Friday the 13th is often regarded as unlucky but not for the heads of Southampton, in fact Release dispersed all myth and played host to living legend Calibre, alongside man of the moment Dub Phizix and the vocally flawless MC DRS.
By the time I arrived at the Cellar it was already at capacity. The intimate venue was brimming with excitement, it was hard to believe that Calibre was about to step onto the stage, although Release has never disappointed in providing the city with top line up's in the past, this was going to go down in history.
As calibre took to the decks the crowd erupted in cheer and applause, the same appreciation you would give someone of importance and wisdom. Having never seen Calibre before i had built up a lot of expectations and hype and so far i was not at all disappointed. perched comfortably on the ledge at the side of the packed venue i sat back and took it all in. I didn't even feel the need to dance, not because it wasn't danceable but it was nice to just sit there and listen. He played a few of his tracks from the Conditions LP. A personal favourite had to be "people never change" especially as DRS was there singing along to the moving vocals, giving it that little extra touch. Calibres set was soulful and powerful, track after track you were able to transcend into a new understanding of him and his music. At that point, emotions were replaced with energy as the unmistakable sound of "Steptoe" flowed in. The crowd once again roared and gently bobbed from side to side to the subtle yet rumbling bass. Calibres set was truly memorable from beginning to end and will be forgotten anytime soon. It's easy to see why he is so respected amongst the scene!
Next up was another debut Release set from rising star Dub Phizix. The juxtaposed styles blended well together and Dub Phizix smashed out many deep rollers. Including stomper "rags" and of course the ever lovable "marka" although the track has been circulating for many months now it still sounded as fresh as ever, especially coming from the man himself. He also dabbled in some more uptempo tracks which had everyone moving and ended with his remix of Skittles' cult hit "Dot2Dot". After a whirlwind year, 2012 is set to be massive for Dub Phizix who is undoubtedly one of the most exciting producers in the scene right now! It was an honour and a privilege to witness both him, Calibre and DRS under the same roof in an intimate venue. Release has always been about showcasing the darker spectrum of Drum and Bass and it will be great to see it grow from strength to strength over the next 12 months!
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