1Xtra Live

The BBC’s black music digital station, BBC Radio 1Xtra, has secured an incredible line up of highly acclaimed UK music artists, including Dizzee Rascal, Tinchy Stryder, Chipmunk, Taio Cruz, Jay Sean and JLS for its flagship live music event - 1Xtra Live.

The event, which takes place at the Sheffield Arena on Saturday 28th November, will see the artists performing across two stages in front of up to 12,000 people, making it the biggest standalone event in the station’s history.

The event was announced in Trevor Nelson’s Radio 1 and 1Xtra simulcast show on Saturday 24th October.

Speaking on the show, Dizzee said: “I’m looking forward to 1Xtra Live. I made some of my first album in Sheffield. It’s going to be good. Big up everybody who will be coming down!”

The full line up is as follows:

Dizzee Rascal
Chipmunk
Tinchy Stryder
JLS
Jay Sean
Taio Cruz
Kano
Donaeo

The event is to be co-hosted by Trevor Nelson and Mistajam while Tim Westwood will be tearing down the house as DJ for the night.

1Xtra Live will broadcast on a special simulcast show on Radio 1 and 1Xtra, presented by Trevor and Mistajam. Ace and Vis will be in the crowd speaking to the audience while Max gets all the gossip from backstage.

Trevor Nelson says: “1Xtra Live will without doubt be the hottest home grown gig, with no less than five acts who have had number one hits in the last couple of years. It’s going to be 1Xtra’s biggest gig to date.”

Highlights of the event will also transmit in a special 30 minute programme on BBC Three, presented by Radio 1’s Reggie Yates.

Tickets are free and will be limited to two per person. They will be available to personal callers at the Sheffield Arena box office from 10am until 4pm on Sunday 1st November. They will be distributed on a first come first served basis.

Additionally tickets will be made available nationally online from 10am on Monday 2nd November. For further details go to www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra

Ben Cooper, Deputy Controller for BBC Radio 1Xtra, says: “I’m thrilled to be bringing some of the UK’s best young UK artists to Sheffield for this year’s event. 1Xtra celebrates the best British artists across all genres and I think this strong line up reflects that.”

Neil Wyatt, Executive Producer, Live Events, adds: “Sheffield, with its thriving music scene, provides the perfect location for 1Xtra Live this year. It’s our second 1Xtra Live event and we’re bringing a fantastic line up of UK artists to the city for the station’s biggest event yet.”

Further artists will be announced over the coming weeks. For further details visit the 1Xtra website – www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra

www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xtralive2009

Markus the Sadist Review

Markus the Sadist

A Jonzi D Production

The Bloomsbury Theatre, London


Billed as a ‘rap opera’, Markus the Sadist tells the story of a talented young battle MC from South London who is picked up by a scheming A&R with the promise of fame and wealth. The dialogue is delivered to a large extent through rhyme, with quite a bit of rapping throughout. The composer and musical director of the show is talented musician Soweto Kinch, and with Jonzi D as artistic director, the play has a strong team behind it.


Bashy shines as lead character Markus, a Brixton rapper whose mother advises him to “put down the mic” and concentrate on his studies and focus on getting a conventional career. Nolan Weekes also stands out as cunning A&R man Top Blizzy, representing the darker side of the industry, persuading Markus to change his British accent to an American one and convincing him that those that spend money on records “don’t want to hear a nerd spit”. He gives Markus the moniker which he subsequently adopts, and when one of the characters point out that Markus is “such a nice boy”, Blizzy slyly says “leave that to me”.



The audience were clearly very involved in the action on stage, cheering along and responding in all the right places, and when Bashy’s character’s trousers dropped, all the girls whooped and applauded, cementing his place as a real UK sex symbol.


While the play is a satire of the music industry, illustrating how rappers often have to change their style in order to become popular, there are parts that are somewhat silly and over the top. An example is that in the modern world of UK rap, whilst it is true that many artists who make it sound different to how they did before reaching commercial popularity, it is not a given that they are required to change their accent to sound American, something which was more common in previous decades. As a play that is set in 2004, this seemed like a somehow outdated and unbelievable addition to the story, although it did add an element of humour to the show. The new lyrics Markus adopts are also a bit ridiculous, but then as a satire, perhaps this is required in order to deliver the underlying message clearly and concisely.


After taking Blizzy’s advice, Markus’ transformation is rapid and he needs little persuading, perhaps serving to show how desperate many artists are to make it, regardless of the costs. He soon becomes an international superstar, and it is apparent that a choice has been made between being a nice person and becoming a rap mogul. The story then takes an unanticipated twist, and the ending is even more unexpected, making this is an entertaining show which kept the audience involved throughout.


By Anna Nathanson


www.annanathanson.wordpress.com

www.jonzi-d.co.uk

New Skepta Release Today!

Skepta featuring Jay Sean
Lush

Skepta of grime wonder-group Boy Better Know is back with his second
single from the sophomore album Microphone Champion; Lush. Following
on from the hype of Too Many Man, this takes us back into the dance
for a smoother rendezvous with the ladies.


British pop singer-songwriter Jay Sean sings the smooth chorus,
bringing a sexy RnB vibe to the Skepta-produced anthem. As Sean sings
over the electro sounds, Skepta confides; ‘its not the champagne
dance, it’s the champagne tour…’ as he talks us through a tale of lust
at first sight across a club.

Hype-hunters needn’t worry; a remix courtesy of H20, Fuzzy Logik and
Rudekid featuring Boy Better Know band mates Jammer and Frisco will
also be doing the airwave rounds.

As the managing director of Grime movement Boy Better Know, Skepta is
currently enjoying a wave of success at the top of the pile. Behind
him lies a string of sell out shows and the BBK legacy that has
defined a generation of Grime internationally.

Skepta is part of an early set of grime MC’s who defined the genre in
the early ‘noughties’. His peers including Wiley, Tinchy Stryder and
Dizzee Rascal have been enjoying the heights of the UK charts of late,
with newcomers such as Chipmunk setting the standards for the younger
generation of grime MC’s rising through the ranks.

The craze became associated with the mainstream when Skepta gave the
nation the moves with Rolex Sweep. Cue an International celebrity
craze as Hip Hop legend Busta Rhymes and TV’s Paul O'Grady attempted
to recreate the steps. Coldplay's Chris Martin performed his own
rendition during a gig at Brixton Mass and the iconic Timmy Mallett
created the Boy Better Know 'Sweep Show'!

www.myspace.com/skepta

Posted by Anna Nathanson

Bounce Review

Insane in the Brain:
A Street-dance Version of 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'
Review by Anna Nathanson
Published on www.britishhiphop.co.uk

An adaptation of the hugely successful film / novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Insane in the Brain is a modern version of the renowned drama, performed almost entirely through dance. Swedish street-dance crew Bounce light up the stage, keeping the audience captivated throughout the hour and a half duration of this colourful, lively and entertaining spectacle.

DJ Krush, Cypress Hill, Punjabi MC and Dizzee Rascal all feature on the uptempo hip-hop heavy soundtrack, but there is also a smattering of dance music, funk and even an 80s sequence, complete with a leotard-clad girl and a well-oiled muscle man to entertain the audience, which was made up of mostly young people.

There are humourous elements to the show, including one scene where the group get caught sneaking out to the cinema, and what follows clearly delighted the audience, judging by the rapturous laughter.

The warning of violence on the ticket might seem alarming, but in fact this is a reference to the very end, which is instrumental to the story and not gory by any measure - no blood and guts in sight. There is also a sex-scene but this too is tastefully done, with the lighting disguising the action, making it suggestive rather than graphic.

The plot is brought to life and translated into dance skilfully, and it is not necessary to know the story in order to fully appreciate this show, as it completely stands up on its own. There is a bit of acting, but mostly the cast do what they do best and that’s dance. The choreography is definitely on-point; the dancing fluid and in-sync, and the sound, lighting and set unfaultable. Definitely a must see.

http://www.insanetour.co.uk

Tour Dates

Nottingham Playhouse – Nottingham – October 6th & 7th
http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
Sheffield Lyceum – Sheffield – October 9th & 10th
http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Sherman – Cardiff – October - 13th & 14th
http://www.shermancymru.co.uk
Lighthouse – Poole – October 16th & 17th
http://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
Hall For Cornwall – Truro – October 20th & 21st
http://www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
Festival Theatre – Edinburgh – October 24th, 25th & 26th
http://www.eft.co.uk
Macrobert- Stirling – October 29th, 30th and 31st
http://www.macrobert.stir.ac.uk
Warwick Arts Centre – November 3rd and 4th
http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Wycombe Swan – November 10th & 11th
http://www.wycombeswan.co.uk
Northern Stage – Newcastle – November – 13th & 14th
http://www.northernstage.co.uk
Wyvern Theatre – Swindon – November 17th & 18th
http://www.wyverntheatre.org.uk
The Lowry – Salford – November 21st
http://www.thelowry.com

What to do this weekend...

Posted by Anna Nathanson