Saturday, 16 March 2013

Emerging Talent Finalists



Hello to all you beautiful, festival people. Hope you’re feeling the spring in your step as the festival season is approaching. It makes us very happy!

The Emerging talent competition has now ended and we are more than happy with the calibre and diverse range of submissions we received.
We would like to say well done to all of you that entered and didn't get through, keep keeping on and don't give up! On the other hand a big congratulations goes out to the 8 finalists whom have been selected. So without further ado let’s introduce our ‘Emerging Talent’ round 1 finalists. The first four winners of the Emerging Talent Competition are, drum roll please…

Ham-Fisted Linguists
Bizz+Topman
DJ Zom-B. 
Mill Milligan.
Fighting for a chance to play this year’s Emerging talent slots in no particular order are...

Poets, Ham-Fisted Linguists
Poets Lord Byro and mUU never stop playing with language and pushing linguistic boundaries both with rhyme, meaning and content.

The wax lyrical Ham-Fisted Linguists are a satirical spoken word outfit, each poet more northern than the last. Be it based in reality, be it hyperbolic, it be meant... or at least it's meant to be.

The poetic duo aim to gather a collective of poets, spoken word artists, rappers and fans of all the above to push the art form on a wider audience and to bring together some like minded heads. Poetry just got cool.

The Northern lads can be found lurking in the bushes at:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/hamfistedlinguists

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamfistedlinguists
Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/hamfistedlinguists
Tweet @hamflinguists
Rappers Bizz+Topman
Bizz+TopMan are two budding up and coming MCs from the North East of England. Over the last 6 months they have worked together on lots of tracks, including genres such as HipHop, Trap and Grime.
 


 
In such a short space of time they have brought together a music family known as CityClique and sealed deals with major companies such as SkySports for the making of sports sound tracks. Don't be fooled by their Northern background, they pack enough skill to appeal to wide target audiences and they intend on travelling far and wide to share their music with as many people as possible.

Music is all about atmosphere to us and without fans, we can't create one. You guys are what we live for! Let's create some amazing experiences! PEACE!


Zom-B (DJ/Promoter Adifia Productions)
 
 
Zom-B first took to the decks at the age of 16, starting his DJ career on the Scouse House scene as part of the crew Obsessions, playing nights in Workington and Carlisle and winning an award for best up-coming DJ/MC group in Cumbria.
Once he hit 18, he gained residency at Carlisle’s “The Wall” where he started to demonstrate a darker side of music by playing heavy dub step and drum and bass.
He then gained Residency at Carlisle’s “Melting Pot” where his deep love for house was born.

This seen him DJ for house legend Paul Taylor and hosting to his very own “Adifia Productions” nights. Mixing up current House//D&B//Dub and Garage.
 
Now Zom-b is performing all over the North of England at nights such asSubdue//Darth
Audio//Control//Adifia Productions and I.M.P. This is the year when Zom-b will rise from the grave!
Find Zom-B on facebook, follow him on Soundcloud and check out his latest festival demo mix to get you all geared up for the night of emerging combat.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dj-Zom-B/108275682617859
 
Poet Mill Milligan
Around 9 years ago Mill Milligan set upon the righteous journey of giving poetry as most people know it a much needed boot up the arse. By writing and endlessly chuntering fearless, introspective, topical verse in many venues and designated smoking areas about the country he has quickly gained what he hesitates to call a cult following, but at least an appreciation from minds as drunken as his own at any given point.
 
Subjects as clichéd as love, death and how vile this country is fast becoming permeate his work in heartfelt, thought-provoking and more often than not hilarious rhymes.
Instantly recognisable by his trademark space invaders style hat, luxurious mane and ladies bracelets he's never shy of random performances, shot as they are, rough-shod out of his blithering gob as he tries to remember the very gist of what he's saying he entertains and bewilders in equal measure.
 
Welcome to his nightmare!
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0SlFjoJ9Hw



Again, congratulations to Ham-Fisted Linguists, Bizz and Topman, Mill Milligan and Zom-B. You stood out like the stars you are!
Second round finalists are set to feature in the next music blog. Be prepared for more diversity and of course off the hook emerging talent.

 
For your exclusive chance to buy a Ravenstonedale weekend ticket at a £35 steal get yourselves down to the Emerging Talent night. Free entry before 9pm, upstairs in Walkabout, Carlisle. Don't let the location deter you as we are transforming the venue into a festival chic hangout with a little help from our splendid design fairies.
Steampunk costume designer Julie Baker will be around on the night to talk fancy dress and take orders, RSD merchandise will be available to buy and the HamFistedLinguistics will be launching their new EP.
Nothing mainstream about this night folks. 
Look forward to seeing you all upstairs!  



Big loves from all.

Ravenstonedale Festival x



 


 
 
 

 
 
 

 

Sunday, 10 March 2013

RSD Festival Presents The Mighty Father Funk

Father Funk set to play Ravens Nest

The 19 year old ghetto funk producer from the Lake District is set to blow up the local music scene but before he does I thought I'd say hello and showcase the ghetto funk genre to all you lovely Ravenstonedale festivalers.

Warning:  Causes jigging, shoulder swaying and feelings of euphoria!

Father Funk "Dont Stop"
 


 

Father Funk DJing Eastern Med style in
Cyprus
 

 

Q&A with Father Funk
 
Will Williamson AKA Father Funk
Age: 19
From: Windermere
Lives and studies in Leeds
Music style: Ghetto Funk
 
RSD: Hey Father Funk! Its a pleasure to meet with you!
Tell me who is father funk?
 
FF: Well the name Father Funk comes from the kind of music I sample and that inspires me to make funk breaks, the original funk and soul artists from the 70’s and 80’s that dads would listen to – Father Funk!
As for my Father Funk productions, they came from producing electronic music for a few years, coming across Ghetto Funk and just having to get involved in what’s becoming a more and more exciting scene.
I was lucky enough to have all of my first few tracks promoted by the legendary (now award winning!) Spinforth on his Soundcloud Scour on the Ghetto Funk blog and that got me on the right track.
 
RSD: Are you a full time DJ and Producer?
FF: Right now I’m studying Music Production at Leeds College of Music, but I’m still getting a few gigs here and there and producing music all the time. I just do it because I love it!

RSD: Are you part of a producing team or do you ride solo?
FF:Father Funk is a solo project, but I’m planning to work with more instrumentalists in the future, and maybe even put together a live act, that would be sick.

RSD: What was the first record/CD you ever bought?
FF: The first CD I bought was All Killer No Filler by Sum 41, I grew up listening to mainly punk and ska punk - that’s the first sort of music I wrote and played with bands. I’m still in a ska punk band today called Late Night Fiasco, I play trombone.
RSD: What can you recollect listening to in your house growing up?
FF: Not a great deal to be honest, but maybe because there was a lot of different music going on I learnt to appreciate all kinds of music. I think that’s really important, especially when you’re a producer.
RSD: What age did you first spin a record/put a mix together?
FF: I think I was 17 when I first started mixing on turntables, but I had been messing around with various computer programs before then and learning the basics such as mixing in key and where to drop stuff.
RSD: What has been your biggest inspiration as a DJ and who do you look up to in the DJ world?
FF: Well first off I have to mention Stickybuds as his Shambhala 2011 mix is what got me into Ghetto Funk - he’s a wicked producer and DJ. A.Skillz is also killing it, I was lucky enough to support him at Monster Monster in Barrow as well as see him smash it twice in one day at Kendal Calling… Blows my mind!
RSD: What was your biggest music influence growing up as a child?
FF: Punk music showed me that anyone can make music, I think without that realisation I never would have got into it.

RSD: What do you do when you’re not mixing beats?
FF: I make beats! Either that or I’m in college, or bed!
RSD: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
FF:  I can’t even see myself in a year let alone 5 years! If the next few years are anything like how this years shaping up to be I’ll be more than stoked! Whatever happens I’ll still be making music, that’s for sure.
 
RSD: Whats so appealing for you as a DJ playing to festival crowds as opposed to club nights and what do you like most about Ravenstonedale Festival?
FF: Festivals are really close to my heart, going to festivals has been inspiring me to carry on doing what I do since I first went to Leeds Festival in 2007. They're just always such a great atmosphere, something extra that you just don't get in a club, no matter how good the DJ is.
Local festivals like Ravenstonedale are especially close to my heart - its like the music scene in the Lakes finally comes out of hibernation when it gets to summer. The rest of the year there never seems to be much music going on in the Lakes, so festivals like Ravenstonedale remind us that we have a small but thriving music scene that, like the festivals, gets better every year.
 

RSD: Well thanks for chatting to us here at Ravenstonedale Festival, the RSD team are more than hyped that your playing this years Ravens Nest. Personally I'm looking forward to your set and won't deny it will be a highlight for many of our festival goers.  
Until then good luck with your new ghetto funk EP and I shall see you in the Ravens Nest!
 
Until then folks here's a Ghetto mix from Father Funk to wet your music whistle. Enjoy!