Who. What. Where? No. 87
First up, it’s Homobloc. We’ve banged on about Homobloc before, but we’re going to do it again. Held at Manchester’s most iconic venue (Depot Mayfield), Homobloc promises to be an odyssey of Queer-centric DJs and artists — the kind of thing you need to grab a ticket for to beat those winter blues. Headlining the day-to-night part is none other than Rahim Redcar (formerly Christine and the Queens), though they’ll also be DJ sets from Confidence Man, Shygirl, HAAi and… Bimini? It’ll be the fifth edition of Homobloc, and it’s going to be goodie… Just bloody go.
Next, we’re actually leaving the comfort of the UK. There’s a good reason for that, though: Polaris Festival. Located in postcard-ready Verbier, Polaris prides itself on hosting the crème de la crème of house music up in the mountains. You’ll be skiing and snowboarding (and doing a spot of tobogganing, perhaps) while soaking up tunes from Moodymann, Laurent Garnier and Modesta, to name just a few. Polaris takes place over two weekends in late November, and you can still grab a ticket for either here. We don’t know about you, but we have absolutely no experience hurtling down a mountain on two thin planks of wood… Little trip to your local dry slope?
Something a little different now. Not an event, but an exciting music announcement of sorts: legendary DJ Kevin Saunderson is unveiling a new era of his seminal techno alias e-Dancer… With his son! e-Dancer has, of course, been on the scene since back in 1998. It was then that Kevin released his alias’ debut album Heavenly, which was a kind of electronic ode to the sociopolitical climate of Detroit. Twenty years down the line, e-Dancer is joining forces with his very own flesh and blood, the fruits of their collaboration taking the form of debut single “Melodica”, which releases today. In essence? Detroit techno for a new generation of club kids. Take a listen here.
Next up, it’s over to 180 Studios, where The Vinyl Factory present their exhibition REVERB. Showcasing The Vinyl Factory’s collabs with Virgil Abloh, Thom Yorke and Mica Levi (and way, way more) there’s audio-visual installations and sonic experiences a’plenty. Standouts include the Hi-Fi Listening Room Dream No.1, created by and programmed with New York artist Devon Turnbull to provide a meditative space for listening to previously unheard music, and Amplified, an installation by Theaster Gates. To be honest, it’s one of those things where you’ve just got to go and see the vibe yourself. Grab a ticket here.
Last but not least, if you’re still on the lookout for Halloween plans, we’ve got you sorted. Mall Grab is bringing his label Looking For Trouble to Bristol’s The Underground for a spooky extravaganza featuring artists like Salute, Giulia Tess and Tañ. There’ll be a little something for everyone – from techno to feel-good house – and tickets are on final release. Act quick!
