Last but not least in this year's Swingamajig preview are the mighty Chicken Brothers - pioneers of the scene in Liverpool and festival fields around the land, scratch maestros and all-round good eggs. One member of the flock has just flown back in from Oz, setting a new world record for 'Longest Flight by a Chicken' in the process, so the answers are a little brief, but entertaining and informative none-the-less.
Jack: You’ve played a few Swingamajigs now – can you share your best memory of the festival, if you can remember any of them?
Our favourite memory would have to be at the first ever Swingamajig — playing the closing set with an audience made up of loads of UK producers, DJs and performers all getting down and interacting. A particular highlight of that set was when Odjbox approached us to request some Odjbox... He also went on to say that we were top of the list of people to play the electro swing office Christmas party, being "the dj's DJ..."
Jack: The Chicken Brothers have a habit of popping up during other people’s sets – have you got any guest appearances planned?
Not due to do any cameos at Swingamajig this year as we will be working all day helping to run the event in different areas. But we will be on hand to play the opening set at the after party, and as a reverse cameo we have our newest member Mike coming down on rooster duties [I think that means MC duties. Ed.].
Jack: You have a hand in loads of events and festival stages and so on. What is it that sets Swingamajig apart from other festivals?
Swingamajig is special to us because we have been involved in it from the beginning, and now help to run various areas of the production as well as perform. It's filled to the brim with our favourite acts, producers and DJs. Plus the crowd are next level awesome! It's a solid date in the diary every year.
If you've got your ticket yet, I think there's still a few left, but don't delay. There's so much more to do in addition to the music. I've been asked to take part in some sort of table-football event, so watch out for that; there's dance classes, something called the Bacon Cheeseburger Piewhich sounds life-changing (or perhaps life-ending), and performances from the likes of Oh My God It's The Church, magicians and all sorts of scantily clad ladies. The festival's tagline is 'A show like no other'. They're not wrong. It is, as Odjbox said, the vintage remix world's office party, so there'll be some tired legs and sore heads come Monday morning.
Next up in the Swingamajig preview series is Mike aka Dutty Moonshine. Mike is not only a pioneer of the vintage remix sound, but he's also one of the most energetic and innovative people in the scene, always pushing boundaries. He's got a reputation as a shit-stirrer and a party-starter, is wanted for crimes against electro-swing, nature and common decency. Approach with caution.
Jack: How important a role has Swingamajig played in bringing new vintage remix acts to the world?
Dutty Moonshine: The vintage remix worlds owes a lot to two places, the Mayfair field of Boomtown and the big, bad and heavy Swingamajig.
Swingamajig is one of those places that when you get asked to play it is a nod of recognition. The guys running it have such a finger on the pulse and they're providing such an amazing platform for some of these artists - to play in front of 4000 fans of the scene - that all the acts should be turning up with chocolates and flowers for the production team.
When Swingamajig says you're good the world listens.
It's also a who's who of the scene, so many people in the crowd run events or are acts that may have played previous years or the near future, bring your A game or don't bother coming.
Jack: Youve played at Swingamajig a few times, but i gather this time its not a swing set... what can people expect? Dutty Moonshine: They can be expecting what I'm good at, mash up DJ-ing! It was mash up DJ-ing that got my early contacts which helped me launch Dutty Moonshine; it was mash up DJ-ing that gave me the idea of fusing big dutty basslines with swing music and it is mash up that will forever push me forwards to work out what you can and can't do.
I'm going to be rocking a big-ass-multi-genre party set and I'm bringing backup in the shape of DJ Binge. He's the DJ in the big band on stage and he's the DJ that inspired me hugely back in the day with his style.
Tom (of Electric Swing Circus and Ragtime Records) specifically asked me do a party-style set because while Swingamajig is a vintage remix festival it's also so much more. Hence seeing acts like Document One and Freestylers on the bill. Tom knows this is what I'm best at and he's asked me to unleash the fucking mayhem!
He also knows Dutty Moonshine is one of the few acts that can follow the Correspondents when it comes to high octane energy music. I hope you're getting your cardio in now, you thought my vintage remix sets were good wait until you hear this set!
We're going to be slaying party and bass tunes on 4 decks like there's no tomorrow. Jack: Describe Swingamajig in three words. Dutty Moonshine: Decadent Dastardly Mayhem
Next up, find out what the motherclucking Chicken Brothers have to say...
When I was asked if I wanted to cover Swingamajig again this year there was only one sensible answer. A big fat, hairy yes.
There'll be the usual JtC review appearing at some point after the event, [watch out for the traditional 'I don't remember what happened after this...' line] but by way of a preview I've been in touch with some of the people playing at this year's festival to ask them what makes it such a special event.
Speaking for myself, I love any event where a huge chunk of the vintage remix family are together in one place; I feel sure that having all these amazing artists together in the same place has provided the catalyst for some cool collabs and innovative projects. The crowd at Swingamajig are always a super-friendly, stylish and hard-partying lot, the importance of which cannot be overstated. But what really makes the event special, for me, is the time, care and attention that the Ragtime Records and ESC put into it all - they love this scene, they love this sound, and that really shines through.
First up, I spoke to Jo, aka Madame Electrifie, who played at the first ever Swingamajig way back in 2013.
Jack: What was the best performance that you’ve seen at Swingamajig over the years?
Madame Electrifie: There are too many to try and remember, it’s been great to see electric swing circus grow and develop into the amazing live act they are now over the years. And Smokey Joe and the Kid are a definite contender, I’m really looking forward to seeing them again this year.
Jack: How has the festival evolved and grown over the years? What have been some of the changes that you’ve liked most?
It’s quite crazy how long it’s been running, I just had to check back and see that the first one was 2013 which is mad. I remember the first year was like a huge meeting point for all these artists that I was aware of musically but had never seen in person, I made so many long-term friends from that event, people I’ve since had the privilege of playing alongside many times. I was unable to make it last year so I am really interested to see how much it has grown since my last visit.
I like the fact that although Vintage Remix and Electro-swing are still at the heart of the event, the festival has grown and adapted as the scene has. There are some people who have been involved in the scene right from the start, so of course their sound and influences have developed over that time, which is great as it would be a bit repetitive otherwise. The festival has developed to accommodate that development whilst still offering a good slice of vintage action for the new comer. Bringing in acts from the Ghetto Funk and Breakbeat world really helps add another dimension to the programming, which is important to add some variation to the event and keep in interesting.
Jack: What has been your own personal favourite set (i.e. that you played), and what do you think you’ll be spinning this time around?
My first ever swingamajig set was so much fun, way back when! Although I couldn’t see over the decks if I remember, which happens far too often!
This year I’m playing before The Freestylers (WAAAAA!), one of my favourite acts of all time, so I’ll be visiting some old-skool breaks influences and splicing these with my all-time favourite floor filling electro swing tracks that have rocked previous years at Swingamagic – it’s one place you know the audience will want to hear them, so it’s going to be a bit nostalgic, but in a good way, and you know, banging too!
Next I spoke to one of the UK's most up-and-coming electro-swing DJs, Emma Clair
Jack: This is your first year performing at Swingamajig – have you been as a guest before?
I’ve never been to Swingamajig, as I have always been tied up with DJ gigs! So the fact it’s my first time performing and my first time experiencing the wonders of the festival itself, is unbelievably exciting!
I’m honoured to be playing the closing set on the Vintage Terrace with my partner in crime, Andy McBain who will be bringing an element of live performance to our set with his amazing clarinet skills! (shameless plug haha)
Jack: Who are you most excited about seeing perform?
Argh.. there are so many amazing acts on the lineup, it’s hard to single anyone out! But, for me, it has to be Elle & The Pocket Belles! I’m in love with their song “Swinging Together”, and I still regularly play it in my DJ sets.
I’m also really excited about seeing Sam & The Womp – they definitely bring the ‘fun’ element to Electro Swing, which is something I always try to push too!
Also The Electric Swing Circus (honest – Tom didn’t ask me to say this, it’s actually true) – They absolutely blew me away when I booked them to play at Prohibition earlier this year, so I can’t wait to see them in action again!
Jack: What about the sideshows and other entertainment – what tickles your fancy there?
Ooh again, this is really tough, there is so much going on!!!
I’ve heard good things about Vicky Butterfly, so I am looking forward to seeing her do her Burlesque thing.
The Swing Era Dance workshops are definitely on my list of things to check out!! I’m hoping to pick up some moves to bust out on the dancefloor… that’s the plan anyway…
And finally.. I will be paying the food court a visit! I’m hoping for some vintage treats to satisfy my extremely sweet tooth!
Watch this space for Part 2. dropping later this week, and featuring the Chicken Brothers and Dutty Moonshine!
Jack went to the South London Soul Train to catch the Dutty Moonshine Big Band live in concert
It Is a pretty cool time in the UK vintage remix scene right now. With the release of the new Captain Flatcap album just over a week ago, any concern that the scene might be turning in on itself that I may have had started to dissipate. Add to that the imminent prospect of new music from Electric Swing Circus and reports from the festival scene that Jenova Collective are going from strength to strength, plus the arrival on the scene of Tuxedo Junction, and things are starting to look really interesting.
If ever there was an act that I felt could potentially develop a following outside the vintage remix scene it is the Dutty Moonshine Big Band. Having played sets on some pretty massive festival stages (Glastonbury’s Shangri-La and Boomtown’s Town Centre), they have had the sort of exposure that they’d need. But perhaps more importantly their music is varied enough to create an hour-long set that feels at one and the same time part of a unified concept but with enough variety that it doesn’t get repetitive.
I had the chance to put this theory to the test this weekend past as I headed along to the South London Soul Train at the CLF Art Café in Peckham. As you might guess from the night’s name, this ain’t no vintage remix night. Now, Dutty Moonshine might not be the easiest thing to come to terms with if you’re not familiar with them, so I was interested to find out what the crowd would make of them.
As I often do when I’m attending a gig for journalism reasons, I went by myself. This is a great way to ensure that a) I don’t get too hammered, meaning I don’t have to make up half of the review, and b) it forces me to talk to other people at the gig, which helps to get an impression of what people make of it.
I’d been to the Art Café before for a Correspondents gig a few years ago. It really is one of the coolest venues in town. Set over three floors, it is a far cry from the trendy clubs in Shoreditch that often host Vintage Remix nights – no snazzy sofas, no quirky light fittings, no overpriced cocktails. The concept is simple: put a stage and a bar in, and let the people dance. The bare concrete of the stairwells helps to create an underground-y vibe. Furthermore, it is conveniently close to my house, so that’s a big tick.
The next thing to say is that the crowd is undeniably cool and sexy. I lost count of the number of times I had to double-take as some vision of loveliness sashayed past en route to bar or dance floor. The style is very relaxed: unlike many vintage remix nights, I was the only person in the place wearing a trilby, so far as I could tell. What’s more, everyone was super-friendly, being more than happy to chat to me. Of all the people I spoke to, maybe six or seven in total, not one had heard of the Dutties before, and no one was there specifically to see them.
When the band came on stage shortly after midnight they got a warm reception, and if there were any doubters, once they’d played their first couple of numbers the doubts were banished and the dance floor was jumping. There’s no doubt in my mind that if you really want to make a vintage remix night pop you need MCs, and in HypeMan Sage Dutty Moonshine have one of the finest. His delivery and presence on stage are fantastic, as is his appreciation for the original sound. Tracks like ‘Caravan’, ‘Bonklet’ (for which Captain Flatcap stepped out from behind the decks, where he was deputising for Dutty Moonshine’s regular disc-botherer, and gave his flute a tootle) and ‘SuperSharpSwinger’ were definite favourites with the crowd. My personal favourite Dutty track, “Yeah, Yeah” was received with similar enthusiasm. By the end, the chant of ‘one more song’ shook the floorboards, and for an encore the gang delighted the crowd with a Game Of Thrones / Mary Poppins medley that was weirdly heavy and amusing at the same time.
Once the set was over I hung around for a short while. If you’re a vintage remix fan and you’re in London but can’t find a specific vintage remix event, the South London Soul Train is as good an option as anything. It has a certain griminess to it that’s very appealing, and if you like old tunes in modern contexts like I do you’re laughing. It’s a welcoming, fun crowd, the drinks aren’t stupidly expensive, and getting home (at least, if you live where I do) is easy. The atmosphere is similar to one found at a vintage remix night – no aggro, no posing, just people dancing and having fun together. The next Soul Train pulls in on 17th December with a James Brown special… I’ll be there with (Crimbo) bells on.
The Electric Swing Circus have just released their brand new EP ‘Empires’. Max Golfar caught up with head honcho and guitarist for the band, Tom Hyland, about their new release.
MG: Who are ESC and what is it all about?
Tom: We are a six piece live electro swing band, two girls, Vicky and Laura (vocals), myself Tom (guitar), Chandra (drums and keyboard), Rashad (samples, MPC & synths) and Pat (bass & bass synth). I should say as well, Bridge, our sound engineer, there’s seven of us and we all do everything together.
We started off in September 2012, just jamming around a mate's house and we heard electro-swing and we said: "This is amazing, let’s try make something like this."
Pat rocking out
We love electro swing and what we do is we take 1920-50s styles and give it our own twist. We don’t want to be another Caravan Palace, we love them, but we want to push the boundaries and do something different! I do consider Electric Swing Circus to be a rock band.
MG: You guys are just about to have your first release in 3 years, could you tell me what’s it called and how you went about making it and what is it out?
Tom: It’s called the ‘Empires EP’, it is a single with 3 remixes on it. It is out November 23rd. It took about two years to make. This is a real labour of love.
We did our first album back in 2013, and that we recorded in two weeks and we spent a lot of time mixing it and producing it and getting it right. We kinda rushed it and we just had to get a CD out.
This time we took a lot of time over it. We went to the studio and we recorded it, and we listened back and it didn’t have the same sort of energies that it had when we played it live. So we scrapped it and recorded it again. Tried some different things and that didn’t work and so we scrapped it and recorded it again. Scrapped some of it, recorded that again. Eventually we kind of worked out a couple of ways that we can translate when we can use to translate that live energy.
You know that sound you get when the speakers are cranked and everyone is dancing in the room, we wanted to get that onto the record. We’ve been doing a lot of experimentation to try get this record sounding right and I think we got there. Quite excited!
MG: You've also have a music video out for the single. What was the process of filming that like?
Tom: The guys who filmed it are from Rum pictures, mates of mine from school. They are genius filmmakers! They made the First Person Shooter viral video you might have seen. They’ve done loads of really cool stuff and they have also done all of our music videos in the past. It’s great working with them again.
We went down to Plymouth and there is a studio down there they used. We basically hung out for the day, shot a load of footage and they edited it together. It looks cool! It’s not something we’ve done before. The first set of videos were us performing, and the second one, which was ‘Valentine’, had a storyline to it. This one was done in a studio in front of a green screen and it’s more kaleidoscopic, things appearing, it’s just something a bit different for us! Electric Swing Circus is all about live energy on stage and we tried to get that message through the video.
MG: Aries is very well known in the Jungle scene, how did you manage to get someone like him involved in this project?
Tom: Aries is great, he is Birmingham based and he is very supportive of the Birmingham music scene. I think it is really good for someone who has had a lot of success, does travel the world and do what he does, right from the start he has been really supportive of Ragtime Records and Electric Swing Circus. It was awesome to have him on board for this.
Father Funk is also one of my favourite producers, does amazing stuff. C@ in the H@, my record label partner and one of my favourite favourite DJ’s and producers as well. For me it is amazing to have these guys on this EP. It is who I would want if I could pick it. I think these guys make absolutely amazing remixes and make amazing tracks in their own right as well.
MG: What was your first experience of Electro Swing?
Tom: Deep Henderson by Nick Hollywood. It used to be played all the time, haven’t heard it in a while. It’s an absolutely bangin’ track! Well worked song, wicked samples, goes together really well. Someone shared it on Facebook and I was like “What is this!? How can I get more of this?”. I listened to it on loop for about 10 hours! From there it was through Caravan Palace’s first album, then it went on to stuff like the Electro Swing compilation albums like White Mink.
MG: You had your Swingamajig vinyl release earlier in the year, how was that for you and should we expect more Electro Swing vinyl anytime soon?
We like putting stuff out on vinyl, it’s fun! It sounds better and we spend a lot of time getting it mastered properly and making sure it sounds right. I don’t know when our next piece is going to come out. What we also usually do is put two tracks on a side so that way we can get maximum volume and maximum sound quality. That’s what we care about with the vinyl, it’s not about a whole album or here’s all this stuff, but rather here is a couple tracks which sound really really good! No plans at the moment for a new vinyl, but surely we will at some point, just gotta work that out…
MG: You are one of the creators of Swingamajig. could tell everyone what it is, what it is all about and what can expect from it this year?
Tom: Swingamajig is a four thousand person, one day festival, from the afternoon to the early hours of the morning. It celebrates all things that are vintage inspired, there is a load of music, bands, DJ’s, magic, circus, a proper cabaret stage. It’s multi-venue, but all connected! We have swing dancing workshops, street food, a vintage market. My ideal day out!
I do all the bookings and I book what I would like to see on a day out. It’s an amazing experience to put that on. We’ve got a party and it is really good. All year out, we’re doing festivals and all this other stuff, when we’re not playing we’re always checking out other stuff and other bands and thinking who we can bring to Swingamajig. That side of it is really nice. We’re a bit of a family! This year, it is going to be a really big one!
It’s my dream! I get to organise a party for my mates. What more could you want? Cabaret stuff was a big step forward for us this year. We’re going back to the same space next year, we’re going to tweak a few of the spaces and make them work a bit better.
Tom playing at Swingamajig
There’s this thing about being able to do an event where there's 16-piece Swing bands and Jungle DJ’s, but it kind of all works and there is a flow to it. Some people want to see more of this, and some people want to see more of that but no one only wants to see this or that. They all want to mingle.
There is the broad age range too, a lot of older people doing there thing and it’s really nice for younger people and older people not just being like “Oh, I’m here with a bunch of 20 somethings” or “I’m here with a load of old people” it’s really broad and that is really nice as well.
You also don’t have to be part of the Electro Swing scene or the Vintage scene to enjoy yourself, it’s just for people who want to have fun on a day out! It’s not like some events where people are like ‘this is a 30’s event and you’re wearing a 20’s suit’, it’s not like that, everyone is welcome, everyone can do what they want, let’s just have some fun!
Chris Ingliss, the world's only Vintage Remix academic, went to Swingamajig and loved it.
A note from the editor: I was supposed to post this back in May after Chris ever so kindly offered to write a review. I clearly failed in this, for which I humbly apologise to all of you, and of course, him. Happily, Swingamajig have just released the official video for the 2016 festival, so I can now publish Chris's report and make it look like this was the plan all along.
Swingamajig 2016
At various moments throughout this year’s Swingamajig, the thought crossed my mind of just how difficult it’s going to be for me for me to try and explain the unparalleled brilliance of the festival to someone who hasn’t had the opportunity to attend themselves. This thought was closely followed by the conclusion that this may in fact be an impossible task, and that the event is absolutely one which has to be experienced to be fully understood. That being said, I will here attempt to describe my own personal account of Swingamajig 2016.
Where in past years I’ve attended the festival with a very set idea in mind of which acts I know I want to see, the times that they’re on, and where – this year I decided to take a much more carefree approach and simply explore the festival open-mindedly. One of the reasons I love Swingamajig so much is simply the variety of things that occur simultaneously. For instance, this year I was able to enjoy some relaxed lindy hop social dancing at the Night Owl, and after only a two-minute walk, be able to go wild to the bass-heavy beats of the Black Box. This latter venue was definitely a highlight of the festival for me, particularly because of – after first witnessing the mayhem going on in there – my realisation that it will still only 7pm.
Highlights of this venue included Madame Barducci and Phat Sam, and within the Ragtime Records stage where you’d find the rest of the DJ line-up, I have to give special mention to JFB, Tallulah Goodtimes, and especially Father Funk, whose set I thought was exceptional. Before turning into the Ragtime Records stage, this venue also acted as the Cabaret stage, featuring various performances, including a highly impressive tap dance routine; an amazing straps performance within the circus segment; and some greatly entertaining burlesque acts by the likes of Eliza DeLite and Kitty Bang Bang, all of which added a whole extra dimension to the festival.
Of course – at least for me – the most important element of any festival is the live music, and this year’s Swingamajig certainly didn’t disappoint. The first act I managed to catch the whole set of (following my mandatory face-painting of course) was the Tootsie Rollers. Having not come across these before, I was very keen to see what they were like, and their phenomenal performance set off the entire festival to a brilliant start. I’d in fact go as far to say that they were one of the best acts of the whole show. As the festival went on, the live acts across both the Main stage and the Arch stage continued to impress. Another special mention I’ll give goes out to the After Hours Band – I’ve seen these guys many times now, but upon happening across their set I found I was not physically able to leave, I was enjoying it so much.
SwinGrowers also provided a very entertaining set, as of course did the Electric Swing Circus, the organisers of the entire event, and indeed Balkan Beat Box, the overall headliners of the festival. I’ve been to all four Swingamajigs now and the festival just keeps growing and growing. Swingamajig 2016 was everything I wanted it to be, and I without doubt intend on returning next year; I imagine it will be a very long time before I tire of the electro swing scene. For anyone keen on exploring this style of music, I can’t imagine a better introductory event; as this years festival has shown, Swingamajig encompasses everything that there is to love about the genre.
Greetings, Tom here from the Electric Swing Circus and Swingamajig Festival here with a guest blog for the one and only Jack the Cad.
So it is April 2016 and where has the time gone? This spring has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but very soon we will have produced a 4000 person festival, and released a new album – note to self: next time don’t try and do both at the same time.
For those who don’t know me, my name is Tom Hyland and I’ve been involved in the world of electro swing for about 5 years now. I play guitar and do a lot of the management for the Electric Swing Circus, based in Birmingham.We tour around the UK, Europe and the wider world with our unique style of electro swing. I also run a record label called Ragtime Records with my partner in crime the C@ in the H@, and also produce an urban festival called Swingamajig.
Every year without fail I am told both that: ‘Electro Swing is dying’; and ‘this is the year Electro Swing really takes off into the main stream’. So far neither has happened, and I don’t think they will. The scene has developed over the last 5 years and looks massively different to how it did, but I think that is the beauty of it. Things change and adapt and the music and events that are happening now have come a long way from where they were when the scene first appeared.
With two new projects on their way, a brand new album and a new edition of our festival, what are we doing to the reflect these changes?
First, let’s talk about the album: Our sound is distinctive and doesn’t always conform to the expectations of what electroswing should be and I think that comes from our writing process. We come from a really diverse musical backgrounds and all six of us sit in one room and write together so our diversity shows in the songs. We consider ourselves a vintage remix band in that we fuse things that are old with this that are new, but that can be anything. There is a healthy dose of rock in this album which you can hear a little clip on our Crowdfunder video at (00:52)
Ah yes, you spotted it: we have a Crowdfunder campaign. Of course we do! You can preorder a copy of the album as well as securing treats such as limited edition vinyl and festival tickets. Take a look at the link and check it out.
We will be releasing one of the album tracks to coincide with Swingamajig, our one day festival of vintage mayhem and delight, on May 1st in Birmingham. (You should come – it’s honestly the most fun you can have on a bank holiday!) You can find out more here, and read Jack's report from last year here.
There will also be remixes from some fantastic producers: C@ in the H@, Aries, and Father Funk. You can hear a preview of two of the tracks below.
The recording process has been really interesting, we have worked in two studios, one in Wales and the other in Devon. It’s taken us quite a while to get it right;the first three sessions we just re-recorded everything each time, getting it closer but not quite there, however now we’ve settled into a rhythm and are making some great music. It’s been really good to experiment with recording, what works what doesn’t, how to integrate electronics, where they should and shouldn’t be. With a recorded track you can hone in on each part and really get into the details and it has been a lot of fun to explore. One thing that we have worked on is to make sure that we still sound like a live band, a live band that makes you want to dance. Getting the energy and emotion into the music is really important to us and I think we have made it work...
And what’s next? The festival of course. Swingamajig – a show like no other
I’ve always wanted to run a festival; I love the idea of sculpting an event into the ultimate day. Maybe it’s part of human nature: we all think we know how to run a pub, we all think we know how to throw a party. The thing is, I really do know how to throw a party!
After the success of our monthly nights at the Hare and Hounds we were inspired to create something bigger. I wanted to immerse the crowds in the magical feeling that I enjoyed when I first discovered electroswing. I wanted people to feel transported from their normal lives into an exciting and exhilarating environment where the music was just one part of the wonder. The dancing, the outfits, the entertainers and the music all combine to provide that perfect feeling.
No doubt it is a lot of work, but the end product is so joyful and spectacular that even the headache of programming doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm.
The opportunity to work with the team from Shambala festival was too good to pass up and we were honoured to be invited to run our Speakeasy Stage at their yearly weekender. They have also contributed to our work at Swingamajig since 2014 and having their knowledge, experience and dedication to good vibe parties alongside us is invaluable.
So what’s new this year? This might surprise you: there’s not so much electro swing.
Don’t get me wrong, we have some of the best live acts and DJs in the genre playing ( I’m particularly excited about seeing Swingrowers and JFB perform live), but this year there is so much more going on.
Our vintage content is really strong with top swing and rockabilly bands; we have a load of gypsy punk and Balkan folk with bands like Balkan beat Box and the Destroyers; while, on the electronic side of things, there is everything from dubstep (Stenchman) through to Jungle (Aries), and everything in between.
And of course, as always, the music is just one element of the event. There is a cabaret with internationally renowned performers (including ex cirq de soleil), there’s street food, there’s art installations, there’s games and the list goes on. For me this is really important: the whole event is vintage inspired but really broad, whether you are 18 or 80, there’s stuff you will love all day and all night.
Without question, the attendees provide another vital element – I’ve rarely known a crowd so enthusiastic or so very well dressed as an electroswing crowd!
We start the show at 14:00 with a 16 piece big band and it all kicks off from there with workshops and cabaret during the day and DJs by night, finishing up around 06:00! Check out the full line up here.
Tickets are available from our website for just £25 (which is an absolute bargain!) http://swingamajig.co.uk/
Well I hope you like the music and we’ll hopefully see you in May. If not, the ESC are going to be hitting the festivals in style this summer so we will show you some of the new material soon.
Traditionally there are a number of things which herald the arrival of summer. For some it is the arrival of the first swallow, for others its when the hawthorn bushes come into flower. For me there are two indicators that summer, if not yet here, is at least hastening towards us. These are my first cricket match of the year, and the imminent arrival of the UK's (the world's?) only festival dedicated to the electro-swing sound. The former of these took place yesterday (we lost, I still ache), and the latter is now just two weeks away.
In fact, this time in a fortnight I will be on a train returning to London from Birmingham, and if last year's shenanigans are anything to go by, I will be leaving a small pool of dribble on the train's table.
For those of you who haven't heard of Swingamajig, it is, in its own words, "a utopian future where scintillating circus performers meet under night club lasers [...] where the streets are alive with frivolitiesm, festivities and music day and night and where jazz and swing fuse with thundering synths and everyone parties like its 1929." Utopia, indeed.
Less cryptically, and more informatively, Swingamajig is a one-day urban festival in Birmingham dedicated to the electro-swing, gypsy folk and vintage remix sounds. For a taste of what to expect, here's a faintly amateurish video that I made at last year's event.
Building on the success of last year, the festival has expanded quite significantly for 2015. This year we will see six stages of live bands, DJs cabaret performances, circus skills, magic, and all sorts of other nonsense. The gates open at 2pm on Sunday 3 May and close again some 16 hours later at 6am the following morning.
As always at Swingamajig, the cream of the vintage remix and electro-swing worlds will be performing. What more would you expect from a festival organised by the Electric Swing Circus and Ragtime Records? I won't list the whole line up here, but acts definitely not to be missed are French trip-hoppers Chinese Man, the crew behind some of my absolute favourite tunes including this absolute head spinner.
It is to my shame that I have missed Chinese Man every time they have performed in London over the last few years, so I intend to be front and centre this time.
Another act at this year's Swingamajig that come highly recommended are Smokey Joe and the Kid. It would be fair to say that these guys are the electro-swing DJ/producer's act of choice - so many people in the scene cite them as their favourites that again, I find myself asking why I have not yet seen a live performance. Rumour has it that they spend 60+ hours per week in the studio, so it is hardly surprising that they have such popularity. Their sound combines so many styles and flavours that its hard to pin them down to one style, but almost everything they do has a sweet vintage tinge to it and their music is eminently danceable.
Of the live acts, I would also recommend that you catch Jenova Collective, who I saw for the first time a month or so ago - they really killed it in front of a really mixed crowd and are sure to get you moving with their dubby take on Vintage Remix. I'm also sickeningly excited about the Dutty Moonshine big band, which promises to be loosely controlled musical mayhem.
This year one change to the festival is the upgrade of the Ragtime Records stage to the Ragtime Records Warehouse. Anyone who has (literally) bumped into me at a gig knows that my dancing is... expansive, so the implied extra space in this name sounds like a good thing. There's going to be plenty to get me dancing too, with names like Ed Solo (who made the windows shake recently at the Boomtown warm-up event), Don Johnston (ft Leo Wood) - who are behind one of my utter favourite reworks of a classic jazz-age tune - see the video below - the lovely Tallulah Goodtimes, the legend that is Chris Tofu, Mista Trick, Mr Switch (World DMC Champ) and C@ in the H@.
I for one am shivery with excitement - if you've got your tickets I hope that this has helped to get those juices flowing, and if you haven't get over to the Swingamajig website before its too late!
See you in Birmingham!
I have just been having a bit of a digital clear-out, sifting through all those files which seem to be clogging up my difference engine (it is practically steam-driven and makes very worrying noises when starting up) and have just come across this video which I made of my time at Swingamajig. I must have made the video and then forgotten to post it. Better late than never, I present it to you now.
In case you are not in the know, Swingamajig is one of the only festivals in the world dedicated to the Vintage Remix sound. Organised by Ragtime Records and the Electric Swing Circus, the Birmingham-based one-day festival has completed its second year and goes from strength to strength.
The line-up featured some of the biggest names in the scene, plus a wide variety of side-shows, swing dance classes and demonstrations, and although my memories are a little hazy, I had a thoroughly excellent time. It was all a bit of a marathon, as I had traveled up from London on the Saturday morning, partied all afternoon and evening, right through to dawn before catching the first train back to London. If you are reading this Mr. Branson, I apologise for dribbling on your train's seats.
As you may know, I am a big fan of the Electric Swing Circus. This is even more the case since I caught them live for the first time at Boomtown this summer. Not only did they blow the roof off the Ballroom tent (which was both packed and bouncing), but they are a really nice bunch. I spent much of the rest of the evening chatting with Chandra, the pianist and drummer, and exploring the rest of the festival.
Tom from the band contacted me recently to let me know about a remix competition they have launched. These competitions are always full of interest, and it is fascinating to see what happens when different producers and DJs get their hands on other peoples' music. The track they have put up for remixes is called 'Bella Belle' - the video is below - it is a bit of a stomper, so this could be a fun competition. The winner will be selected by the band and released on Ragtime Records with the next ESC EP, so it is well worth having a crack.
Do you have enough electro-swing in your life? I didn't think so. Isn't it a good thing that I am here with a big bottle of the latest tunes to keep your musical glass brim full with bubbly, banging beats. This week sees the worlds' first ever electro-swing festival take place in Birmingham. In honour of that fact, this week's selection is from acts and artists performing there. Tickets are still available, so have a look at their website for more info. Old The Correspondents - What's Happened to Soho
With the Correspondents headlining the whole beano, where else can I begin but with the astonishing Mr. Bruce and Mr. Chuckles. This is the video to their 2011 single 'What's Happened to Soho', which quickly became something of an anthem. If you don't know it, watch the video, learn the words and expect to shout them back at Mr. Bruce as he thrashes his way about the stage.
Old
DJ Switch - High Definition episode
Anthony Culverwell aka DJ Switch aka Tony 'Three Times' has taken turntablism to another level. He has won the world DMC championship, you guessed it, three times. He was the first DJ to play at the BBC proms, performing in Gabriel Prokofiev's 'Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra'. This is a video I have posted before, in which he cuts, chops and generally plays around with a classic from Mr. Scruff.
Old Dutty Moonshine feat. Charlie D As far as I am concerned these Dutty Moonshine are the embodiment of the electroswing ethos - they have a genuine love of big, dirty electro which they blend with great samples and proper understanding of what makes a great set. That may be why they are headlining at Swingamajig. They have so much energy behind the decks. Made last summer, this track features MC Charlie D. Not your run of the mill MC, Charlie has recently been performing a show called 'The Stories of Shakey P', which looks at the works of Shakespeare through the medium of rap. He often MCs for Dutty Moonshine when they play out live, so fingers crossed you will get to hear him live. He also has a dashed excellent jacket.
New C@ in the H@ - Sneakin' About The cat with the big bass sound is back with this aptly titled track which features on the new 'Speakeasy Electro Swing' compilation. This track makes use of a sample that will be familiar to anyone who has listened to White Mink albums, with a healthy dose of wub. Wub wib wob. Ahem. Have a listen and you will understand.
Old Electric Swing Circus - Everybody Wants to be a Cat Electro-swing owes a great deal to Disney for some great jazz-age tracks that everyone knows. Electro-swing also owes a great deal to the boys and girls from the ESC as they are the masterminds of Swingamajig. The brains behind the festival have also got a new album ready, which they will be presenting to the public this weekend, which is one of the most exciting things I can think of at the moment.
That's it, that's your lot. Bugger off now, there's a good chap/lassie - I have some important Gin and Tonics to drink in the sunshine. I won't be at Swingamajig, so if you are going and fancy penning a review for me, please get in touch!
