Recommended: Andy Riley (Inland Knights, Toka Project) in Baltimore on Saturday – 11.17.12
We first added Inland Knights to our “listen to every new release by these guys” list back in 2002/2003. It was a time here in DC/Baltimore when their brand of house music was really experiencing a surge. We called it “Chunky House” then, some people might call it “Jacking” now, but whatever it's name it is fun, funky, full of energy and dance-floor-centric. Everyone seemed to be in love with this seemingly new sound, with artists like LawnChair Generals, The Littlemen, Toka Project (an Andy Riley side-project) and DC’s own East Coast Boogiemen all receiving heavy love in most DJ bags, and it made an indelible mark on house music as it spread across the country that is still extremely strong to this day.
Through all the releases coming out during that time, Inland Knights’ always stood out for us. We couldn't put our finger on it then, but for some reason they seemed more mysterious than the rest. Their tracks always seemed to push the envelope, and to be just a little “weird” … but the good side of weird where really cool stuff happens, and where everyone else seems to end up. Now understanding that Inland Knights had already been releasing tracks for over 5 years by 2002 (when most of these other artists were just getting started) it makes a little more sense. These guys were off in Nottingham, UK doing their own thing, founding Drop Music in 1998, releasing steadily through the 2000's, and still putting out new EPs as recently as September of this year. Somehow, they still manage to push the music in interesting directions while keeping that signature sound that makes you just want to tear up the dance floor, and they have never left our list of favorite artists.
This Saturday, Baltimore will have the chance to see for themselves why Inland Knights have become one of the most respected production outfits in house music. Andy Riley (½ of the duo) will be at Red Maple with opening support from Gourmetbeats’ own Tyler Schmith, Dimitri Max (Sampled, Guesthouse Music) and your hosts for the evening, ForQuarters Collective. It is recommended that you wear comfortable yet sexy shoes.
Jonn Hawley returns to Baltimore – 8.25.12
The Brew City Ambassador returns to Charm City on another mission of Peace and House Music. Milwaukee's Jonn Hawley has made regular appearances in Baltimore over the past few years, and seems to be making it an annual trip. Although the two cities rarely share space in the same sentence, Baltimore seems to have a love affair with Jonn's brand of feet-moving soul-fueling house music, and his past appearances have ranked among the best in recent memory. To add to the fire, it's also a happy birthday celebration for our good friend Jon Mack of the ForQuarters Collective! Jon's quickly becoming one of Baltimore's hardest working DJs, and we're excited to celebrate another year of great music with great friends. If there's one party this summer that you absolutely can't miss, this is it!
Check out our interview with Jonn Hawley from back in 2011, and see the full lineup and details here.
Saturday in DC: DJ Mes with ForQuarters and iNk House!
Oakland-based label Guesthouse has been releasing some of the best in funky, jacking and genre-bending house music in the world for years now. With artists like South of Roosevelt, Sonny Fodera, Demarkus Lewis, DJ Dan, and DC's own Dimitri Max, the label is a powerhouse of the genre and a leader in the West-Coast house movement. Behind it all is the ever-busy DJ Mes, who himself has never stopped releasing productions of his own, even nabbing the top spot on Traxsource's top 100 house tunes of 2011 with his "Fools Gold" release on Cajual Recordings. Somehow among all of this he still manages to tour, and will be descending on the District this Saturday along with our good friends from ForQuarters and iNk House. It's sure to be a wild night, and an opportunity to see this influential producer in a rare East-Coast appearance.
Weekend Picks: May Flowers
We typically start looking forward to Memorial Day Weekend in mid-January, right around the time that we start to seek refuge from the chilly nights of winter through dreams of sunny Summer days next to the pool. As a result, we are crazy excited for this weekend and wanted to share some of the best bets for soaking up the sun and some Gourmet Beats:
Tonight in DC: Joe Nice + Hatcha at Forward Fest!
If you are a music lover in the DC area you undoubtedly know that ForwardFest is going on this week, one of the city's largest electronic music festivals. They have done a great job this year of bringing out some names that are really pushing boundaries in current music. Tonight our own Joe Nice will be behind the decks along with Legendary dubstep trailblazer Hatcha for what is sure to be a bass-heavy night of chest-thumping music.
Also, our good friends from the ForQuarters collective as well as The Elders will be in another part of the city for the Forward Fest House showcase. All in all it's a great night to be in DC. We'll see you out tonight!
The Gumball with Tommy Largo – This Saturday!
Baltimore's ForQuarters Collective is once again bringing some top-tier talent to Charm City, this time all the way from the Netherlands! If you are a lover of deep or jacking house music, chances are you have heard one of Tommy Largo's productions. With releases on many of the country's top House Music labels, Tommy's songs have been played by the likes of DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina and Johnny Fiasco just to name a few. His productions are proven floor fillers, and now he brings his signature sound to Baltimore for another installment of The Gumball! As an added bonus, opening support is being provided by our good friends The Elders, further securing this as a can't-miss evening.
It’s another Gumball! – Gene Farris on Feb 18th
The dance scene in Baltimore has been more vibrant than ever as of late, and without question one of the major players in the city has been the ForQuarters Collective. Besides their monthly residency at Red Maple and appearances up and down the East Coast, they are also responsible for the irregularly scheduled party branded as "The Gumball". Since May of last year, the event has been thrown every few months and features some of the best talents in the industry, and we're always excited when we hear that another one is coming up.
Never ones to disappoint, this next installment features the one and only Gene Farris, a DJ that needs no introduction as his 100+ productions and worldwide touring has cemented him as a dance music legend. We've been able to catch Gene a few times over the years, and his sets always manage to surprise us with their originality and consistent ability to keep the dance floor packed to capacity. If you can make it to Baltimore this is definitely not one to miss.
Here comes The Gumball
The guys from ForQuarters introduce the first in a series of events they are calling 'The Gumball", with support from Gourmetbeats, EightyEightyDC, and SoulMob Productions. Starting on a very strong foot, their first installment will feature Lazy Days Recordings label boss and legendary DJ, Fred Everything.
We saw Fred Everything for the first time at the 2005 Winter Music Conference in Miami where he performed an unforgettable set at the now-defunct venue Bash. It was one of those nights where the stars aligned, everyone was in attendance, and every shoe was on the dance floor; where you looked around and saw some of the best DJ's and producers in the industry, and they were all dancing like crazy. We've been huge fans ever since, and expect that the combination of Fred and ForQuarters will result in a tremendous night.
Get a taste of the ForQuarters boys tonight in DC for their new monthly at Eighteenth Street Lounge.
