The Shango Band is a D.C. area reggae group that sings about real life and current world issues with a likeable mix of smooth, lovers-edged tunes and harder, more "true" roots tunes. With all-encompassing sound, strong instrumentation and quality songwriting, the Shango Band has been performing since the late 1980's and won the award for Best Reggae Band in the 2001 D.C. Annual Reggae Music Awards. The band's bass-player, lead singer, songwriter and producer, Englishman, spent a number of years in England as a youth. He has performed with many reggae bands there and around the U.S. for about 30 years. Englishman received WAMMIE awards in 1989 for Best Male Vocalist, in 1990 for Best Instrumentalist, three in 1991 and two more in 1992. He has been a Master Artist in the D.C. Folks Arts Program for the Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Other members of the Shango Band also have performed with reggae bands throughout Europe and the U.S. They include Eric (Spiduki) McDermott (drummer/singer) and Jackson (Professor) Briscoe, a graduate of Howard University and MIT, where he studied mathematics and classical music. The Shango Band performs at many university night clubs and international events in Europe and the U.S. Their live performance keeps the audience feeling upbeat, irie and positive! Englishman and the Shango Band recorded their latest CD, Got to Know Your Purpose, in Iceland, while completing their European tour.



Southampton, the city that has produced such a rich variety of electronic artists such as James Zabiela, Tom Budden, Ridney, James Talk amongst others who have made such massive impacts in so many varied ways as well as helping establish a foothold for other local artists from this colourful little city, now something else stirs in the mirky waters.

Friction Machine are an electronica band who specialise in producing a wide range of electronic music ranging from ambient to dubstep which they describe as 'Widescreen Electronica' which they use to full effect with their rich and colourful live shows.
The main members of the band a Nathan Taylor &amp; James Wesley who have both been writing music of their own for a number of years before joining forces in late 2009 to start writing their first sampler 'FM/EP' which was later signed to Ridney's Roo2 imprint in mid 2010. Shortly after they began to write and compile their first album 'Left of the Moon' along with doing various remixes and side projects along the way.

Since then they have gone from strength to strength performing at a wide and varied range of events in southampton as well as overseeing engineering duties for many of their peers due to their flexible and unique style of producing. In mid 2010 they began to write their second full length album 'Soul of a New Machine' which was subsequently signed to James Talk (defected/get physical) &amp; Ridney (defected/ministry of sound) Extra Dry imprint with their 4 track sampler being released early this year with 'Soul of a New Machine' now on general release.
Support from leading artists and DJ's who have experienced their productions or mixes has helped galvanise Friction Machine's following and requests for shows/gigs. Now teamed with new members Arvid Miller, Ollie Walsh and vocalist Michelle Drew coupled with their work with another southampton local DJ Jody Hannan (turnmills/space miami) the future looks to be a very promising for them and with many promising releases and projects in the pipeline who knows where this dynamic and likeable act will go.

Since 2009 Amateur Assassins have been clearing rooms of backstreet pubs with style, grace and poise. It was after these last few turbulent years we had the epiphany of writing music people wanted to listen to, but it didn’t work out. We didn’t have a likeable bone between us and we descended into a depression of number two singles and mediocre television appearances. We had to elevate our sound out of the world of pop sluttery using these dark days as our inspiration and a constant reminder we are spiders and we belong underground with the spider folk.

Luca Vanelli was born in 1982 in Vicenza near Venice, Italy. His passion for music started early when he would play with his father’s turntables every day and make mixed tapes with a cassette player. He taught himself how to DJ at home as a teenager and was soon DJing in local bars and clubs. By 2005, Luca was producing house music and releasing his first tracks with Purple Music, Rule5, Mind the Gap, Karmic Power Records and Sensorama Records. Over the next few years, Luca honed his skills as a DJ playing increasingly large venues all over northern Italy. He founded ‘Damn! It’s Funk’ in 2012 with friend Daniele ‘Sexxx’ Sesso, a collaboration bringing together jazz, funk and house music. Luca moved to London in 2013 to start a new career and continued DJing sporadically over the next few years. By 2018, he had built a new home studio and started producing house music again. Currently Luca is working with Castaman, Mario Percali (Black machine - How Gee), together they are working with these following record labels: ‘In it together’, ‘Vamos Music’, ‘Kokolores Records’, ’Karmic Power Records’, ‘Marin Music’, ‘Juicy Music’.

London’s new alternative band Princip, play energetic tunes with an edge and a different spin. Their catchy, interesting, melodic tunes are sounding refreshingly vibrant. 

Formed in 2009, Princip have already played a large number of vigorous, well attended shows at eminent venues across London and the UK, and have in a short time gained significant fan following and press attention. In February 2011, Princip have released "Fight Win Run Lose EP", featuring 5 of the band's tracks, and they will be playing a number of shows across the UK in 2011. 

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“Strutting Rock’n’Roll Brawn” – NME

“Infectious, instantly likeable music” – Live Listings Magazine

“Their modern type of rock’n’roll and catchy songs, compels the crowd to move along passionately with their music” – Amy Dessoky, Music Maker Magazine

“Sexy Rock’n’Roll groove for the 21st Century” – PopBoks Magazine
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The Rah's are the ultimate alternative rock sensation. With a punch up of hard hitting, infectious rock grooves and anthemic melodies, their larger than life sound is sure to have an impact on any audience.

After great success from their self/crowd funded debut album When Does It Become Real? The Rah’s have been working towards album number 2, set to be released early 2024, followed by a mass tour of the UK taking their new unique sound up and down the country.

Having already supported some huge artists, at the iconic Barrowlands and O2 Academy Leeds, playing Isle of Wight and YNot Festival, and selling out back to back headline UK tours, The Rah’s are gaining a big profile fast.

Stand up comedian, writer and entertainer

what they are saying:
“hugely likeable and assured young comic, one of the brightest new talents around” – Timeout

“Fucking brilliant” – Nina Wadia

“You’re pretty funny for an Asian” – Random audience member

“His fast-paced style and use of audio and visual effects marks him out as a star of the future” – Eastern Eye

“His hilarious, unique and shocking style of comedy hits the mark for the new generAsian” – AsianD8events

“Hyde is nothing short from brilliant. His set comprises a number of every day situations, funny dialogues and excellent heckling rebuttles” – Pras Geng, Inside Desi

“Hyde has a natural talent for stand-up. I saw him on his 8th ever gig and it seemed like it was his 80th. Look out for this quickly upcoming Asian comedian!” – Papa CJ Comedian

Joe Pernice talking about James Walbourne

Never buy a used car. Whoever wrote that bit of advice was of a different time, a bygone era when money was cheap and it was assumed that regular people (that is, people who don't make records for a living) had enough of it to buy new.

When I was given a six-year-old Ford Taurus (I think it was in 1998), I couldn't believe my good fortune. When the transmission crapped out two months later, I made what at the time seemed like two good decisions: 1. I paid the $1,100 to replace the tranny. 2. I accepted an invitation to join an ill-conceived, sort of musical revue; an eleven date club tour of Holland. I figured I could use the dough to pay off the credit card used in good decision number-one. I was to do a solo acoustic set. There were three other acts on the bill. How bad could it be?

Well, it was a fucking nightmare on a number of levels. Here's the short form: Thirteen relative strangers in a shitty fume-filled splitter van with no AC in June; a maniacal tour manager who chain rolled/smoked "enhanced" cigarettes while driving; pipe-clogging, digestion-halting Dutch food (ham, cheese, fries with mayo); thirteen people crashing on damp, itchy Dutch couches in strange Dutch houses... and how can I put this delicately? You put thirteen musicians together in this kind of situation and someone could quite possibly end up strangled in their sleep.

We all spent the first two days "in country" exhausted, drinking, doing interviews, some radio sessions and too much "I think it's a good idea" handshaking with "influential Dutch club promoters." Honestly, during those first days, the only thing (besides personal financial debt) that kept me from telling the tour's ringleader to jam his tour up his ass was meeting James Walbourne (and Peter Bruntnell, with whom James was playing.)

The three of us hit it off instantly. James was 18 years old, and a really good kid, instantly likeable and sage beyond his years. Bruntnell and I are both at least a decade older than James, and like older brothers, we good-naturedly broke his balls to no end about little more than his limited sexual experience and the lack of prowess that comes with inexperience.

And then I saw James play. I was wholly unprepared. It was the first gig of The Bad Idea Revue. I thought they were going to blow. When you see two guys on stage with acoustic guitars, you say to yourself, "Please, God, make it go by quickly. And another thing, God, if you can, would you minimize the damage?" That's the kind of asshole you can become when you find yourself on a tour such as I was.

May I be struck dead right here in this Toronto coffee shop if I did not say to myself that night in Amsterdam that I was watching a true genius in James Walbourne. Not some soon-to-be-forgotten adolescent media creation "raised on the blues." Not some bullshit wankologist with a guitar shop perm who bores you to tears with cliched trips up and down the scales. Not even someone who was very, very good. This was a fully developed artist with other worldly ability. And he could sing like a motherfucker. And he was only 18. Guys his age were not in Holland playing shitty "character-building" gigs. Guys his age were home rubbing one out to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

That was 1998. He has been a great friend and collaborator since. And he has been touring the world and recording with other acts since. Check out this partial resume:

- James records and tours with Pete Bruntnell 1998 - 2003
- joins the Pernice Brothers from 2003 - present day
- played with Jay Farrar in 2004
- tours with Son Volt from 2005 - present day
- toured with the Pogues in 2007 and 2008
- tours and records with the Pretenders 2008 - present day
- not to mention recording sessions and shows with Jerry Lee Lewis, Shane MacGowan, Linda Thompson, Death In Vegas, Saint Etienne, Bap Kennedy and Edwyn Collins amongst others

Now, finally, after being the sideman to artists smart enough to recognize his formidable talent, James Walbourne is standing tall before a great album of his own. It's called The Hill, named after Muswell Hill where he has always (and probably always will live.)

Since I am so good at dishing out advice (see PART I, Sentence I), here's a bit more with regards to The Hill.

1. Don't listen to The Hill if you prefer studio trickery to soulful and ridiculously talented people playing instruments with ass-kicking authority. I've told you how great James Walbourne is, but check out the rest of the lineup - Jim Keltner on drums, Ivan Neville on keyboards, Danny Williams (Black Grape) on bass James Fernally (The Pogues) on accordian and brother Rob Walbourne on second guitar. If you don't recognize some these historically significant players, well, I don't know what to tell you other than you have some serious makeup studying to do, son.

2. Don't listen to The Hill if you prefer some embarrassing lightweight fugazi wearing a self-absorbed-johnny-come-lately-poet costume to the real deal. James Walbourne is not too bored to tune his guitar, thank you very much. James Walbourne is not too polite to refrain from knocking you on your ass with his playing and singing. James Walbourne can talk (and play) the most obscure delta blues one minute and Orange Juice or Pussy Galore or The Replacements or Roger Miller the next. James Walbourne can bang out requests for Django Reinhardt b-sides all night. James Walbourne will go toe-to toe with anyone (and win) when it comes to Sondheim or Porter Wagner or just about anyone. James Walbourne's knowledge and understanding of music is so deep for someone of any age, it is, to put it simply, stupid.

3. Don't listen to The Hill if you prefer a bird's nest of disjointed and pointless song fragments to songs (and don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.) The man can pen a tune. When I first heard the songs on The Hill, I was reminded of Tommy Stinson's album Friday Night is Killing Me. Not because the songs are similar, but because with both albums, "someone else's player" steps out and pulls it off handily. (And no offense to Tommy Stinson, but he has never played an instrument the way James Walbourne does.)

Look, I could go on, but let me end by saying this: I cannot guarantee you will love The Hill, just as I cannot guarantee you are not a soulless degenerate bankrupt of all cultural currency and the capacity to love. That said... I give you James Walbourne's The Hill.

Sudan Ahmeer Williams (born November 17, 1989) is an American rapper and record producer, better known by his stage name Iamsu! (sometimes stylized IAmSu!). He is also a member of the production team The Invasion and the leader of the hip hop group The HBK Gang. Iamsu! has released various mixtapes in his career including Suzy 6 Speed, Million Dollar Afro with frequent collaborator Problem and the Kilt series. He is also known for featuring on LoveRance's "Up!", E-40's "Function", and Sage the Gemini's "Gas Pedal". He is set to release his debut studio album Sincerely Yours during April 2014.

Iamsu! started rapping under the name Su, but he would change it to Iamsu! due to search engine optimization.[4] He released his first mixtape Su! The Right Thing on July 4, 2010. In late 2011, Iamsu! produced, co-wrote and featured on LoveRance's 2011 hit "Up!" which included rapper 50 Cent on a remix that peaked at number 46 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and reached 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[2][5] He followed that with an appearance on E-40's hit song "Function" along with Problem and YG. The song peaked at number 62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[6] Later in 2012 he would also be featured on Jonn Hart's "Who Booty" and Wiz Khalifa's "Bout Me".[5]
2012-2013: $uzy 6 Speed, Million Dollar Afro and Kilt II[edit]
On October 2, 2012 Iamsu! put his previous mixtapes Kilt, Young California and Su! The Right Thing up for retail sale on iTunes. This would begin a trend where all his new mixtapes would also be released to iTunes.[7][8] On November 12, 2012 Iamsu! released another mixtape $uzy 6 Speed, featuring guest appearances by Juvenile, Problem and Wiz Khalifa. It contained the single "Mobbin'" and received critical acclaim upon release.[9][3][10] On February 13, 2013 Iamsu! and Problem, who he had met for the first time at the "Function" video shoot, released a collaboration mixtape titled Million Dollar Afro.[11] The mixtape would be praised by Tom Breihan of Stereogum and Spin named the mixtape one of the best rap releases of 2013.[12][13] It featured guest appearances by Juvenile, King L, Bad Lucc, Too Short, Omarion, Short Dawg, and Wiz Khalifa among others.[14] Following the release of the mixtape he toured with Problem on the 10-stop "Million Dollar Afro Tour".[11] On March 5, 2013 Spin named Iamsu! the tenth "Hottest MC in the Game".[15]
In May 2013 Iamsu! begun his first headlining tour, in promotion of his then upcoming mixtape Kilt II.[3] On June 6, 2013, Iamsu! released Kilt II as a retail mixtape, for free and to iTunes on July 9, 2013.[16] Production was primarily handled by Iamsu! along with other members of The Invasion.[17] Pitchfork Media gave the mixtape a 7.5 out of 10 rating saying, the mixtape "doubles down on all of his strongest and most likeable qualities: Largely self-produced, high-energy, and creative, it shows Iamsu! continuing to transform from a promising, agreeable Bay Area rap figure into a burgeoning star."[18][4] Spin would also praise the mixtape saying, "As much a showcase of Iamsu!'s production prowess as it is evidence of his unique lyrical skills, the new tape is an enjoyably bumpy ride through treble-y bleeps, bassy bloops, tinny drums, and hard-hustling vocals."[19] Following its release he told HipHopDX he was working with Wiz Khalifa and 2 Chainz on their upcoming albums Blacc Hollywood and B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time. He would make an appearance on the song "Livin" from B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time.[20]
2013-present: Debut album[edit]
Iamsu! was also featured on Sage the Gemini's "Gas Pedal" which peaked at number 29 on the Hot 100, making it both artist's first top 40 entries and their most successful single to date. On August 12, 2013 Iamsu! and his group HBK Gang released a compilation mixtape titled Gang Forever.[21] On December 3, 2013, Iamsu! released "Hipster Girls as the second single from Kilt II.
On January 3, 2014, Iamsu! released a remix to YG's "Who Do You Love" where he hinted at being signed and planning to release his debut album. Then on January 7, 2014, Iamsu! announced that his debut studio album would be titled Sincerely Yours and be released in April 2014. He also confirmed that the first single would feature Sage the Gemini and it would be released soon. In January 28, 2014, he released the album's first single "Only That Real" featuring Sage the Gemini and 2 Chainz.



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