The Past, Present & Future of Bass Music: From Scientist & Lee “Scratch” Perry to Kode9 & Appleblim
These days everybody seems to be raving about electronic dance music—or “EDM.” There are too many different subgenres to list here, and more are being invented as we speak. But the true heads know that it all started with another three-letter word: dub. Subatomic Sound’s second annual Dub Champions Festival is all about rewinding back to the reggae roots of dub and then fast-forward into the future of bass music. It all begins tonight with Deadly Dragon Sounds free Downtown Top Ranking kick-off party at Happy Endings. As always, the Downtown Top Ranking session is free. For everything else, you may want to register at www.DubChampions.com for a discount code. Full schedule of events after the jump.
DUB CHAMPIONS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE: September 20th to 24th
Sept 20 / @ Happy Ending
This festival warm up takes place at a NYC institution: Deadly Dragon Sound‘s weekly rub-a-dub party, right around the corner from the Deadly Dragon record shop: all vinyl selectors (aka DJs) with DJs (aka MCs) rocking the mic, preserving the Jamaican sound system culture from which dub originally evolved. Always expect surprise guests. Plus you can’t beat the price (Free!)
Sept 21 / @ BB Kings
“Scientist & Roots Radics Radics Rid NY of the Curse of the Evil Vampires”
Dub legend Scientist, plus the original backing band Roots Radics flown in to do the first ever live performance of their massively influential 1981 dub album Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires along with special guests like reggae vocal legend Johnny Osbourne. Thirty-one years after the record’s release, you can still hear how the way its hard-driving riddims & production are the blueprint for today’s massively popular dubstep genre. One of Jamaica’s greatest producers & bands, this album was famously used in Grand Theft Auto III video game as the audio on the K-Jah car radio. Stay tuned for our exclusive Scientist interview.
Sept 22 / @ Dubspot music school
Clive Chin Workshop & Augustus Pablo Dub Tribute
Daytime education session w/ famed Randy’s Studio dub producer & guests. Clive Chin produced Augustus Pablo’s first track “Java” & one of the first dub albums. Modern day dub demonstration on Ableton Live by Dubspot instructor DJ Kiva.
Sept 23 / @ Williamsburg Hall of Music
Lee “Scratch” Perry w/ Subatomic Sound System: From Dub To Dubstep
Whether you consider him genius or madman, the 76-year-old Grammy-winning dub reggae innovator is one of the most dynamic characters in music history. Considered by many as the creator of both reggae and dub, he was a mentor to Bob Marley, co-writing and recording some of his greatest work. Check his original recordings of Bob Marley’s “Sun is Shining” or “Kaya” as an example. Even now he continues to push boundaries, recently touring the US backed by electronic based dubstep crew Subatomic Sound System. This evening will juxtapose Scratch’s contributions with current electornic artists who are taking dub well beyond reggae, cross-pollinating classic dub recordings with current electronic bass soundss by the likes of Dre Skull, (the Brooklyn bass producer who founded Mixpak Records and produced Vybz Kartel’s Kingston Story album), Sinkane (an innovative African artist who was recenetly signed to the electronic label DFA), and of course Emch and the Subatomic Sound System.
Lee Perry: From Dub to Dubstep
Sept 24 / @ Cielo
“Kode9 & Appleblim: Dubstep originators, Hyperdub to Deep Space”
Two of UK’s dubstep pioneers and most aggressive innovators, now pushing the sound of dub and bass beyond genre definition, meet dubby house legend Francois K at his Deep Space party on one of NYC’s best sound systems. Kode9 founded the Hyperdub label, home of the chart topping dubstep album by Burial.
