Review : RMRS at The Source, 24.03.18
Production
Bursting with colour and glowing all the way through to Maidstone high street, the psychedelic props were littered over The Source, creating an immersive 360 degree experience. A hand made Volkswagen Campervan DJ booth, kitted out with lights and even a RMRS number plate being the centre of attention. Whilst neon streams, hanging peace signs, wacky patterned wall covers and two fabulous glitter face-painting girls armed with sparkles, (having ransacked Kent's supply of all things shiny) illuminated both rooms of the venue and set the scene for the night's madness. P.s. We're still finding glitter in our clothes.
DJ Sets
Harry Peters b2b Lee Rayment
The catchy female vocals and feel good rhythm keeping the eager early crowd singing along in high spirits. Choosing to follow the house driven vibes for the first quarter of the set, Lee opted to spin in the groovy “DJ Beat That Shhh” by Mike Dunn, before a quick change of pace as the two looked to up the tempo, with Harry selecting a tech heavy stomper by Aker69 entitled “Afreeka.” The sudden injection of speed and sound was met with a well received reaction from the ever-growing crowd. Now pumped and raring for more, the packed out courtyard was ready for some heavy basslines, Fisher’s latest release “Crowd Control” then roared through the speakers.
It’s dark, gritty drop pulsing through the outdoor space. Drawing towards the end of the hour saw a final switch in sound, closing with Tensnake's 2010 Defected classic - "Coma Cat", to leave the vibe on a high.
Hesmer
Taking over control of the courtyard following Harry & Lee was up and coming DJ, Ryan Hesmer. A regular feature on The Source Bar line ups, along with a residency for MOTIVE and recent appearance for London powerhouse ABODE; which we have no doubt won't be the last. Starting his set with a vocal tech vibe from Del-30 entitled "You Won't Regret" had the courtyard grooving from the get go. The iconic vocals taken from Mary J Blige's "Family Affair" were instantly recognised, leaving an upbeat and cheerful vibe buzzing around the space.
Now into his stride, Hesmer went on to drop Paul C and Piem's floor killer "Big Gun" to pump some more energy into the crowd, which had now fully filled out the venue. Diving further into a deeper tech side of his music collection saw Elliot Adamson's "Still workin" shortly before balancing out the atmosphere with a strong disco selection, courtesy of Mella Dee's "Disco Techno Tool".
Now into his stride, Hesmer went on to drop Paul C and Piem's floor killer "Big Gun" to pump some more energy into the crowd, which had now fully filled out the venue. Diving further into a deeper tech side of his music collection saw Elliot Adamson's "Still workin" shortly before balancing out the atmosphere with a strong disco selection, courtesy of Mella Dee's "Disco Techno Tool".
Tommie-lee & Liam Haynes
Over the last few months, the brothers from Kent have taken a step back from performing to put their focus into production, pumping out a number of creations in the process, which were now ready for a road test. Making their long awaited return to the main room, they were locked and loaded with a heavy set of tracks to play out through the Martin Audio sound system.
Opening with Oliver $'s 2011 release “Doin' Ya Thang” set the tone with a long build up of vocals dropping into to a groovy beat; putting a spring in the crowd's step, who were now well into their night. Following after saw the anticipated road test for the duo's own recent production, and with the track “Big Butts” having received strong feedback, they were eager to see how the lively RMRS crowd would take to the release. The looping vocals leading into a funky tech drop went down a treat, whilst “Move To The Drum Machine” and “Oh Sweet Mary J” also made well received appearances during the high energy performance.
Micky & Alex
Stepping into the VW booth were the head honchos; Alex Niechoj & Micky Crist. After the last b2b we saw from these guys at the re-launch of their beloved party, we were eager to see what was in store this time round. Going in all guns blazing, Detlef’s bouncy tech number "Jaydee" set the standard with a heavy rolling bass line. Building their set, the bar continued to raise with each track selection, Pirate Copy’s remix of Carlo Lio "Ill" Shit” being a prime example; driving through the crowd and holding the rapid tempo which had flowed throughout the night.
Also played were Mason Maynard's crowd favourite "Puffy" and Detlef’s fresh release “Deep Dip”, both met with a rapturous applause and rounding off another strong showing from the RMRS bosses - who were somehow still standing, having been setting up their psychedelic paradise since 9am that day!
Also played were Mason Maynard's crowd favourite "Puffy" and Detlef’s fresh release “Deep Dip”, both met with a rapturous applause and rounding off another strong showing from the RMRS bosses - who were somehow still standing, having been setting up their psychedelic paradise since 9am that day!
Benny Ataari
Where do we start for this closing set. A difficult slot to play, with choices of style which can go many different ways depending on the artist, some great, some not so great... but Benny Ataari had something special planned for RMRS. Delving deep into his archives of music, the DJ/producer performed an eclectic set, drawing on various genres he's been known to play, for parties such as HotBed, Derelict and The Social. Demonstrating a diverse knowledge of these genres and technical ability, the set was packed with memorable moments; Bicep's atmospheric belter "Glue" sending goosebumps around our body. Further in saw Jamiroquai's "Space Cowboy" remixed by David Morales leaving the crowd's hands in the air singing along, before bringing in Hardrive's "Deep Inside", chopping back in a looping Space Cowboy before the drop - mind blown.
RMRS returned with a bang, serving as a reminder of the raw talent available on our doorstep and pulling in a packed out venue even without a big name headliner. Weeks of preparation and planning to curate the custom-made production truly paying off and lighting the path for their next instalment. Who knows what they could do with a headliner... 9/10Overall
Want some more RMRS in your life? Grab yourself a ticket to their next show featuring Secondcity! But be quick, tickets for this one are shifting fast.
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