It’s official. The Canal Club is the best venue in Richmond for a steamy rave experience. Small and intimate, it can purvey the feeling of a packed house without the need for a huge number of attendees. Also, you can only be a fan of the artist's proximity to the pit. It almost feels as if you could reach out and touch the DJ. My experience the other night for Paper Diamond was unbelievable and I truly believe the venue played a large part.
Dub101 hits The Canal Club Saturday night, and we strongly suggest that you don’t miss it. OverTone Promo and B.A.D Ass Raves will be presenting Bassdread with support from local turntable beast Mike Phear. Who is the hell is Bassdread? Think Rasta Reggae Rebel Bass. Rasta vibes mixed with that dance movement bass. Not too heavy though--just heavy enough. It’s a supremely unique sound in the electronic world, and he brings an energy you won't catch anywhere else.
RVAmag will be grabbing an interview to get inside the mind of Bassdread before the set, so watch this space next week. And get your ass to The Canal Club this Saturday, mon! All Ages, so yes, your mother can drop you off.
WHAT: Dub101 Richmond at The Canal Club
WHO: Bassdread, Mike Phear, Shugadadde, Ill Omen, Gatsby, Grim Reefer
WHERE: The Canal Club (1545 East Cary Street)
WHEN: Saturday February 11th. Doors: 8pm-2pm
ADMISSION: $10 presale: order advance tickets HERE. $12 at the door. $10 at the door with college ID. Dub101 DC Sold Out so get your tickets early!
Keep reading for our interview with opener Mike Phear, who is a pinnacle in the local scene here in Richmond. Phear has dropped sets on stages with some heavy hitters, and tells you how to tell whether Tim Tebow is or isn’t human.
I caught you opening for Zeds Dead, I believe. Who else have you opened for, and which was the best experience?
Zeds Dead was a great show, I must say. But overall, the first show I had at The National with Liquid Stranger was by far the best experience and crowd response I've had in Richmond. Over 600 people chanting the majority of your set is a pretty exhilarating experience.
Honestly, I hate discussing genre, but can you try to classify your sound? What are your intentions when you go into studio time? Are you looking for dirty, sweaty mayhem music or what?
[Laughs] I do enjoy the occasional crazy mayhem from time to time. There is nothing like it. But over all I would consider myself a Dark Room Dub head. I prefer a toss up between good classic old school dubstep with lots of gaps and switches, mix that with some dark and dirty basslines. Not too much, and not too little of both, and you have my personal favorite sound.
What is your view on the EDM scene in Richmond? What do you think could be done to strengthen the community?
I feel the scene is really good here. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that it is diverse enough. I think there should be more variety to shows. Don't get me wrong, I love what we got going on down here, but the EDM scene is so deep that I feel a lot of people are missing out on a good variety that other cities around us seem to have and hold onto. I say with time and effort, we will have a great, well established, and well rounded EDM community, because we are almost there!
What goes through your head when the crowd just isn’t giving that energy back to you? How do you adjust on stage?
Sometimes I need to pick up the pace on my selection. I tend to play a lot of low end dark room dubstep, but people really have not caught on to it yet. When I kick it up, though, to some heavier tunes, that always seems to do the trick perfectly.
What’s your daily grind like? What do you do beyond the tables?
I work full time, all the way in NOVA and the surrounding area, as a telecommunications and IT technician. It's a pretty long drive from home, and the commute is a complete pain half of the time, but it’s something I really enjoy as my career.
Expectations for Dub101?
I feel like we are going to have a great turnout. OverTone, B.A.D Ass Raves, and all of the DJs and promoters have really been pushing this, and judging by DC DUB101 selling out, we are about to annihilate Canal Club!
Favorite RVA venue?
Gotta say a toss up between the National and Canal Club, hands down.
Is Tim Tebow human?
Only partially... when you catch him kneeling, he's in his cyborg reboot stage. Don't ask me how I know this...
First choice for food in the city?
Carytown Burgers and Fries, of course!
Drink of choice?
Red bull and vodka... Gotta keep the rage going, you know.
Kicks or caps?
Caps all the way. Kicks get too dirty too quick. I love a nice fitted, haha. Grass Roots California make the best!
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soundcloud.com/mike-phear
facebook.com/mikephear
