Them at Rhythm Factory

Them at Rhythm Factory

21 August, 2009
by: Lowri

I receive prior warning from promoter Munbir that 'there's always a queue' and, true to form, Them is absolutely heaving when we arrive. A boiling crowd are pushing up against the barriers on one side, while the smokers on the other jostle behind the boundaries.

If you've ever been to Rhythm Factory you'll be familiar with the security's chosen method of intimidation. Chest out attitude. Plenty of it. I amble to the front of the seething mass of bass-hungry clubbers. 'Um, I'm on the press list...?' What love? Not a chance. Back of the queue.

A few minutes later and my friends and I are gingerly filing in to the heaving club with high expectations and deep desires for a damn good skanking session. It's Friday, we're here to dance and we've come to the right place.

Them is the bass heavy monthly which has been shaking the Rhythm Factory floor for over a year. They consistently book off centre greats and have become renowned for their eye-catching line-ups and propensity for filthy tunes. Bassline, glitch, dubstep, grime, jungle, futurebass, techno.  No nonsense, upfront banging tunes for people who love it. My cup of tea.

I won't waste any space besides this on the unfortunate trouble caused by idiotic passers-by. It culminates in a ruckus and disrupts the schedule. Annoying for everyone. By two everyone is calming down and the show is back on.

As we push our way in Joker is dropping some dark, heavy numbers. The producer from Bristol has earned his reputation as one of the hottest young guns in dubstep and grime. His tunes are full, bass heavy, melodic.

Despite the attitude at the door and the trouble of the last two hours, the crowd are warm, friendly and loving it. All faces looking up at Joker, hands raised in dubstep salute. He made the dubstep world sit up and listen when he started releasing next level instrumental grime back in 2007. He's throwing down fireballs of bass and full frontal hip hop and helping us all to forget about the MC. There's a nod in the direction of the California glitch hop sound too. Fresh.

Grimey badman Plastician is widely known as a pioneering producer with fingers in many pies. He absolutely smashes it with a searing mix of dubstep and grime. The MC reaches a bit of an inane crescendo with his relentless 'bumbaklat' chant (what exactly is he doing?) but everyone gets on with the business of having it regardless.

After the two hours of dubstep it feels slightly jarring as Luke Envoy cranks the tempo up several notches to jungle. Within the minute the whole crowd agrees that it's the right move and the temperature soars. Luke Envoy plays the most satisfying old skool jungle set I've heard in years.

He kicks off as he means to go on with 'Renegade' by Terrorist and Ray Keith. You may know it as 'the piano tune'. It's absolutely sick and has a massive, growling bass which sends the dancefloor spasmodic.

Q Project's Champion Sound drops shortly after and the crowd can't believe their luck. Back in the day you couldn't go to a party without hearing this but I haven't heard it for years and I'd forgotten how brutal the bass is. He's going down an absolute treat. These are the old classics which initiated this junglist many years ago and hearing them now, everyone is dancing as if they're 16 and at their first rave.

The music is so good in the main room that I only briefly dip my toe into the back room carnage before returning. My philosophy of watching DJs is you have to do them the honour of seeing their whole set – you have to see where they're going before passing judgement. Just dipping in and out is not an option. And the three sets I see tonight I simply cannot walk away from.  All absolutely outstanding.

The promoters of Them reliably know their music. Just take a look at the next line up – I can guarantee that if you like it rinsing, you'll absolutely love Them.


You can see the Them DJ's at Z Shed, Hub Club on September 4th. Them 7 will be at Rhythm Factory on October 2nd.

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Lowri