Jax Jones @ Ouseburn Garden review: a haven of Makina

Given the difficulties the country currently faces concerning the cost of living, a time when it feels like we’re charged £30 for simply leaving the house, a free party is a rare treat. Jax Jones has done a series of outstanding pop-up parties across the country in recent months, having ticked off Belfast and Manchester before being joined by Cascada for a show in London arranged at 24 hours notice. Given his touring commitments and heavy production schedule, it’s a labour of love which shouldn’t go unappreciated. 

The most recent edition was the rearranged Newcastle show, with Jax Jones unable to make the original date due to some astonishing rainfall in Dubai. This particular pop-up was hosted by The Ouseburn Garden which is situated, as you might expect, in the heart of the city’s Ouseburn district. By day, the venue slings out pints and pizza across a large outdoor seating area in a lovely little spot under Byker Bridge. For Jax Jones, however, it was transformed completely. The DJ booth and lighting rig were incredibly impressive given the constraints. When married to a frankly ludicrous lineup of local heroes and international stars, it made for an exceptional night on the banks of the Ouseburn Valley.

North Shields’ own Schak kicked off proceedings, to a predictably massive reception. Few cities revere their local heroes in quite the same way as Newcastle does, and by the time he dropped ‘Moving All Around’, the place was absolutely bouncing. He was then joined by MC Tazo, who absolutely shelled it while Schak span a selection of rowdy donk tunes. This peaked when he dropped ‘I’m About To Tell You’, an iconic tune within the makina landscape. Tazo leaned into a lot of the absolute classics, which for a hometown show like this is exactly what you’d hope for. Schak’s DJing was excellent, with the rolling bass of his happy hardcore selections being the perfect soundtrack for MC Tazo’s bars.

Although the lineup appeared slightly unusual from the outside looking in, the night was put together exceptionally well. The story of Makina in North-East England is a fascinating one, as a subgenre of Spanish Hardcore music that found its roots in the LGBTQ club scene ended up finding a second home between Hendon and Hebburn. Much like grime in London or bassline in Sheffield, it’s a beautiful little corner of the UK’s musical landscape that is quite unlike anything else.

Just as happy hardcore did before, it has garnered a diehard following that has kept the scene alive as people’s listening and clubbing habits have changed. It has been steadily on the resurgence for the last few years, with Patrick Topping doing a Makina set to an outrageously large crowd at Glastonbury in 2019. MC Tazo is featured on the forthcoming remix of Jax Jones’ ‘Never Be Lonely’; an incredible crossover between local talent and a genuine superstar. Jax Jones’ headline set was incredible, and entirely surreal seeing one of the best DJs in the country playing in such humble surroundings. It capped off what was an incredible night under the Newcastle skyline.

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