UKF presents Sub Focus at Motion review

Image credit: Here & Now

The night before a bank holiday Sunday can often be a quiet one. Droves of UK inhabitants opt for an early night in view of the proceeding day’s carnage. But a place like Motion is never quiet, especially where UKF are concerned. 

Motion is positioned in central Bristol amongst a number of car dealerships and warehouses. By day it operates as a skating centre. By night it operates as a warehouse nightclub. It caters largely for the techno and drum and bass crowds. As does much of Bristol, which is basically the epicentre of bass in the UK.

One of the most essential parts of enjoying a DJ is seeing them enjoy their set too, something which was more than prevalent at the UKF showcase. Sure, they don't need to strut like Freddy Mercury, and most DJs don't use a mic, but you can just tell when they're enjoying themselves. Sh?m was in good spirits and laid down the mood for the good vibes with a mixture of grime, dub, and straight up bass - all full of attitude. 

Sub Focus was the night’s headliner and brought a selection of up-tempo drum and bass, alongside a collection of his own hits. The blonde-haired maestro was backed up by the blaring tones of his MC, who was full of beans on the mic, ordering the crowd to dance. They happily obliged. His pop-pleasing beats were melodic and he even used a rougher edge at times, much to my enjoyment.

If you're not a DnB head you might think a UKF night would get repetitive. Much the opposite. All the acts brought their own noise. Each subtly different with their own sense of attitude and delivery. Like 1991, who looked every part the geek. His setup was simple and consisted of just himself and the decks. But his beats were rapid and contorted, bringing eagerness to the show and tipping the arena to melting point.

Similarly, Culture Shock was on another part of the bass spectrum, with his set teetering into dubbier territory, whilst still indulging the crowd with his own tracks including the instantly recognisable 'Tangents' (above).

Bass nights are ten to the dozen at the moment, but that's not meant as a phrase to undervalue them. You can't turn the corner without seeing another neon poster advertising a world-class line up, bringing the finest beats around. Keep em coming.

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