Skiddle Hangs With Stonebridge This Weekend!

Last time we saw Stonebridge, we ended up being given a litre bottle of Vodka in the DJ booth at Sankey's and somehow discussing Hed Kandi's merits and where that music belonged on the dancefloor. Stonebridge said it didn't belong before his set, which amused me greatly seen as he is signed to the infamous label after all.

Prior to that it was London, sat in a room at Jazz FM chatting about the Americans, Ultra Nate and a silver marker pen which had somehow spilt over our swedish superstars pinstripe jacket, which to this day I haven't seen anything equally as impressive. To put it simply, we've had a lot of fun in a little time with the one they call Stoney Boy.

So then, when the oppurtunity arose to check out the master at work again, it was a simple choice. Throw in the fact we're going to two gigs in a row (KissdaFunk in Leeds on the Friday and Twisted Elegance in Manchester on the Saturday Night) whilst spending some time for a chat and a bite to eat during the day in between, well, we're a bit bloomin chuffed to be quite honest.

Many of you will only recognise Stonebridge for his production work, and maybe the most recent at that with 'Put Em High' and 'Freak On' absolutely destroying dance floors across the UK, White Island and beyond. In fact, even my mum knows who i'm talking about when I mention Stoney, which if you'd met my mum, is quite a good feat. Dad however, is probably still a different story...

However as we have come to experience and understand with Stone, is that what you might hear on a beautifully packaged plastic wrapped production under the Hed Kandi header, he's quite happy to absolutely mash up that stereotype and put a smile on your face with twisted electro house of a kind "It's not like I play a techno set or anything, but yeah people are suprised, it's different, it's not like the chart singles' "I knew that the Sankey's crowd didn't want that, and well you know how it went down, amazing! Ferry Corsten has done a mix of Freak On and we told him, we don't want trance, we want it more tribally. It's a really chunky record!"

It seems only right then that we are to once more to enjoy that exact sound at TWO legendary clubs, which we are not ashamed to admit we haven't attended before, but both rate highly on the northern club circuit.

Friday night sees a journey to Leeds, the powerhouse that is KissdaFunk - which just so happened to come out trumps at the recent House Music Awards. As well as Stonebridge's headline set, co founder Rob Tissera is doing the duty aimed to delight you with a very festive feast of house music shook-up and cut-up for your pleasure and served together with an overindulgent portion of all things house featuring: Radio One’s Residents, The Trophy Twins and Mixmag Future Hero, Filthy Rich. In Arch Two, Matt Cooper will cook up some elect-tek funk while the Carley’s Angels will ensure you soon forget about the cold dark nights. So If you’re one of the hundreds of firm KDF fans, or you just love jackin’, vocal, elec-tech, acid house or soulful grooves, put the Christmas shopping off till another week and Get Ready to Kissdafunk.

We're not however, stopping there, and after a day's christmas shopping in Manchester, we're heading down to Deansgate for some Twisted Elegance at Ampersand. Every week, Twisted Elegance supplies the city's more sophisticated clubber their weekly musical fix in lush surroundings tucked discreetly away down a back street, and looking at the pictures if Stonebridge wears that jacket, he's gonna fit right in!

Of course we will be returning with full reports and pics to let you know exactly how it went, though we do encourage that if it is at all possible to join us, then you do!

Friday 25th Nov - Kissdafunk @ Mission, Leeds - (Heaton Square)
Stonebridge, The Trophy Twins (Radio One), Rob Tissera, Filthy Rich, Matt Cooper
Doors 10pm-4am £12/£10 members/£8 nus
For info call 07970 019980

Saturday 26th Nov - Twisted Elegance @ Ampersand, Manchester (Deansgate)
Stonebridge, Pat Drury, Alan Hartley
Doors 10pm-3am £12 all in
For info call 07974 025674 or www.twisted-elegance.co.uk

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Massive thanks to sel@skiddle.com for the use of the Stoney photo, which was taken at Sankey's Soap when Stonebridge played alongside Shapeshifters around about last Christmas. We thought you might like to know that.
If you want Sel to be taking your photo, then all you have to do is ask...