GET TO KNOW: BLOC2BLOC ENTERTAINMENT RADIO
Creating a rather special place deeply rooted in the heart of Manchester’s drum and bass and jungle scene is radio station and music hub, Bloc2Bloc Entertainment Radio. We spoke with Adam, or, ‘Dirty Doe’, about the station, the scene in Manchester and all things Bloc2Bloc.
The radio station celebrated its 3rd birthday this year on the 1st of August, and has made quite a name for itself. Having been nominated for best radio station at the We Love Jungle awards every year for the entirety of it’s lifespan, that some-what speaks for itself.
Adam is the co-boss of Bloc2Bloc, where he works alongside his business partner and CEO of the company, Jack Banner. "There’s a whole team of us, on and behind the camera." Adam told me, "there is a core family of people that are part of the family at Bloc: that extends across the world from every DJ that plays with us. So there is definitely too many names to mention."
Bloc2Bloc excel in providing a unique space to help promote and engage a healthy roaster of upcoming artists. Although streaming drum and bass and jungle music is essential for the radio station, Bloc2Bloc was and is a space for people to get together. Adam continued: "Through the amazing work Jack had already set in stone and putting Bloc on the map in Manchester and a further, we already had a great base to start the radio. We gained a great following from very early on.
"What we now call the HQ was a hub for the kids to come round and get away from the life that involves crimes, and people who wanted to just get away from that type of life in the city. We started to stream random performances and started to cotton on that there was a huge interest in what Bloc was putting out, so we decided to dedicate Bloc2Bloc as a radio show.
"We most definitely have achieved what we set out to do and continuously do so as we grow. We are truly blessed with the opportunities that have arisen for us at Bloc2Bloc. We still have far to go though and we won’t flicker with our attempts to keep pushing forward and trying to grow.’
WE WON'T FLICKER WITH OUR ATTEMPTS TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND TRYING TO GROW
Embedded heavily in the history of drum and bass and jungle music is the radio platform, and it is just as important and relevant today. As Adam said: “I feel that from an artist point of view it’s very important. As a DJ you can be seen or heard on stations and to join a station is near enough every DJs career step.
“Additionally from a producer point of view it's also a huge way of getting your tracks heard. We run a tune check session with Bou & Banner, which is becoming very popular.”
2019 has been great year in innovative drum and bass and jungle music, with a plethora of crews and artists making names for themselves from all corners of the UK. Adam is feeling good about the music scene today: “Today’s scene is very promising. In my point of view, with DJs/producers consistently smashing it and giving the younger fresh heads inspiration to have a goal and a target. And Manchester is full of young fresh heads wanting to get involved, we are happy to be that platform if they need us.
“We have an absolute hotbed of talent in Manchester at the moment, there is too many to mention. You only have to reach any local night to see our city is bursting with talent. For us though, everyone is killing it. Whether you are just turning the decks on for the first time or stepping up to main stage like IndiKa, we’ve got the utmost respect for everyone.”
With 2019 slowly drawing to a close and 2020 lurking around the corner, plans are being formed and the excitement for the new year only grows. Bloc2Bloc have got some good-looking stuff in the pipelines: “We have some very special plans in store. We have a delayed America visit, we are heading back to the Camp Art Festival in Italy to do a joint festival there as well, and many many hush hush stuff that you will all have to wait and see what we’ve got in store.”
Watch out for Bloc2Bloc's movements in 2020.
Bloc2Bloc:
https://www.facebook.com/Bloc2BlocRadio/
Matt Knight
December 9th 2019