta, Robert & Lyric Hood (AKA Floorplan of course) and Solomun are doing at the moment, blending the gospel and disco vibes with the techy. It’s great when you have a really headsy crowd and can go super deep with the techno, but mixing it up and keeping things interesting but accessible can be so important if the room commands it.”

This greatly pleases the Beast. Keeping people on their toes yet giving them what they want is a great art. In this respect Thomas will have happy dancers in the palm of his hand.

Beast also wants to know what Thomas is listening to the most at the moment and why…

“I find myself listening to absolutely all sorts, very much depending on my whereabouts and the time of day. For the all too common 5am trips to Heathrow and beyond it’s either ambient electronica from labels like EM:T, or some Nils Frahm or Ludovico Einaudi. When at home it’s anything from folk to industrial metal to techno…”

Now we turn to Thomas’s main laser and visuals job and Beast is curious to know how there is cross over with music…

“Absolutely- not least that my business (Airdrawn) lends its name to Sasha’s second album! A long term love of music

plus a definite geeky side meant that starting airdrawn was a dream come true. To date I’ve provided the laser power and/or visuals for some huge names and had a great time doing it. Nowadays I’ve got a very talented number two taking the reins on many of the local club nights as I’m often out of the country working, but I’m ‘keeping a toe in’ as much as I can.”

Last but not least the Beast asks Thomas what he’s looking forward to the most at Minotaur Sound 3 - Saturday 25/11…

“If it’s anything like the last two then definitely the crowd. With all the lad culture so prevalent at club nights these days it’s really great to see ‘Beast creating such a safe, friendly environment’ which then breeds like-minded people. Add that to a stellar lineup and it’s not a night to miss is it?”

You heard it from Thomas here and you can come and hear him play in the Police Cells on Saturday. Come shake a leg early with Thomas as he warms up those ceramic tiled walls of the Police Cells on Saturday. He’ll be joined by Sarah Air and Tina Hart. In the main room you can catch the delights of Much Maligned, Lee Williams and Illy Noize jetted in just for you from Halle, Germany.

Grab your tickets here: http://hdfst.uk/E40640

Beast interviews...Sarah Air

The Beast is proud to present Sarah Air at the next Minotaur Sound night on 25/11. Sarah will be dishing up some tasty beats in the Police Cells and has Beast wanting seconds each and every time she ignites the decks. Despite technical difficulties, she proved her worth at ‘Air From The Lair – Bearrito Beats’ broadcast last month from the top of the BearPit Bearritos bus – listen to her On the Bus mix to get a flavor of what's in store. Eager to get inside her musical mind we have our next Beast interview…

Beast asks Sarah what got her into DJ’ing

“It was the collapse of the financial markets combined with motherhood. After I was made redundant in 2009 I did a CDJ course, got a distinction and happily applied my new skills entertaining my toddler son for hours with a heady mix of minimal tech house and Thomas the Tank Engine hits. He loved all the buttons and flashing lights almost as much as me, but I found fisher price turntables a little limiting”.

Beast goes on to ask Sarah what her biggest musical influences are and also what she is listening to the most.

“Ooh, this is a tough one to answer because there are so many over a number of different periods of my life. Growing up in the eighties was such an amazing time for pop music, post-punk and post-disco, early electronica etc. I was fanatical about Top of the Pops and recorded my favourite numbers from the top 40 countdown chart on my tape cassette player so that I could listen to them again and again. The music of that time lit my little fuse, but it was the party-driven music of the rave scene in the early nineties that really stoked those flames and turned the appreciation of music for me into a more immersive, participative experience back then. The love of that dance music culture is what feeds a lot of the music that I love. If it makes me want to dance, it's hitting the spot for me.

My current listening is characteristically schizoid. I get earworms and just go with them for a while to work them out. Last night I listened to Nadia Rose's debut album, that's going to be popping up again for sure, IAMDDB's track Shade and Ravyn Lenae's track Spice are both niggling away still after much feeding and I'm loving a Villalobos and Celestial Voice extended single that's been on repeat in my headphones for the past couple of weeks - sounds like tech house angels singing...”

Beast is enamoured – cassette recording, flame stoking, angels singing – he simply can’t get enough of all these things and wants to find out more. He asks Sarah what is her musical MO when she plays:

“I'm new to this so have yet to define my MO. Initially I'll be taking an anarchic approach, cranking it up and observing the vigour/non-vigour of flailing limbs in the vicinity. Then, when I've finished singing lullabies to my kids at bedtime, I'll head down to the Beast's lair and play it by ear probably.”

Piqued by such wit, eloquence and musical mischief (anarchy and flailing limbs!? Beast’s pulse is going into overdrive! Beast loves a bit of anarchy) Beast asks Sarah if she had the power to erase and abolish one musical genre, which one would it be?

“Gabba. Enough said”

Sarah has attended previous Minotaur Sound parties and this will be her first time DJ’ing at the next one. Beast asks Sarah what can she tell those who have never been to a Minotaur Sound party before?

“You're in for a treat! Such a friendly crowd and good vibe. This event is lovingly and carefully curated by some very savvy people who know just what makes a great party - and it shows. Bring your mates and your dancing shoes and prepare to enjoy the best party night that Bristol has to offer!”

Tickets for the next Minotaur Sound night are available on Headfirst. Sarah will be playing alongside Thomas, Tina Hart, Much Maligned, Lee Williams and Illy Noize all regaling us with some deep house and techno joy. Get ready.

Ask For Angela - a Minotaur Sound endorsed safety campaign

We take a break from our cheeky Beast interviews to address the very serious issue of keeping our Minotaur Sound guests and patrons safe as much as possible at all of our club nights.

Which is why the crew at Minotaur Sound firmly subscribe to the 'Ask For Angela' safety campaign that was launched by Lincolnshire County Council in 2016. Picture the scene - and a lot of late night revelers can relate to this - you get separated from your friends and get hit upon by someone you feel uncomfortable with, the attention is unsolicited and/or doesn't stop even when you make it clear that you are not interested. In some instances you could even get followed to the toilet or outside whilst you're waiting for a taxi on your own. It's a type of harrassment that can happen at any time during a night out regardless of gender - see below for other types of harrassment.

This actually happened recently to a woman in Gloucestershire and thanks to her asking pub staff 'for Angela' and the pub in question knowing about the 'Ask For Angela' campaign she was ushered to safety. Some of the Minotaur Sound crew have experienced similar situations and have our own stories to tell. We're a good bunch who look out for each other as well as our guests and we know full well how welcoming a campaign this is for everyone to feel like they can feel safe on a Minotaur Sound night.

Rest assured that on all events, the Minotaur Sound crew work with internal crew, bar staff and security to ensure that anyone who approaches us and 'asks for Angela' is ushered to a place of safety and that we're able to help that person to get safely back home or back with his/her friends. We will always have the 'Ask For Angela' campaign posters stuck up on venue walls and crew, bar staff and security briefed on what to do.

Minotaur Sound operates a zero tolerance on harrassment of any kind and will challenge and work to eradicate violence, harrassment, exploitation or abuse at our events.

Note that harrassment is an act of discrimination that doesn't discriminate: all people can be affected by it. We're talking about racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophonia, classism and ableism.

If anyone has any suggestions on how else we can improve or help to achieve safe nights out for all then please do get in touch. We welcome your feedback - contact us on: beast@minotaursound.co.uk

The Beast interviews…Sam Jepperson from Sutra and Divide

The Beast is ever curious about musical goings on in his underground musical kingdom. It also comes to Beast’s attention that Minotaur Resident DJ Lee Williams is being headhunted for other rather delectable club-nights in Bristol. In times of olde our Beastie would have picked up his sword and wrought it with vengeful steely fury on whoever threatened his musical terrain - but as we live in a modern time where labyrinthine slaying is no longer allowed, the Beast needs to eat a bit of humble pie and honour those who enjoy and organise the same sort of nights for all to enjoy. Perhaps even look at forging future epic alliances and consider heroic collaborative exploits. There appears to be no end to a growing list of promoter and DJ talent and that’s when The Beast met with Sam Jepperson (aka DJ Sikora) who runs club-nights Sutra and Divide. Read on for an exclusive Beast Interview with Sam who talks about the inspiration for his night, spreading techno mindfulness and why you need to go and watch and hear Lee Williams play at his next night.

Sam’s enthusiasm for music, particularly techno and progressive tech is contagious. He tells Beast how inspired he was to setup Sutra after travelling in Australia with friends in 2015 and seeing how awesome their techno nights were. “With all this inspiration building up and ourselves making connections, we wanted to start a brand that symbolises everyone becoming one on the dance floor, no matter what walk of life. For us techno is like a form of meditation.” Beast interjects, his only experience of meditation is attempting to listen to a cassette tape of clicking whales and swishy waves. Sam clarifies “not where you sit down and close your eyes, it’s a meditation where you can be whoever you want to be and express yourself in a grooving, drum rhythmic fiesta. We want you to leave the party and feel like you had all your worries completely disappear and only left with a warm feeling in your stomach that everything will be ok and that you will be at a techno party again soon”.

Beast is now very excited to find out more. He finds out that not only does Sam manage Sutra but also another night called Divide. Divide was born 1 year ago between 4 like minded lads with a love for techno and a drive to bring high quality events to various cities in the UK. Sam intends to concentrate his efforts on Sutra to turn into a fire spinning festival stage and Divide will be high end events in and around Bristol. Between both nights Sam has brought a Sankey Ibiza resident DJ Lindsey Matthews to Blue Mountain, organised a boat party on the Thames in London and hosted a room at Egg London for DJ Mag Sessions. Beast has it on good authority that there are some big  Sutra and Divide plans for Bristol in Feb 2018 so keep your eyes open!

Sam is very excited to add Minotaur Sound Resident DJ Lee Williams on the bill for his upcoming Sutra 2nd Birthday night at Blue Mountain on Thursday 2^nd November. He tells Beast that he found Lee through one of his personal inspirations, John Digweed, from the record label Bedrock. He’s heard such positive things about Lee and his Terminal night. It’s no surprise that he’s one of the most sought after DJ’s in and around Bristol at the moment. “We were impressed and had to get him down for a mix. Lee is also focusing on live production using hardware which is a big plus to us, we rate that highly”.

Join Sam at the next Sutra night on Thursday 02/11 to catch Lee Williams lighting up the Blue Mountain decks. This is one highly rated Beast approved night that is not to be missed.

Links:
https://www.Facebook.com/uksutra
https://www.facebook.com/DivideEvents/
https://soundcloud.com/samjepperson

Illy Noize and Lee Williams back in Bristol on 25/11/2017

In the space of time since Beast hosted the last epic Minotaur Sound night in May, hurricanes have raged and despots have declared war - this is nothing new to Beastie Minotaur - who some 2500 years bc lived that very existence, only back then there wasn't any techno or deep house.

Forward wind a few millennia and so the time has come to bring night no 3 to the glittery fore. In all its musical glory - back by demandus populus we are so happy to hail the return of the legendary Illy Noize from Halle to Bristol. Like a vortex we whisk him and other resident DJ's back into The Island Bristol Police Cells venue on Saturday November 25th 2017.

Tickets can be purchased here: http://hdfst.uk/E40640

The last time we were there a couple of us scuffled around to the tune of a lone tape recorder - actually no, those who were there will remember just how many molecules of brain matter were lost just dancing to Illy's set alone. The rampant vibrations of a night that shall be commended to memory forever. Even now some peeps can say 'yep, I was there'. So fear not, if you weren't there - now is your opportunity to put that right.

In the main room dishing out Techno and Deephouse to your heart's content we bring back Much Maligned (Donewrong), Lee Williams and Illy Noize and in Police Cell no 1 we welcome Thomas, Sarah Air and the sass of Tina Hart to take us on a journey of beats and treats - anything could happen in there. In Police Cell no 2 we welcome back the spunky chic and beauty of Naomi from We Creatures bringing as ever her glittery, horny entourage to shimmer and entertain. Art visuals as ever from the oceanically deep Stefan Goodchild from Triple Geek - who has a few surprises up his techie sleeves just for you.

Get your tickets on headfirst here for a guaranteed night of musical debauchery. Book the babysitter and dust off your dancing shoes. See you there you gorgeous loves xx

Beast interviews...Denis Horvat

DJ and Producer Denis Horvat came to Beast’s attention last year in 2016 with the track ‘Momak’ which was released on Innervisions ‘Secret Weapons 8’ EP. Its deep pulsating vibe played to the rich, dark sounds that Minotaur Sound love to hear and dance to. There are only a few scatterings of Denis’s DJ sets available out there to listen to and each one is utterly sublime to hear – Denis proves that he can produce well and he can also DJ with the same passion and panache that he applies to his music. His music and sets already weave a unique flavor of depth and melodic techno that allow you to recognize Denis immediately from his peers.

Sharing the same bill as the likes of Ame, Dixon and Maceo Plex and signed up to Aeon and Innervisions and with his latest Axle EP release, it was high time that The Beast brought the Danish Dynamite to Bristol for what will be his debut on Saturday May 13^th at Lakota. Beast invited Denis into the epicenter of his labyrinth for a pre party interview to ask him a few questions and get some insight for Saturday night.

Denis Horvat

Beast asked Denis what he usually starts with when preparing for a set. “I listen to a lot of podcasts and DJ sets from other acts - it gives me ideas and inspiration for my DJ sets. I don’t have a special ritual or preparation strategy. I just play the music I like”. As has been mentioned several times in previous Beast interviews this is a strategy that works best for Minotaur Sound nights – it’s critically essential that DJ’s enjoy themselves and play what they like. There is always a risk that a set becomes stale and constrained if a DJ is too rigorous or doesn’t go with the flow or enjoy himself.

To further prove this point Beast asks Denis what makes him decide to play a particular record/track during one of his sets. “First of all I'm adapting my music to the audience. I wouldn't play a techno tune or a peak time track, in the early hours. But I love to play varied!” Beast clasps his hooves with glee – had Denis told him that he is prescriptive or doesn’t read his audience he would have chopped off his head immediately. No time for selfishness where Minotaur Sound is involved.

Denis is always dedicated to his incredibly well equipped studio (Beast has synthesizer envy) and is always posting on social media about his work and his travels. Beast is keen to find out more about how Denis manages a good work/ life balance in between releasing his epically good Axle EP (which Beast and crew have been listening to avidly since it was released in early April). Denis explains “I'm also really happy about the release, even though the tracks are almost 1.5 years old. But the feedback has been amazing. It's a bit tough to balance DJ’ing, studio and private life. For me the key is discipline and self-control, and to get properly rested during the week. It's like a never-ending Jetlag feeling, when you sleep a minimum amount of hours when touring”. Beast’s man crush with Denis peaks even higher - such dedication to his work. To follow Denis at his studio or on his travels, head to his Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/denishorvat/

Beast asks Denis what was his most unusual or memorable set location and Denis tells Beast that the most unusual place he played at was in a chalet in Geneva. A really cosy place up in the alps. Lets find out if Denis can add Lakota to his list of memorable places – the Beast intends to set up temporary labyrinthine court there on Saturday May 13^th.

Denis’s musical offerings garner many enthused comments on Mixcloud and Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/denis-horvat. Beast is curious about track listings and asks Denis how he feels when he sees people desperate for track listings and whether he has any memory of tracks that he’s heard but have never been able to acquire? Denis tells Beast “People are way too curious about track listings/track ID. They should focus more in enjoying the sets, rather than being detectives :) &ME from Keinemusik played a really nice track a few years ago. In pretty much all his sets and podcasts, but I never found the ID. My guess is it's one of his own edits of remixes, which won't be released”. Are you reading this &ME?

Beast is keen to find out any other titbit that Denis would be happy to share with his fans. “Well besides the studio geek that I am, I really enjoy drinking rum and cognac. And I'm a big sneaker collector :) “. You hear that Bristol? Beast informs his minions and Minotaur Sound posse to refrain themselves from throwing their underwear at Denis on Saturday. Perhaps sneakers, rum and cognac will go down a little better ;-)

Join the Beast and his minions as Denis decimates Lakota on Saturday night together with Lee Williams, Kuba Drypher, Ellis Odyssey, Nautz & Toppa and G Rowe – also with Peasoup, Kagun and Orion in the DnB room.

Recommend that you buy your ticket well in advance for this one here: http://hdfst.uk/E36511

See you on Saturday May 13 for an epic and glitter infused night!

Beast interviews Naomi from We Creatures

You can imagine just how excited Beast would be to interview the insanely gorgeous Naomi who heads up her very own Horns, Headresses and Costume Design company aptly titled ‘We Creatures’. Naomi captivated Beast and his minions for last year’s Launch Party – after 3000 years of hibernation, Beasts horns were looking decidedly unhorny – just little nubbins that poked embarrassingly out of his head. Naomi lovingly made a beautiful new pair for him and Beast has been grateful to her ever since. Not only that – to add to Naomi’s incredibly dextrous talents she also performs regularly in her own creations – be it at festivals, art installations or photo shoots. She performs either by herself or in a troupe of other horned up lovelies.

Naomi from We Creatures
Photo credit @Robvoodoo

Beast was keen to catch up with Naomi again before the upcoming party - once again wanting to know what goodies she will be bringing“Hiya again Beast! Our team of fauns will be bringing ALL the fab and sass, glittering any and all party goers and supplying fantastical dress up pieces from your dreams!!” Beast is so excited he does a little victory dance and remembers what it was like at last year’s party – so many Minotaur guests came away with lovely handmade horns which they’d bought from Naomi to remind themselves of the Minotaur Sound launch party – they are perfect for festivals and parties! Beast wants to know why – “We’ve all been obsessed with dressing up from a young age, so we are natural creatures of the clubbing underground” – never has a truer word been said. One of the many reasons why Naomi and her fauns fit right in with the Minotaur crew. Naomi also adds “Personally as a maker, I love making the outlandish and avant garde a reality for people and developing comfortable and fantastical headpieces is something of an obsession at this point! Also I just really, really shamelessly love covering people in glitter!” Beast can’t wait to be one of the many to get glittered up on Saturday.

As much as Beast wishes he could keep Naomi as his personal indulgent secret, he knows he can’t do so. So if you want to check out We Creatures on Instagram take a look here: http://instagram.com/we.creatures and to gaze lovingly at Naomi’s handmade headdresses and horns go here – you will find them hard to resist: http://wecreaturescostume.etsy.com and http://wecreatures.co.uk.

As the interview comes to an end, Naomi and her fauns dance around The Beast, blow a kiss to his fuzzy face and dance out of his labyrinth “See you next Saturday Beast! Can’t wait to party with you in your Lakota den!” – Beast is delighted, it takes much to reduce this huge shaggy, mythical giant into a quivering heap of fuzzy giggles. Only a few more sleeps until Naomi and her fauns are back dancing alongside Minotaur guests and DJ’s Denis Horvat, Lee Williams, Kuba Drypher, Peasoup, Orion, Kagun, Nautz & Toppa, Ellis Odyssey and G Rowe with all the glitter that you could possibly imagine. Lakota will never have seen so many sassy sparkles! Get your tickets here: http://hdfst.uk/E36511

Beast interviews...G Rowe (again)

Back in February 2016 Minotaur Sound resident DJ G Rowe (George) was first on the bill (together with Donewrong) at the Launch Party. Take a look at his original interview here: http://minotaursound.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/g-rowe-minotaur-sound-dj-interview.html

His was a Pied Piper type role to lay down the tracks that would set the precedent for the evening ahead and bring all the Beast creatures out of their hiding places. He did such an amazing job with aplomb and glory that Beast was keen to get him back in for the May party. Beast was keen to find out what he had been up to since the Launch Party of dreams and wonderment. He asks him what other musical delights he has seen in the last year.

G Rowe with Donewrong at Minotaur Sound Launch Party

“The DirtyTalk night in November with DJ Sotofett was the best thing I’ve been to in years. So much goodness all night long!” Beast nods his horned head vigorously, DJ Sotofett is one that he has his eye on at the moment. Beast, ever in pursuit of knowledge wishes to feed his musical wisdom by asking G Rowe for advice as to how to become a DJ. He expects that G Rowe must have had to undergo Herculean feats of dextrous mastery that aimed to place him high on a pedestal in honour and glorification to the musical Gods – “Errrr no…just start? Dive straight in. I think I got a pirate version of Traktor and started pissing around trying to mix and recording my lame attempts, to play to friends. Eventually a friend was good/desperate enough to let me play at their night. Everyone gets desperate” …Beast is silent, a piece of tumbleweed drifts slowly between him and G Rowe, a toll bell rings out across the Minotaur court.

Beast shrugs off the momentary pause and asks George if he has any surprises in store for the May night – “My main surprise is that Neil (Donewrong) isn’t playing, so there will probably be some sort of equipment failure that I won’t know how to fix” – Beast is sad that Donewrong can’t play as he did at the Launch Party but he has other events planned for this year and will be ensuring that he returns to the decks to wow the crowd just as he did with G Rowe at the Launch Party.

Finally Beast wants to know if George has been up to anything else in the last year “I’ve made some flashy light content to put towards the next night (another interview will uncover who the mysterious person is behind the visuals for the May night) and also check out my Instagram for other visuals I’ve been making”. The marvels of being a multi faceted creative – Beast can’t wait to see George’s flashy light thing on Minotaur night – take a look at his Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/georgehenryrowe/

Soak G Rowe in by Techno osmosis at the next Minotaur Sound night in May together with Nautz & Toppa, Lee Williams, Denis Horvat and Kuba Drypher. Get your tickets here: http://hdfst.uk/E36511

Beast interviews...Hula-dancer Amy Darling

Beast is partial to a Performer or 2 – whilst his ancient roots dictate a particular fondness for enslaved performers, he realises that 3000 years have passed and that he can no longer keep them on chains for his viewing pleasure. However, when The Beast’s attention was drawn to the beautiful Amy Darling he got decidedly twitchy. Watch her in action here:

Amy will be bringing the hooping love to Beast’s May 13^th party at The Office, Deep Pit Road, Bristol BS5 7AW and Beast was keen to find out more about what hooping is all about and how she got into it. Whilst hula hooping of sorts has been around in different guises throughout history, it’s only been as early back as the 90’s where colourful displays have started to mesmerise modern day crowds.

Amy tells Beast that she has been hooping for just over a year. She got hoop hooked after one of her circus friends showed her a trick and instantly fell in love.

“I’m self-taught ever since” she tells Beast and goes on to explain how liberated she feels when she dances with her hoop. “I’ve always been a performer and I love to dance, so now when I hula hoop I can fully express myself. It’s a hobby that keeps on giving! Every day I learn a new trick and it feels amazing!”

Amy Darling mesmerises at Stonehenge

Beast is curious to know if others feel as hypnotised as he does when he watches Amy’s hoop twirl. Amy tells him “Hula hooping is quite a rare talent, so when people watch me they become entranced. It’s always such a positive reaction!” – Beast tries his best to snap out of the trance of Amy's colourful hoop twirling around and around and asks her to tell him what is the most unusual place where she has hula hooped. “I’ve hula hooped on top of a mountain in Nepal. All of the locals watched me in awe – I have to say that it was probably one of the best moments in my life!”

It’s at this point that Beast’s eyes reduce to a pinpoint and one of his minions has to rouse him out of his enchantment. It takes much to reduce our great big grizzly beast to this shadow of his former self. Come to the May 13^th party and watch a glittered up Amy twirl and spin her hula in hypnotic techno infused magic. Glitter, UV murals and horntastic muses will also be involved.

The Beast is very happy that Amy Darling will be joining the crew to add to the Techno and DnB magic. We can't wait to see her adding her flourish to what will be one of the top Bristol nights debuting Danish Dynamite Denis Horvat from Innervisions/Aeon and Afterlife.

 Get your tickets here: http://hdfst.uk/E36511

Beast interviews...Ellis Odyssey and Ollie (Nautz & Toppa):

The time has come for Beast to interview two of his newest DJ additions to the Minotaur court. Ellis Odyssey and Ollie (one half of the DJ duo Nautz & Toppa with Tom Whitakker) both of whom will be playing B2B at the Beast’s next May 13^th night. More details and tickets about Beast’s coveted event can be found here: http://hdfst.uk/E36511.

Ellis and Ollie met at college on a music production course, friendship was forged and a DJ alliance was decreed. They have been Dj’ing B2B since and are keen to transmit a sense of euphoria and escape to all those who listen and dance to them – this DJ passion caught Beast’s attention immediately. Ellis and Ollie explain that they have practiced their Dj’ing religiously and have dedicated that same passion throughout whether in a club or in their front room whilst drinking tea.

Ellis Odyssey

Beast is forever intrigued as to what makes someone suddenly want to DJ. Ellis explains that he got into serious DJ’ing when the tax man issued Ellis with a tax rebate and he was able to afford some Pioneer CDJ 1000 mk3’s and a DJM 800 mixer – Beast is surprised that tax rebates even happen. Where Beast comes from tax payments are only made in blood. Both Ollie and Ellis have lovingly collected and produced their only music too. Ellis collects and plays on vinyl as he was brought up hearing the rich sounds that only a vinyl record can transmit. Ollie tells Beast that he dedicates his dj’ing to creating a sense of euphoria and escape with his dance crowd – he’s fascinated by creating an essential musical connection between the DJ and the Crowd and will be re-creating that with Ellis at Minotaur Sound night on May 13^th.

Ollie has played at Apex and Nightowl and supported the likes of Dante, Darius Syrossian and Sidney Charles. Catch him at upcoming Home and Nozstock Festivals this year.

Ollie and Tom (Nautz & Toppa)

Beast is happy – so many wannabe DJ’s come forth, they play for a practice session and end up not connecting with the crowd – this is just plain selfish and Beast ends up chopping off their heads in retaliation. Beast teases out the secret to becoming a DJ – not just any DJ but a DJ that people can look up to and allow them to be lead on a musical journey. Ellis and Ollie explain that they are not in a position to give any advice to those wanting to DJ - but the only thing that they can say is that you must play what moves you, to dance and enjoy – it’s what the crowd will pick up the most. Also to get out there as much as you can, go to parties, meet people and keep collecting and writing music. Beast’s furry chin starts to quiver at Ellis and Ollie’s humility before he catches himself and swiftly returns to his dark Beastly self by downing a tankard of mead and belching loudly.

Ellis Odyssey and Ollie (Nautz and Toppa) will be energising the main Techno Minotaur room playing B2B on May 13th together with Lee Williams, Kuba Drypher, G Rowe and Denis Horvat.

Tune in to Nautz & Toppa SoundCloud’s here: https://soundcloud.com/nautzandtoppa

Beast Interviews...Lee Williams

Listen to Lee William's Minotaur Sound Promo Mix Part 1.

Lee Williams

The Beast receives lots of requests from those wanting to take part in his epic nights of shadowy dancefloor legend. By Minotaur decree, DJ appeals must be accompanied by mythical feats being performed to prove said talents – many an intrepid DJ has succumbed to fingers getting chopped off - such is the wrath of the Beast when demanding musical perfection. The day that Bournemouth DJ Lee Williams came forward to speak to The Beast, goes down in Minotaur Sound history. Lee had already made his mark securing bookings at some of the biggest events in the UK as well as in Europe. Working on the same bill as Sasha, Darren Emerson, Layo & Bushwaka, Dave Angel, Billy Nasty and Nick Muir to mention a few.

He’s appeared at Ministry of Sound, Pascha, Pulse Festival and The Egg as well as runs and headlines his night Terminal in Bournemouth. Masterful at wrapping his crowd in sound to scale heady musical heights and immersing them into the kind of nights that you never want to end. To say that Lee had Beast’s attention is an understatement. Beast was keen to share the DJ love and get Minotaur Sound fans learning about the hottest DJ Jedi in the Minotaur Lair.

Lee tells Beast that he bought his first set of turntables at the age of 13 and that as his Dad was also a DJ, his interest in music goes back as far as he can remember. For years he would collect records and practice on his turntables until one day, when another DJ pulled out of an event at the last minute, a request was made for Lee to make his debut appearance. He took the night by storm and never looked back.

Beast likes Lee’s dynamism – as a seasoned DJ he asks him what makes a good DJ? “I think a good DJ is someone that is original and true to themselves – delivering something exciting and unique to the people they play to. I think it’s very obvious to see if someone has a true love and passion for music. This energy resonates in the work they do in the club or studio – music lovers will see right through you if you’re not true to that.” True that! Beast will be spreading this message far and wide to future DJ’s coming forth.

Lee is inspired by so many artists – Beast can attest to this, the size of Lee’s musical hard drive makes everyone’s eyes water. At the moment Lee is inspired by Tin Man, Daniel Avery, Stephan Bodzin and Third Son. One day very soon he would love to appear on the same bill as Recondite or Ame.

Beast is left in such a cheery mood after interviewing Lee, he asks for another tasty titbit.

Lee tells Beast that stepping in to save the night has happened to him on a few occasions. Most recently when having to play at a gay bar in Cologne where another DJ had cancelled – it meant that, end to end he played for 7 hours, then gathered up his things and flew home. What a musical hero! Beast is so impressed that he wishes he could sacrifice a Virgin in his honor. Luckily the Minotaur Minions were able to stop him in time – mostly due to a lack of Virgins in the immediate area.

Catch Lee lubricating the airwaves and energizing the Beast’s techno court with Denis Horvat, G Rowe, Ellis Odyssey and Nautz & Toppa and Kuba Drypher at the next Minotaur night on May 13^th.
Get your tickets here.

Beast interviews…Kagun and Orion

Beast is at it again – bringing you the DJ juice.

Kagun

This time finding out more about back room DnB DJ’s and Producers Orion and Kagun. Beast headhunted (swords were not involved this time) the musical duo for the upcoming May gig – it’s just impossible not to hoof stomp to their bass riddled beats and Beast had to have them.

Beast just knows that Orion and Kagun are on track for big things - their talent and mutual love for bass can be palpably heard – check out their soundclouds below:


Orion: https://soundcloud.com/ori-tolkovsky

Kagun: https://soundcloud.com/kagundnb

Kagun has performed sets in Northampton, London and Bristol and is influenced by Fre4knc, Break and Amoss.

Orion is part of Bristol based Inkline Collective and Dorset based Nuphunk Collective and has played at numerous events in the South West to include alongside Xtrah – for which he won a much coveted music competition. He tells beast that he loves to mix and produce the whole spectrum of drum and bass and both he and Kagun delights the crew with a promise for B2B surprises and a journey into heavy basslines in May.

Orion

They tell Beast that they met at Bris-Tek whilst dancing at the front for the whole night and quickly realised that their musical talents were best pooled as one - in one of the most exciting DnB mandem duos to hit Bristol and the South West…watch out world. If you want to catch them before the next Minotaur night, head to Inkline at the Doghouse, Bristol this Thursday 23rd March 2017.

Beast asks them, if given the choice of DJ to get stuck on a desert island, who would this be? Orion tells Beast “I’d happily be stuck on a desert island with Calibre! The man is a genius. I look up to him so much because he makes a whole range of musical styles and is the most humble guy”. Kagun likes Calibre but says he would be most happiest stuck with Fre4knc to rinse out the riddims – Beast suddenly wants to get stuck on a desert island with Kagun, Orion, Calibre and Fre4knc but has to satisfy himself that getting stuck with them in the DnB back room dungeon with Peasoup at the upcoming Minotaur Sound Party on May 13^th 2017 will be amazingly rad and will have to suffice…for now.

Minotaur Sound Fam - get your tickets asap to catch Kagun and Orion providing an almighty back room DnB mood changer to the Techno main room with Denis Horvat, Lee Williams, Kuba Drypher, Ellis Odyssey, Nautz & Toppa and G Rowe on May 13th 2017 at The Office, Bristol: Click here for ticket and event details.