Seattle, WA’s Decibel Festival has been rocking strong for eight years now, delivering an amalgam of sound and vision driven by technology that happens once a year for Seattle’s discerning art and music scene. The 2011 Decibel Festival (Sept. 28 – Oct. 2) bridges the gap between technology and creativity through visual art, workshops, panel discussions and cutting-edge electronic music performances at various venues across the city. The event draws some big names to the rainy city but maintains a cutting-edge lineup of artists who aren’t necessarily the headliners you’d expect but instead some deep choices in performers who bring evolution and new ideas to performance.

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Decibel has always had a hand in left-field art presentation and this year seems to follow suit with an eclectic lineup that includes Green Velvet, Amon Tobin (and his ISAM audio/visual performance), Martyn, Mad Professor, Ital Tek, Bok Bok, Mux Mool, Quantic, Oval, dOP, Ulrich Schnauss, Martin Buttrich, DJ Krush, Mike Huckaby, Tanner Ross, SunTzu Sound and many more. In fact this festival seems to push new music more than other events that use headliners to draw the crowd. Decibel pulls its own crowd of discerning (often bald and be-speckled) art fans who want to catch the latest movements in electronic music and digital art. As such, Dubspot will be attending Decibel 2011 to cover the latest in music movements. We are also bringing the school on the road and will be running a couple workshops on music creation with Professor Nalepa and also a special session with Detroit’s Mike Huckaby (who has been tearing up charts recently with remixes.) These workshops will happen on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned to our blog for more detailed information on these workshops very soon.

THE 2011 DECIBEL FESTIVAL IS ONE WEEK AWAY – THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

ADVANCE TICKETS / PASSES
Advance tickets for all 31 showcases and the 2011 Decibel Festival Passes are all still available through our our TICKET PAGE. Not only do you save money on advance tickets/passes, you avoid potential sell outs.

WILL CALL / TICKET BOX OFFICE
If you purchased a Decibel Festival Pass online, you can redeem it at general will call, which will be hosted at Fred Wildlife Refuge, located at 127 E. Boylston in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Will call hours are 12PM – 12AM, Wednesday through Friday. In addition to hosting the general will call, individual showcase tickets can be purchased at Fred Wildlife Refuge. This is also where the 2011 dB Conference will be taking place (see conference schedule below).

FOR DECIBEL ATTENDEES, ARTIST AND PRESS STAYING AT THE W SEATTLE HOTEL
Decibel will have a guest booth at the hotel, which is located at 1112 4th Avenue. Keep an eye out for the Decibel signs in the lobby. In addition to being the official hotel for the 2011 Decibel Festival, the W Seattle will function as the headquarters for Decibel Press and Photography.

VISITOR PAGE
If you’re traveling in for the festival or just looking for a place to eat, shop or sight see, this page will walk you through some of our favorite places. Complete with venue maps and transportation guides, the dB Visitor Page is a great resources for anyone attending the 2011 Decibel Festival.

iPHONE / ANDROID APP
We’re proud to announce our partnership with ROCKSTAR DIGITAL, who have developed both an iPhone and Android app for the 2011 Decibel. These robust apps will include…
-access the full schedule complete with set times, sessions, maps, info
-get important notifications in real time throughout the festival (make sure you click “yes” when the app asks if you would like to share your current location)
-check out artist and DJ profiles
-listen and download music from select artists and DJ’s
-check out the latest feed of news, tweets, blog posts, videos and pictures
-share experiences with your friends using Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare
For more info and to download the app, click HERE

SHOWCASES
With over 144 artists from over a dozen countries performing across 31 showcases throughout 15 of Seattle’s most prestigious venues, the 2011 Decibel Festival program is simply massive. If you haven’t yet, we recommend familiarizing yourself with this year’s list of showcases and then plotting your experience with the most up-to-date SCHEDULE or the our smart phone apps.

Click here to view the embedded video.

NextAid and Solar Sister present ILLUMINATE, A Benefit for Economic Empowerment for Girls and Women in Africa on September 18, 2011 from 5pm – 1am at YOTEL New York City.

NextAid and Solar Sister are two innovative organizations focusing on elevating opportunity for girls and women in East Africa. They’ve come together to present ILLUMINATE, an energetic dance party and fundraiser that will bring together renowned New York DJs, musicians, and poets including Anane’ Vega with AmonDrum on percussion, Nickodemus with Nappy G of Turntables on the Hudson, DJ OBaH, and Mr. V with live performances by Candice Anitra and Wunmi. The event will serve as a kick-off for one of the most important weeks in global action; organizations convene in New York City to devise and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Some of the conferences and summits happening that include Clinton Foundation’s Global Initiative, the United Nations General Assembly, White Ribbon Alliance’s Women Inspiration and Enterprise Symposium and Mashable’s Social Good Summit, and much more. NextAid and Solar Sister’s Illuminate gives the leaders of today and the change-makers of tomorrow a chance to listen to great entertainment, check out the latest in new technology innovations, mix and mingle, socialize and, of course, dance!

Anane’ Vega DJ Set (Nulu Music) with AmonDrum (Afro-kinectic / Turntables on the Hudson) on percussion
Mr. V (Sole Channel Music)
Nickodemus & Nappy G of Turntables on the Hudson
DJ OBaH (Dubspot / FunkAid)
Candice Anitra (Singer Songwriter /HeartSleeve Records)
WUNMI (Live Vocal performance) just added!

YOTEL – 570 Tenth Avenue – NYC

5pm-7pm Reception & Tech4Development Marketplace***
7-10 Main Event
(live performances at 7:30)
10-1am After-party

Tickets

Facebook

[$75 Brighter ticket and $250 brightest with solar goodies!]

Group packages, VIP cabins, and sponsorships are also available, contact carolann[at]nextaid.org to inquire.

**Tech4Development Marketplace:
In addition to enjoying an incredible line-up of performances, guests will also have the opportunity to browse the latest in innovative technology solutions in a Tech4Development Marketplace that will feature products that have the breakthrough potential to improve the lives of the poor through creative, appropriate design, such as the world’s first solar light bulb developed by Nokero, and other products from Maternova, Renewit, Konarka, WECARE Solar and Wello Water.

NextAid:
With a mission to improve the lives of children, youth, and women in Africa by promoting and implementing sustainable solutions, NextAid raises awareness for, and partners with, community-based projects and grassroots organizations in Africa. NextAid implements and promotes integrated approaches with the belief that it is the best formula for establishing real and lasting change. Through music events and public education initiatives, NextAid provides empowering opportunities for concerned individuals to make a difference.

Solar Sister:
Solar Sister eradicates energy poverty by empowering women with economic opportunity. We combine the breakthrough potential of solar technology with an Avon style direct sales network to bring light, hope and opportunity to even the most remote communities in Africa.

Yotel – NYC:
Created by YO! Founder Simon Woodroffe OBE and YOTEL CEO Gerard Greene, Yotel offers a ‘first class’ hotel experience translating the language of luxury airline travel and Japanese influence into small but luxurious cabins. Yotel’s New York location is home to four multipurpose event spaces (The Terrace, Club Rooms, The Dohyo, and the Studiyo) providing guest with social ease during the day and at night morphing into a beer and cocktail fueled lounge with DJs supplying endless beats and ambiance.

Nokero:
Nokero (short for No Kerosene) was formed in June 2010 by inventor Steve Katsaros to develop safe and environmentally-friendly solar products that eliminate the need for harmful and polluting fuels used for light and heat around the world, and most importantly, are affordable to the communities that need them.

Dubspot is proud to be hosting the official will call pick-up to 2011’s Electric Zoo Festival goers. Now in its 3rd year, New York’s electronic music festival Electric Zoo will come to Randall’s Island Labor Day weekend for 3 days of enormous line-ups of world-renowned DJs. Beginning Friday, September 2nd and lasting through Sunday, some of the biggest names in electronic music will take the stage, covering a wide range of styles.

Electric Zoo promoters Mike Bindra and Laura De Palma, along with their production company Made Event, have had the unique challenge of bringing major electronic music artists to an American audience that’s not always paying for the music. That said, the two have developed an event that sold out in its 2nd year, drawing 50,000 people, while somehow keeping the community aspect of electronic music alive and well with a variety of arts and crafts on site.

Starting the festival with a serious bang on Friday is superstar trance DJ Tiesto. Dubspot picks for Friday include a potentially unforgettable set from Richie Hawtin as Plastikman, Carl Cox, Rusko, and  Egyptrixx. Saturday sees recent pop co-opt David Guetta at the throne, with Bloody Beetroots, Danny Tenaglia, 12th Planet, and SBTRKT. The last day of Electric Zoo features headliner Armin Van Buuren, Boys Noize, Afrojack, Diplo, and Nicolas Jaar—the last of whom has one of the best albums of the year with Space Is Only Noise.

For his Plastikman set on Friday, Hawtin will lead a truly unique experiment into audience participation. Alongside developer RJ Fischer and Brian McDade, Hawtin has created an iPhone and iPod Touch app called SYNK, that will allow the audience to manipulate aspects of Hawtin’s set. In addition to his already tech-savvy performance, Hawtin will be creating all the visuals himself, using Canadian company Derivative’s state-of-the-art TouchDesigner technology, as well as controlling lighting through a customized, Ableton Live-powered MIDI setting. Hawtin will also perform a DJ set as Richie Hawtin on Sunday.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Plastikman Live @ Future Music Festival, 2011

If you aren’t catching Plastikman Friday night, you’ll definitely want to catch Carl Cox, one of Britain’s house and techno legends. Cox has been a major force in bringing house and techno to a wider audience, and in addition to holding down a 10 year residency at Ibiza’s Space, he is known for being one of the best festival DJs in the world.

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Carl Cox Live @ Ultra Music Festival, 2010

By far the biggest, and most exciting dubstep set of the weekend will go to Rusko, whose earth-shattering bass frequencies are largely responsible for the genre’s spread around the globe. If Rusko’s high-energy music isn’t enough, he brings his music’s energy into his live performance, easily winning for most active DJ behind the turntables.

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Rusko Live @ The Metro Chicago, 2010

For the last day of the festival, Dubspot will definitely be checking out German electro house maestro Boys Noize, who has become synonymous with what will be legendary about electro house. And if you thought electro has passed its prime in 2011, check out the man at the Dubspot-sponsored Summerstage a couple years back, where you’ll get an idea of what to expect at the Zoo this weekend.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Boys Noize & Dubspot @ Summerstage NYC, 2009

There is no question that New York’s Danny Tenaglia is a proper house music legend, if an underrated one. Responsible for pushing the house sound into new territory, and establishing himself as a major figure in the New York club circuit, Tenaglia continues to make music and DJ around the world, managing the difficult task of remaining a classic figure who still brings something fresh to his sets.

Egyptrixx put out one of our favorite records this year with his LP Bible Eyes, out on the Night Slugs imprint. The record stood out for its uncanny embrace of pop and future bass dance music, using a masterful array of synth layers and melody to keep emotions running along with feet.

Click here to view the embedded video.

With his self-titled debut album a couple months back, UK producer SBTRKT easily clocks in as another Dubspot pick for Electric Zoo on Saturday. The album features the low-slung sounds of UK funky and 2-step with a variety of guest vocalists, all of whom manage to bring his dance floor plates back home to the bedroom or a late-night living room hangout.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nicolas Jaar’s Space Is Only Noise challenged his Wolf + Lamb following with a record that explored an immense array of styles and sounds, channeling everyone from J Dilla to Serge Gainsbourg.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Starting Thursday, September 8 in New York, Dubspot is excited to be a part of Sound Liberation Front and New York label Subatomic Soundsystem’s Dub Invasion Festival. Spanning 10 days in both Boston and New York, the festival will feature a collection of live music, workshops, and documentary screenings. Gathering many of dub and reggae’s most influential, past and present, is not only a celebration of the genre alone, but the massive sound revolution dub culture sparked—reverberations that are felt through out today’s most progressive music, electronic and otherwise.

Here at Dubspot, we honor that history in more than name alone, and will be hosting a series of masterclass workshops, at Dubspot HQ and live streaming, with Dub Invasion performers Mad Professor, Adrian Sherwood, and Clive Chin, as well as a Dub Expo featuring presentations from music production leaders like Ableton, Native Instruments, Propellerhead, and iZotope. If these sessions aren’t informative enough, we’ll be screening three different dub documentaries during the day on Tuesday, September 13th.

Mad Professor is one of the most widely respected and well known dub producers and engineers in the world. Known for bringing dub production and engineering techniques to London’s musical landscape at a time when dub was still emerging in the city, and long before it would transform everything from punk to electronic music. Mad Professor has produced records with Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly and Robbie, Sade, The Orb, and Massive Attack.

Adrian Sherwood, next to Mad Professor, may be one of London’s greatest dub and reggae champions. Forming the music collective Singer and Players in the 1980s alongside Mickey Dread and Prince Far I, Sherwood quickly became label head to a variety of label releasing dub and reggae, including Hitrun Records, Pressure Sounds, and Green Tea Records. Sherwood has produced Sinead O’Connor, Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, and Coldcut, among others.

When you’re not getting an education in dub, the festival’s stacked bill features performances from infamous dub producer Lee “Scratch” Perry, playing at BB King’s in New York on Saturday, September 10th. Other headlining artists include will include workshop guests Mad Professor and Adrian Sherwood, as well as Brother Culture and Twilight Circus Dub. Other performances will feature New York fixtures, Nickodemus, Francois K, Jahdan Blakkamoore, and Raz Mesinai aka Badawi.

OFFICIAL DUB INVASION FACEBOOK EVENT

DUB INVASION FACEBOOK PAGE

CHECK BELOW FOR FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE. DUBSPOT EVENTS ARE IN BOLD.

Thursday 09/08
Dub Masterclass with Adrian Sherwood
6-7pm, Free with RSVP
@Dubspot—348 West 14th Street, New York

Friday 09/09
ON-U-SOUND 30th Anniversary: Adrian Sherwood ft Brother Culture
10PM, 21+, $12 ADV/$16
Dominion—428 Lafayette St, New York

Photo by kosinder

Saturday 09/10
Dubspot Hi-Fidelity EDU Sessions:
Technology showcase featuring the latest in music technology from Ableton, Propellerhead, iZotope, Native Instruments, and more.
1-6pm, Free
@Dubspot—348 West 14th Street, New York

Saturday 09/10
Dub Masterclass with Clive Chin—Workshop
3-4pm, Free with RSVP
@Dubspot—348 West 14th Street, New York

Photo by Wraith34

Sunday 09/11
Universal Sundays presents Alive Dub:
Dub Poet Infinity, Super Hi-Fi, Top Shotta Band feat. Screechy Dan, Prince Polo, Double 05, King of Zulu Entertainment, DJ Sal P
$10, 9pm
Sullivan Hall—214 Sullivan Street, New York

Monday 09/12
Deep Space Presents Francois K with guest Raz Mesinai (Badawi)
$15, $12 with RSVP
Cielo—18 Little W 12th Street, New York

Tuesday 09/13

Documentary Screenings: Dub Echoes, Musically Mad, Devon D’s Dub History
1-6pm, Free with RSVP
@Dubspot—348 West 14th Street, New York

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dub Echoes trailer

Wednesday 09/14
Liondub International Presents: Pressure Dub
Ticklah, Dave Q, Liondub, DJ Lifeline, DJ Deluxe
9pm, Free with RSVP
Kush—191 Chrystie Street, New York

Thursday 09/15
Turntables on the Hudson Presents: International Dub Showcase
Spy from Cairo, Dr Israel, Nickodemus, DJ Lil Tiger
10pm, $10 ADV/$12
Dominion—428 Lafayette St, New York

Thursday 09/15
Deadly Dragon Presents DTR in a Tribute to King Tubby
10pm, Free with RSVP
Happy Ending—302 Broome Street, New York

Friday 09/16
Dub Masterclass with Mad Professor—Workshop
6pm-7pm, Free with RSVP
@Dubspot—348 West 14th Street, New York

Friday 09/16
Dub Invasion meets Ariwa: Mad Professor
12am, 18+
$18 ADV/$20
The Knitting Factory—361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn

Click here to view the embedded video.

Earlier this summer online magazine Resident Advisor began a series of events in major cities around the world to celebrate their 10-year anniversary as a leader in online electronic music coverage. Between RA’s immaculate web design, reliable mix series, and user-driven format, the Australian website has become synonymous with international electronic music, and ultimately its bright future.

Titled “RA X, ” each event features a mystery headliner (X), with the rest of the line-up curated by the mystery guest. This Saturday, August 20th, starting @ 8PM, RA touches down in NYC at Le Poisson Rouge. To celebrate RA’s anniversary and our ongoing partnership with the magazine, RA is giving Dubspot readers 3 double passes (2 tickets per winner), plus 1 grand prize winner will receive 1 of 75 screen-printed posters (pictured above), made exclusively for this event, and designed by frequent Shackleton sleeve artist Zeke Clough.

In addition to the mystery guest, the line-up is an especially varied one, featuring Canada’s King Sunshine, a 9-piece ensemble that brings disco, funk and house music’s infectious energy to a live performance environment. The group has worked with folks like Mark Farina, Theo Parrish, DJ Sneak, and Derrick Carter.

The event will also feature deep house and soul artist Peven Everett, dubstep pioneer Mala, one-half of the production duo Digital Mystikz, and label boss of Deep Medi Recordings, as well as Japanese DJ Masashi Nakazawa, who recently did a mix for Time Out New York in support of the event, which you can listen to below.
Masashi Nakazawa mix by TimeOutNewYork

To win tickets to the event, answer the question “Who is X?” on Dubspot’s Facebook page. The winner’s will be chosen at random, and winners will be notified as of Friday, August 19th, the day before the event. Winners will be able added to RA’s guest list at Le Poisson Rouge, and the winner of the poster will pick it up at the event.

Our first event this week happens tonight at the Good Life where we’re presenting a show that features the dubbed-out styles of Ramadanman and Zed Bias. Then on Thursday and Friday this week we have a series of Free Dubspot Hi-Fidelity Sessions at Boston’s Bristol Studios with Richard Devine, Goth Trad, Steve Nalepa and other Dubspot instructors. The evening will also feature a special performance from Richard Devine. On Saturday from 12 noon until 6PM Dubspot will host a series of demo sessions at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a raffle for a chance to win a free Level 1 course in Abelton Live. We wrap things up properly on Sunday with the Dubspot-sponsored Road Warrior Tour where Mary Anne Hobbs, Lorn, Gonjasufi, Take, and Strangeloop will be at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club starting at 7PM.  Check out our full listing of Dubspot activities events at Together Festival 2011 below!

THURSDAY, 4/21 – FRIDAY, 4/22, 1-8 pm

The Dubspot Hi-Fi Sessions w/ Richard Devine, Goth Trad, XI, Matt Shadetek, Steve Nalepa, Duncan Laurie, Robotkid, DJ Endo, and some very special guests!

The Dubspot Hi-Fidelity Sessions represent what Dubspot aspires to bring the public: unique and exciting ways for uniting the electronic music scene and educating the people within it. At each stop, a select group of world-class DJs, producers, sound designers, and musicians join top-notch Dubspot instructors to present production and performance strategies in an intimate workshop environment. We’re looking forward to sharing ideas, joining communities, and of course, having some fun Together. We’re elated to announce that special guest Richard Devine will be joining the Dubspot crew for our Hi-Fi sessions at the Together Festival. A true sound pioneer, Devine has released material on Warp and the Schematics imprint. Devine is also known for his prolific sound design work, contributing patches to popular Native Instruments plug-ins. Devine is also known for his extensive sample library, the Electronic Music Manuscript, made for Sony Creative Software.

THURSDAY 4/21
1:00 – 2:00pm – Ableton Presents Dice Motion
2:30 – 3:30pm – Native Instruments: Maschine 1.6 w/ Aaron Bastinelli
4:00 – 5:00pm – Native Instruments: Traktor Pro 2 w/ DJ Endo
5:30 – 6:30pm – Dubspot ONLINE: Special Workshop TBA
7:00 – 8:00pm – Ableton Live Tips & Tricks w/ Professor Nalepa

FRIDAY 4/22
1:00 – 2:00pm – Ableton Live Tips w/ Dubspot Online’s Pat Cupo + Professor Nalepa
2:15 – 3:15pm -  Logic Pro: Remixing Techniques & New Features w/ Matt Shadetek
3:30 – 4:30pm – Playing With Light and Sound:  Music Games & Audio/Visualism with Robotkid
5:00 – 6:30pm – Richard Devine, Duncan Laurie, and Steve Nalepa – ‘Sounds of Unseen Worlds’
6:45 – 7:30pm - Ableton Live Workshop with Professor Nalepa & XI
7:45 – 8:30pm – Goth Trad (Deep Medi)

WHERE: Bristol Studios
169 Massachusetts Ave • Boston • MA • 02115
Fee: FREE RSVP

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sounds of Unseen Worlds: Richard Devine, Duncan Laurie and Steve Nalepa in Conversation

Richard Devine is an Atlanta-based electronic musician. He is recognized for producing a layered and heavily processed sound, combining influences from hip-hop to old and modern electronic music. Devine largely records for the Miami-based Schematic Records, which was founded by (Josh Kay.)  He has released 4 full-length albums on Schematic, Warp, Asphodel, and Sublight records and has performed his own ear-tearing music mayhem worldwide. He has also has done film score work for Touchstone Pictures (with John Hues & Kyle Cooper),collaborated with BT (Brian Transeau on movie “Surveillance”), and collaborated with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. He has composed and designed commercials for the Nike Shoe Company and worked with various companies doing sound design for Audi, BMW, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Scion, Coke, Land Rover, Lexus, Peugeot, Dodge, HBO,Nestle, Nike Japan, McDonald’s, Sprite, Sony, Spike Television network and XBOX.  In conjunction with TV and film work, Richard also has done programming and sound design work with major audio companies. His work has been featured on new software and hardware titles from many innovative companies such as Native Instruments, Izotope, WayOutware, Eventide Effects Company, GRM tools, Korg, Clavia Nord, Alesis, Akai, Ableton Live, Apple Computers, AccessVirus, DigiDesign, Openlabs, Universal Audio, Hartmann Neuronsynthesizers, Stanton Magnetics DJ Company, Roland, Propellerheads,Yamaha and M-Audio Division. He recently released his first official sample library through Sony Creative Software entitled The Electronic Music Manuscript: A Richard Devine Collection.

Playing With Light and Sound:  Music Games & Audio/Visualism with Robotkid

Josh Randall aka Robotkid is an A/V artist and the Creative Director at Harmonix Music in Cambridge, where he’s been dedicated to pushing the envelope of musical interaction by applying his artistic, musical, and design vision to the groundbreaking music video games Frequency, Amplitude, Karaoke Revolution, Guitar Hero, Phase, and Rock Band.  Most recently, Josh was the Project Leader and Creative Director for “The Beatles: Rock Band.”  In his spare time, he dedicates himself to his other passion: audio-visual remixing and performance as his alter-ego, Robotkid.  Josh will present highlights from both careers, and discuss how they have intersected in interesting ways over the years.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ableton Live Workshop with Professor Nalepa

Steve Nalepa is an LA-based producer, professor, Dubspot Instructor and Ableton expert who has been teaching Live for over seven years. He’s produced tracks and collaborated with everyone from legends like Bill Laswell and Pharoah Sanders to rising electronic music artists Nosaj Thing and The Glitch Mob. He designed Dubspot’s online Ableton Live curriculum and is currently producing a weekly series of Ableton tutorial videos all year long. He will share production tips, performance techniques, and compositional strategies. He will also lead discussions with special guest artists Goth Trad, XI and others on how they incorporate Ableton Live in their studio work and live performances.

Digital DJing with Traktor Pro 2 Workshop w/ DJ Endo

Take your DJing to the next level with Native Instruments groundbreaking new DJ software Traktor Scratch Pro 2. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to transform their laptop computer to the most powerful DJ machine known to man. Besides learning how to control your digital music collection using timecode vinyl and CD, you will go beyond the beatmatch and learn advanced Traktor techniques such as Beatjump, cue point DJing, Looping, Effects, Harmonic Mixing and Traktor 2’s new features such as Sample Decks, Loop Recorder and the new Soft Sync which will allow you to mix vinyl or CDs in perfect sync. In addition to learning Traktor you will also learn other possibilities of how to set up your Traktor rig by syncing external studio equipment like Maschine and Ableton to Traktor.

Ableton Presents: Dice Motion

In this workshop Boston-based Dice Motion will design performable Live Sets – synchronize two laptops, demonstrate how to manage and divide musical parts, maintain a good mix while performing, and show the structure of the MIDI controllers used to drive their Ableton sessions.

“Dice Motion is first and foremost a performance operation. We use Ableton Live to write and produce original music, but pretty much everything we do in the studio is meant for the stage in the long term. We put our laptops together and realize our own methods of delivering a performance that brings the functionality of Djing and the showmanship of MPC style performance together under the same umbrella. Ableton is the main tool that we use in designing our show.”

Logic Pro: Remixing Techniques & New Features w/ Matt Shadetek

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Click here to view the embedded video.

FRIDAY, 4/22
Dubspot & Bassic present: Together Japan w/ Goth Trad, XI, Dev/Null
Local Openers 10-11
XI 11-12am
Richard Devine 12-1am

WHERE: The Goodlife
28 Kingston Street
Boston, MA 02111-2205
Fee: $7 before 11pm / $10 after

A unique producer with a unique style, Goth-Trad (of Rebel Familia) has emerged from the Japanese electronic scene in the last few years as one of the most arresting artists from his generation. Freely playing samplers, keyboards and even self-made instruments, ‘The Sound Originator’ Goth-Trad creates remarkable dance music with an abstract approach.

Toronto’s XI has quickly become a rising star in the city’s electronic music scene. His eclectic taste and approach to bass-driven beats has landed him on the bill with The Prodigy and Pendulum as well as headlining slots across Canada & the USA. In terms of production, XI already has a number of releases under his belt on both the solo and collaborative tip including work with Dub War’s Juakali, fellow Canadian producer DZ and tracks under the Loetech moniker alongside friend and Toronto producer Bombaman, to name a few.

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WEDNESDAY 4/20
Dubspot presents: Ramadanman and Zed Bias – Surefire Sound North American Tour
London producers Ramadanman (Hessle Audio) and Zed Bias (Tru Thoughts) bring their unique interpretations of UK broken beats to the Good Life bar, with Distal, DJG, Moldy, Salva, and XI supporting.

WHERE: The Goodlife 28 Kingston Street Boston, MA 02111-2205
MORE INFO: http://www.goodlifebar.com/events/
Facebook event: http://on.fb.me/dKepXv

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SATURDAY, 4/23
Come visit Dubspot at the Together Festival’s “Get Together” at Mass Art! Get a demo from our top instructors, learn about Dubspot Online and enter into our raffle for a chance to win a free Ableton Live Level 1 ONLINE Course!

WHERE: Pozen Center at MassArt
621 Huntington Ave Boston, MA
Entrance is located on Evans Way
Fee: FREE

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SUNDAY, 4/24
Dubspot & Eleven Eleven Agency: Mary Anne Hobbs w/ Lorn
Catch the Boston stop of Mary Anne’s THE ROAD WARRIOR TOUR at the end of the Together Festival.  Show will feature a mixed series of solo performances and curated showcase that features Gonjasufi, Lorn, Take, Strangeloop, and other special guests at the showcases while Hobbs performs solo.  Tickets available at Groovetickets.

WHERE: Paradise Rock Club
967 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
WHEN: doors at 7 PM;
FEE: 18+ show; Advance Box Office Price $15

Boston has always been a mecca for creativity. It’s one of the biggest college towns in the world (home to schools like Berklee, M.I.T., Mass Art and Harvard) and has simultaneously been responsible for pushing the music industry on-air, in print and in clubs for decades. For the last 20 years the electronic music scene in Boston/Cambridge has been bubbling beneath the surface of this rock-centric city and producing some incredible talent such as Dana Kelley (aka Krimp, Callisto, DKMA), Fred Gianelli (The Kooky Scientist), Morgan Page, Steve Porter, Pete Moss, Armand Van Helden, and Dj Rupture – to name just a few. But while much talent has come out of Boston/Cambridge there has been a long history of divided dance floors in the city. This is mostly due to a lack of bigger clubs supporting the scene (you don’t need great djs to entertain college kids a lot of the time) in which case the pubs and intimate clubs pick up the music for a thriving scene in smaller spaces. So you have dubstep nights, drum and bass nights, house nights – but not a lot of events that combine the talent and music from across all genres and people. In 2009 the Boston Together Festival was conceived to bring these people and sounds together for a week-long celebration of events and parties that revolve around that one concept – getting together. Together creative director David Day explains more:

September 6th, 2009, I sent an email to 81 different electronic music event promoters and brains of this town. The gist was: Let’s all book something great for one week in February, hold panels and daytime events all over the city, and have ourselves a music festival … and let’s call it “Together.” After a tremendously positive response, we assembled a steering committee to help formulate what would become a city-wide super-event with hundreds of performers, discussions about art, music and collaborations like the city has never seen before. Much of it free.

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Together Festival 2011 is fresh, rising fast and we are excited to announce our participation in this very cool event. Starting April 20 the Dubspot family, alongside our San Francisco friends Surefire Sound, will be escaping our respective cities for a long weekend of workshops and events with producers such as Trentemøller, Ramadanman, Zed Bias, and Goth Trad, Toronto’s XI, and Dubspot’s high-powered stable of instructors. For a schedule of the entire event you can download the Weekly Dig’s Guide to Together 2011 for a full listing of events and parties.

We’ll be starting our tour of beantown on Wednesday April 20 at the Good Life bar with the future bass sounds of Ramadanman (a.k.a. Pearson Sound) and Zed Bias (a.k.a. Maddslinky), supported by promising North American soundboys like Distal, DJG, and Frite Nite’s Moldy & Salva, as well as XI.

Then on both Thursday and Friday, Dubspot will be inviting some of the previous night’s guests to Boston’s Bristol Studios for Dubspot’s Hi-Fidelity Sessions to show us what they’re doing behind the knobs. In attendance will be XI, Goth Trad, Steve Nalepa from L.A., and of course our own instructors. These sessions will be entirely free, open to all, and will last from 1PM-8M.

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After you hit Bristol Studios, Dubspot will be back at Good Life Friday night, where very special guest Richard Devine will be performing alongside Boston DJs and another performance from XI. Saturday, from noon-6PM Dubspot will be posted up at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where will have a booth setup demoing our various courses, and even a raffle for a chance to win a free Level 1 course in Abelton Live.

To round out the weekend’s festivities, the Dubspot-sponsored Road Warrior Tour featuring Mary Anne Hobbs, Lorn, Gonjasufi, Take, and Strangeloop will be at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club starting at 7PM, putting a weighty end to an already heavy week of music activities. See additional details and event info below!

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DUBSPOT EVENTS @ TOGETHER FESTIVAL 2011

WEDNESDAY 4/20
Dubspot presents: Ramadanman and Zed Bias – Surefire Sound North American Tour
London producers Ramadanman (Hessle Audio) and Zed Bias (Tru Thoughts) bring their unique interpretations of UK broken beats to the Good Life bar, with Distal, DJG, Moldy, Salva, and XI supporting.

WHERE: The Goodlife 28 Kingston Street Boston, MA 02111-2205
MORE INFO: http://www.goodlifebar.com/events/
Facebook event: http://on.fb.me/dKepXv

THURSDAY, 4/21 – FRIDAY, 4/22, 1-8 pm

The Dubspot Hi-Fidelity Sessions feat. Richard Devine: Together Festival, Boston 2011
The Dubspot Hi-Fidelity Sessions represent what Dubspot aspires to bring the public: unique and exciting ways for uniting the electronic music scene and educating the people within it. At each stop, a select group of world-class DJs, producers, sound designers, and musicians join top-notch Dubspot instructors to present production and performance strategies in an intimate workshop environment. We’re looking forward to sharing ideas, joining communities, and of course, having some fun Together. We’re elated to announce that special guest Richard Devine will be joining the Dubspot crew for our Hi-Fidelity sessions at the Together Festival. A true sound pioneer, Devine has released material on Warp and the Schematics imprint. Devine is also known for his prolific sound design work, contributing patches to popular Native Instruments plug-ins. Devine is also known for his extensive sample library, the Electronic Music Manuscript, made for Sony Creative Software.Artist workshops featuring Goth Trad (Japan), XI (Toronto), Steve Nalepa (LA), Duncan Laurie + Ableton, Native Instruments, Propellerheads and Dubspot Instructors.  More details to come.

WHERE: Bristol Studios
169 Massachusetts Ave • Boston • MA • 02115
Fee: FREE

FRIDAY, 4/22
Dubspot & Bassic present: Together Japan w/ Richard Devine, Goth Trad, & XI
Local Openers 10-11
XI 11-12am
Richard Devine 12-1am

WHERE: The Goodlife
28 Kingston Street
Boston, MA 02111-2205
Fee: FREE

SATURDAY, 4/23
Come visit Dubspot at the Together Festival’s “Get Together” at Mass Art! Get a demo from our top instructors, learn about Dubspot Online and enter into our raffle for a chance to win a free Ableton Live Level 1 ONLINE Course!

WHERE: Pozen Center at MassArt
621 Huntington Ave Boston, MA
Entrance is located on Evans Way
Fee: FREE

SUNDAY, 4/24
Dubspot & Eleven Eleven Agency: Mary Anne Hobbs w/ Lorn
Catch the Boston stop of Mary Anne’s THE ROAD WARRIOR TOUR at the end of the Together Festival.  Show will feature a mixed series of solo performances and curated showcase that features Gonjasufi, Lorn, Take, Strangeloop, and other special guests at the showcases while Hobbs performs solo.  Tickets available at Groovetickets.

WHERE: Paradise Rock Club
967 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
WHEN: doors at 7 PM;
FEE: 18+ show; Advance Box Office Price $15

Unsound Festival New York kicked off this week (beginning Wednesday, April 6th and running till Sunday, April 10th) with an array of workshops discussions, performances and concerts. The festival began with a special event in the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center which featured music from Ben Frost and a host of other composers. For those who missed the beginning of this renowned festival, don’t fret – a series of incredibly awesome events are lined for the weekenders. First on Friday, The Bunker and The Index present BASS MUTATIONS, bringing together experimental electronic musicians, sound designers and bass music innovators with diverse backgrounds; ranging from already well established and highly influential artists such as Kode9, Appleblim, Badawi and Dorian Concept to rising producers and performers like Lone, Spatial, Sepalcure, and Chancha Via Circuito – all of whom you can read more about below.

10:00 PM Dave Q ( Back Room )
11:00 PM Chancha Vía Circuito ( Front Room )
12:00 AM Badawi ( LIVE – Back Room )
12:00 AM eleven tigers ( LIVE – Front Room )
01:00 AM Lone ( LIVE – Back Room )
01:00 AM Sepalcure ( LIVE – Front Room )
02:00 AM Kode9 ( Back Room )
02:00 AM Dorian Concept ( LIVE – Front Room )
03:00 AM KiNK ( LIVE – Front Room )
03:30 AM Appleblim ( Back Room )
04:00 AM Zeppy Zep ( Front Room )
04:00 AM The Phantom ( Front Room )
05:00 AM Spatial ( LIVE/DJ – Back Room )
Tickets: $25 advance, $30 at door

DJ, Producer, Writer, label owner, teacher and visual artist are all hats worn by London-based Kode9 (aka Steve Goodman), one of the most respected figures in today’s bass music scene. His sophomore album, Black Sun, again with his with partner, poet / MC Spaceape, will be released April 2011, and is already receiving major buzz. Kode9 owns and runs the popular Hyperdub imprint which is home to artists such as Burial, Ikonika, Terror Danjah, King Midas Sound, DVA, and many more.
Kode9 – Time Patrol Dub by Tsiabaannah

Bristol-based DJ / Producer Appleblim first came to prominence alongside Shackleton with his work for the Skull Disco label. In 2008, he launched his own Apple Pips label, releasing material from Martyn, Peverlist, Jus Wan, T++, Brackles, Instra:mental, Greena, Joe and more. Recently he has been making waves with his collaborative project with producer Ramadanman that sees the duo bringing in a Detroit and Berlin Techno influence into their own special brand of bass music.
Al Tourettes & Appleblim – Lipsmacker EP (AUS1028) by Al Tourettes

Brooklyn-based Producer Badawi has been on the bass scene in New York for well over a decade. Often cited as one of illbients original sources in the mid 90’s, Mesinai has gone far beyond the confines of that narrow scene is today is one of most unsung yet well respected producers of bass music in the states. Not to be pigeonholed, he has also been a fixture on the downtown improv scene playing with artists like John Zorn, Elliott Sharp and others, and is also a visual artist. His live set at Unsound Krakow in October was cited by many as a festival highlight, so expect the same tonight.

Check out an interview with Badawi and a brand new mix over at PlayGroundMag

Sofia, Bulgaria based KiNK is an innovative, uncompromising producer and captivating live performer. He made his first appearance on vinyl in 2005, but it was his series of releases with UK based producer Neville Watson for Rush Hour that finally opened up the wider world to his sound. Everyone from Hercules & Love Affair to Steve Bug played their 2008 collaboration “Inside Out.” They have since released a number of additional EPs and continue to do so. KiNK is also heavily in demand as a remixer and has released numerous solo productions on a number of labels including Josh Wink’s Ovum. KiNK has been doing live shows on rare occasions since 2007, and tonight is his New York debut. He is looking forward to releasing his first album on Kolour recordings this year.
KiNK – The Roots Of Techno by kink

Manchester based Lone (aka Matt Cutler) has been releasing music since 2007, with his first proper album, Lemurian, releasing in 2008 on Nottingham’s Dealmaker; 2009 garnered more attention for the young producer with his second album on Werk, Ecstacy & Friends. However, it was last year that things started to really pop for Lone. After starting his own Magic Wire Recordings imprint, he released the club smash single “Pineapple Crush,” then followed it in December with the album Emerald Fantasy Tracks, one of the most exciting releases of 2010. Both releases saw Lone exploring a distinctly British kind of rave inspired Techno sound. Tonight he will perform live for the first time in New York.

London-based producer Spatial first came on the scene in 2008 with a 10″ for his own Infrasonics imprint that instantly became Boomkat’s single of the week. Since then he has released three more singles for his own label and appeared at festivals such as Club Transmediale, Freerotation and Unsound Krakow. His music displays a meticulous attention to detail and a strong tendency towards experimentation. Tonight’s performance will blur the lines between a DJ and live set.

Brooklyn-based producer duo Sepalcure, aka Travis Stewart (Machinedrum) and Praveen Sharma (Praveen & Benoît), made their debut live performance on the Bass Mutations bill last year at Unsound Festival New York, and what a year they’ve had since! Their music has been featured in the movie Black Swan and they’ve also released two well-received EPs for Hotflush, took part in a Hotflush label tour of Europe, and appeared at Decibel in Seattle. Tonight the duo will be playing live.
No Think by sepalcure

Vienna-based producer Dorian Concept is part of the post “Beat Dimensions” generation of beat makers that includes artists such as Nosaj Thing, Mike Slott, and Hudson Mohawke. He has made a reputation via his live show and has released a string of releases on labels including Affine Records and Kindred Sprits, who released his debut album When Planets Explode in 2009. Ninja Tune will release his EP Her Tears Taste Like Pears in late March.

New York-based DJ Dave Q founded the seminal New York club night Dub War in 2005 and has continued to lead the charge for bass music in New York City ever since. Dub War was the first event to bring artists like Kode 9, Digital Mystikz, Loefah, Skream, Actress, Darkstar, Shackleton, and Ramadanman to North America. He recently started a new monthly event in Brooklyn called Twisup and runs the label The Index with Badawi. The label has released music from Badawi, Shackleton, Spatial, Headhunter, and Vladislav Delay.
Clap My Throat Bootleg by Dave Q

Buenos Aires-based producer Chancha Vía Circuito (aka Pedro Canale) will be a relatively new name to most. DJ /Rupture wrote about him in The Fader saying “You wouldn’t guess that the guy selling CDs in the back of Buenos Aires’s Zizek club is one of the scene’s most respected producers. Other Zizek producers craft new school cumbia beats for dance floor whomp; Chancha takes the mystical / tropical route, emulating both Martin Denny and hip-hop’s pursuit of the perfect loop.” He released his debut album Rodante in 2008 on ZZK records.
Chancha Via Circuito – Rio Arriba 2010 by zzkrecords

London-based Lithuanian producer Eleven Tigers started out self-distributing his tracks via the Internet. After being “discovered” by then BBC Radio DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, he started performing live. His first LP Clouds Are Mountains was released in June 2010, a detailed and boundary-blurring work that draws on both bass music and shoegaze post-rock. The Quietus called it one of the albums of the year, writing on that it “answers, in full, the question as to what happens after Burial.”

Warsaw-based producer / DJ The Phantom and Krakow-based producer / DJ Zeppy Zep are two or the most talented up and coming bass music producers from Poland. The Phantom draws his inspiration from the standard’s like UK funky and grime, but he also finds stimulus from African house and early club classics. His debut track “Cambodia” was relased on the Top Billin’ compilation PL Funky; his latest release, The Phantom EP, dropped on Senseless Records late in 2010. 21 year old Zeppy Zep first made his mark on the bass scene with his track “Quality,” and most recently his contribution to the PL Funky compilation, “Sierra.” In 2010, his unreleased tracks “Menace” and “Rebis” received massive attention from FACT and Sinden. This young producer definitely is one to watch in the coming years, as he’s clearly showing a drive to fight for the top of bass musics production rank and file.

GIRL (BRENMAR REMIX) (Senseless Records) by The Phantom

We’ve partnered with Livid Instruments, Ableton, Native Instruments and Propellerhead, this year to bring you Dubspot Austin Sessions workshops and giveaways at this year’s SXSW festival! On Thursday, Martch 17th, we’ll kick off a 6-hour workshop and demonstration sessions from 1pm to 7pm at Deseo Centro Lounge. Join us to get a taste of what we’re all about and learn something new for your studio workflow. [Facebook event page]

We are excited to present the Dubspot Austin BBQ Benefit featuring live performances and DJ sets from Martín Perna, Matt Shadetek, Thavius Beck, Shiftee, Barry Cole , DJ ObaH, Ancient Astronauts, Rob Luis and Belleruche and a special performance from The Cipher hip hop artists.

Dubspot Austin BBQ Benefit! (Facebook RSVP)
ESL, Giantstep, Wax Poetics, Tru Thoughts
Sunday, March 20th, 3pm – 8pm
Franklin Barbecue, 900 E. 11th St.

Dubspot & Friends SXSW Showcase (Facebook RSVP)
Presented by Giant Step & ESL Music
Friday, March 18 2011
Kenichi, Austin TX

Featuring live performances and DJ sets by DJ Nickodemus, Rob Luis, Belleruche, Ancient Anstronauts, DRM/ERIK, Cilantro Boombox, and DJ ObaH.

Friends of Friends Day Party (Facebook RSVP)
Presented by FoF and Dubspot
Thursday, March 17th, 2pm – 8am
Barcelona, 209 East 6th St.

Featuring by Daedelus, Baths, Mexicans with Guns, Salva, Shlohmo, Matt Shadetek, Low Limit, Kotchy, Asura, Anenon and DJ Sodapop!

Night Fever! VOL XI: The SXSW Edition (Facebook RSVP)
Presented by StrangeTribe Productions & Soul of the Boot Entertainment
Tuesday, March 15th, 7pm – 2am
Copa Bar & Grill, 217 Congress Ave. Austin, TX

Featuring live performances and DJ sets by Nickodemus, J Boogie, Nappy Riddem, Ocote Soul Sounds, DJ ObaH, Ancient Astronauts, Chico Mann, Afrofreque, Afrolicious, Live PA w/ El John on Percussion, Empresarios, and DJ Sun.

SXStrangeBoot (Facebook RSVP)
Presented by ESL Music, Dubspot, Tru Thoughts, and Fort Knox
Thursday, March 17th, 6pm – 2am
Roial, 120 West 5th St.

Featuring by live performances and DJ sets by Empresarios, Belleruche, Frank Mitchell Jr., Funk Ark, Ocote Soul Sounds, Nappy Riddem, Nickodemus, Ancient Astronauts, Robert Luis, DJ ObaH, Barry Cole, and Senor Oz!

More information on our Austin Invasion to come soon! Stay tuned to our blog, facebook and twitter channels for up-to-date information.

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Sixty-six years ago Sunday, Nesta Robert “Bob” Marley was born. This Sunday marks the 66th anniversary of the legendary reggae musician’s birth. Bob Marley is a pivotal musical figure of the 20th century, not only responsible for the popularization of reggae music around the globe, but for his capability to skillfully combine passionate and uncompromising protest music, songs about social change, determination, rebellion, and faith with pop elements.

Thirty years after his death, the voice still resonate with listeners; his songs are as vibrant as ever, and this in the upcoming days, weeks, months fans the world over have a lot to look forward to – tribute concerts and events from NYC to Toronto, Brooklyn to Beijing, Miami to Melbourne, and more! Check here for Bob Marley Day Events 2011. Of course the main event is the 18th Annual 9 Mile Music Festival happening March 12th in Downtown Miami with four of the Marley’s sons paying tribute to their father.  Stephen, Damien, Ky-Mani, and Julian will be performing along with a wide range of artists and bands, from Thievery Corporation to Mala of Digital Mystikz.  Check out the flier below for more!

Saturday, March 12th, 2011
Bob Marley Movement Presents
18th Annual 9 Mile Music Festival (w/ Stephen Marley, Damien Marley, Thievery Corporation, Mala +)
Bayfront Park
301 Biscayne Blvd
Downtown Miami, FL 33132

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