Beats & Bass Society Presents Artwork

There was always a risk with the Cellar Door that a significant number of punters may just be Cheesey Tuesday regulars who have stumbled in with the sole reason of trying something new – before of course leaving at 1 because the bass is hurting their ears. Marvellously however, the crowd of students that packed into the quay-side nightclub knew exactly what they were there to see, with Artwork’s introduction receiving a roar of approval that threatened to engulf the Cellar’s thumping sound systems. The adept DJ asked his audience if “they were ready to rave”, and they duly replied, going ballistic at every drop. This characterised the Beats & Bass homecoming - a homecoming that can only be described as triumphant.

Chatting to some of the guys behind the night, you could sense their anticipation of such a big name gracing the intimate venue of the Cellar Door, and whilst all present were waiting for the headliner to arrive, those who did check out the support acts shouldn’t have been disappointed. Withdrew, a Beats & Bass resident, played a solid set in the early slot - the undoubted highlight being a mix of Outkast’s Roses, which unfortunately didn’t get the packed dance floor it deserved. Aerial, a mainstay of the Exeter house scene, delivered a slick set - one that went down well with the ever-growing crowd on the dance floor. We recommend checking both of them out the next time they play.

After all the hype, Artwork’s set showcased the talents of a man who has been at the peak of British dance music for the last 20 years. He shifted through genre and time period with ease. One especially enjoyed a deep house remix of Bad Bad Habit that dropped soon after a Compa-esque dubstep number with a thudding snare. However the highlight was Mercy by Joy O & Boddika that came towards the end of the set, even if it was bizarrely interspersed with chants of Zombie Nation. His craft was phenomenal as well, and the budding DJs amongst the audience would surely have watched with interest when he span two identical tracks at the same time to live remix Mercy. Having said that, another notable event of the evening was when the Cellar Door bouncer tried to prevent Artwork himself from taking drinks outside - being told quickly by Aerial that Arthur was, in fact, the headline act to which the bouncer sheepishly retreated. In short, the Cellar Door was presented with a dance-legend at the peak of his powers.

So Beats & Bass’s return to the Cellar Door can only be described as an unmitigated success, one that has cemented their position alongside Thick as Thieves on Tuesday nights. Here at PearShaped, we’re expecting big things from B&B on the back of this launch, and we’re hoping Mac + Pasteman will continue in this vein.