Kings Of The Rollers continued their Royal Rumble tour at London’s Studio 338 on 19 April, which celebrated the release of their new debut album. The Royal Rumble tour has seen the trio take on some of the most renowned venues across the UK, with support from local newcomers and established artists performing in a similar back-to-back-to-back format.
The Terrace - Royal Rumble
Kicking off the rumble in the Terrace, were the up-and-comers T>I, Unglued and Kyrist, each known individually for their unique signature sound. T>I's low-fi mechanical rhythms, Unglued's experimental jungle rollers and Kyrist's dark neurofunk style, blended seamlessly together. Although the artists each perform different styles drum and bass, their music still flowed as one.
Next up, were the Soul In Motion residents Need for Mirrors and Bailey, alongside DJ Krust. These veterans brought with them sweet-sounding liquid drum and bass, coupled with melodic classics and old-school rollers. Their selection of soulful vibes and uplifting tracks suited the sunlit venue as the ravers began to fill the main room.
As the sun started to set, jungle dubplate legends Bryan Gee and Jumpin Jack Frost took to the stage with the award-winning Benny L, hosted by the enigmatic MC Bassman. Bryan Gee, the head-honcho of V Recordings, drew from his collection of forthcoming rollers from his label, whereas Jumpin Jack Frost spun an array of unreleased dubs. Benny L on the other hand, let loose his raw and uncontainable fog horn sound, including the sought-after tune, Vanta Black taken from his forthcoming Metalheadz release.
With the venue hitting full capacity, the crowd was buzzing to see the two and-a-half-hour set from Kings of The Rollers, hosted by their dedicated MC Inja. The trio comprised of Serum, Voltage and Bladerunner, delivered anthem after anthem from their new album, most notably their track You Got Me received a huge crowd reaction. Their performance took us on a journey from when they first formed in 2017, through to their Hospital signing and new album. Their set was packed with the artists’ iconic releases through the years including Serum’s famous ‘Black Metal’. Their album cover may seem friendly and includes an inflatable cricket bat but their passion for rollers runs deep and their guns-blazing style of DJing, which made for one of the most impressive sets of 2019 - it was made clear why these artists are named the Kings.
Rounding off the night, were the dark roller heavyweights Doc Scott, Total Science and Randall. They dropped tracks from across the drum and bass spectrum including new sounds from Lupo, Benny L and the Metalheadz library. Their exclusive selection combined with their ‘let the tunes roll’ approach to DJing culminated in a heated dub-for-dub performance, which fittingly rounded off the night.
The Loft - Run DNB
Hosting room two, were Bristol’s premier drum and bass event organisers Run, curated by D*Minds. The takeover saw underground artists from around the UK throwing down in a dim-lit, void sound system brawl. Dubz Audio’s Dutta and Playaz Recording’s Annix spun their classic jump up sound, whereas Crissy Criss, Mollie Collins and TS2W drew for heavy dancefloor hitters.
A standout set was Playaz Recording’s newest signing Critical Impact, who has also collaborated with Break, Skibadee and Jakes, and has recently had a released on Metalheadz. As a relatively new artist, his set got a huge crowd reaction, with an almost full-capacity room two.
Kings Of The Rollers Royal Rumble has been one of the most memorable events of the year so far. The hard work from the artists, organisers and appreciation by the dedicated ravers made for positive vibes from start to finish. As drum and bass gains more of a presence in Studio 338’s calendar, Royal Rumble is going to be a difficult one to top in their summer season.
Information on where the Royal Rumble tour is heading next is available here.
Photography by Cathy Whatever
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