Sanctum

In September 1990 I began the daily commute to school in central Bristol from Horfield, down Gloucester Rd, across the centre and up Redcliffe hill. For 5 years I traveled this route twice a day and was always accompanied by my Sony Walkman and a rucksack that contained more copied rave tapes than textbooks. 

My school years coincided with the rise of the U.K. underground rave scene and once I had discovered it, was immediately hooked. Those mysterious bleeps, psychedelic flyers and parties shrouded in secrecy captured my curiosity and soon I was 'staying over at a mates house' most weekends and experiencing the scene first hand at Sutra at the UWE, Ruffneck Ting at the Depot and Bristol Exposure at Easton Community Centre. I managed to cobble together a battered belt drive turntable with my mums stack system and a broken Made2Fade mixer and taught myself to mix. I began taking every opportunity I could to make my way home via Replay Records in the Bearpit, spending whatever money I could beg, borrow and steal on hot off the press hardcore and jungle vinyl.

The route I used to take to get from school to Replay cut straight through Temple Park and right past Temple Church. And if my memory serves me correctly, I don’t think I have actually been back there since.

On Thursday this week Chicago based artist Theaster Gates’ project ‘Sanctum’ will begin within the bombed out remains of the 14th century site and continue for 24 days until Saturday 21st November. A remarkable structure will rise from within Temple Church and will host a continuous programme of sound over 552 hours and create an intimate gathering place in which to hear the city like never before.

I have accepted an invitation to host a 60 minute slot at Sanctum and will be using the opportunity to retrace some of my personal history through music. It is a real honour to be able to do this in a place that has meaning from an earlier period in my life and is perhaps more than just a coincidence.

Ill be taking it back to my old school days playing an all vinyl live DJ mix of tunes that informed my youth and document the rave years ’87-’97. These are all well loved, 25 year old records - Embrace the snap, crackle and pops.

Email: info@acerone.org for more info.