Rumpus Headliners inc Gypsy Hill, Theo Bard, The Legitimate Gentlemen and Alejandro Toledo
photo by Alice Peperell
This Friday, Rumpus are kicking off the festival season with their indoor carnival. The theme is 'Frontiers', so expect some fantastical costumes alongside ground breaking musical acts.
We caught up with some of the headliners to find out what they're working on....
Alejandro Toledo
RR: What do you have in store for us at Rumpus on 6th June?
I have something no one has heard before for the June Rumpus. A few months ago I concluded my Ph.D. in music performance at Goldsmiths, University of London, and have since been working on a new sound, which I'll be showcasing on Friday. These new pieces that I’ve written derive from various ideas and desires that had been dwelling around my head these past years but I'd never had the time to put it all together. These last months I’ve committed all my time to getting this new project finished, and have been rehearsing tirelessly with my ensemble. It will be a blast, and will leave a lasting impression, that's for sure.
As well as playing with my band (Theo Bard Posse) I do a lot of busking with my 'downstairs mixup', where I play drums with my feet. This means I've got loads of material; I sometimes play really beautiful downbeat sets, but I've also got plenty of rowdy material for a dancing crowd. At Knockengorroch festival we had a listening set in the anglo-saxon longhouse, then a super upbeat one on the dance stage the next day. That was pretty much perfect for me. At Rumpus our set is at 1.30am so we'll be putting the emphasis on dance grooves. We'll be tearing it up as never before, with our new lineup featuring former Bjork drummer Tansay Omar. Suffice to say he's got an ear for a bouncy beat.
Theo Bard
RR: What are the key ingredients for a good party?
Good crowd, great vibe and Nurofen.
My key ingredients for a good party include an interesting showcase of some kind (mostly pertaining to live music, but anything that includes live performance can apply) and a friendly, open-minded atmosphere amongst experienced party-goers. Most importantly, a party should be fun, otherwise it’s not a party in my definition. As straightforward as this sounds, I’ve been to many parties that I have not considered to be fun; the majority of parties I’ve attended actually. This is of course a subjective opinion, and I’m also very particular when it comes to enjoying myself amongst large crowds. I’ve actually performed at Rumpus a couple of years ago. I thought it was one of the best parties in London I’ve attended or performed at. This is because it had all these key elements that make up a good party for me: interesting, friendly, open-minded, and fun. I expect the June 2014 Rumpus will be even better.
The key ingredients to a good party are lemons. Because when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Wait, was the question about lemonade? Er... a party is a lot like lemonade, it's got to be tasty and full of pop.
Gypsy Hill
The Legitimate Gentlemen
RR: How would you describe your sound?
Electro swing with live elements and great chat.
Combining deep rootsy grooves with killer lyrics and unforgettable choruses.
This project’s sound is different from what I had previously been doing with the Magic Tombolinos. I’ve experimented combining electronic Dub music with rhythms from Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. The grooves are carried out by the Croatian Marco Quarantotto, a hyperactive super machine on the drums. The rhythms have been worked out in conjunction with electronic musician Rob Shipster, who brings an array of experimental electronic sounds to the mix, as well as live percussion. On electric bass, the crazy Matteo Grassi works the sub frequencies. Then, on guitar, the brilliant guitarist Jack Haigh from Leeds counterpoints my sax and vocals. Finally, I’m on saxophones and vocals. My saxophone lines derive from a mixture of my classical background with Eastern-European (Gypsy) Roma. For this project, I’ve broken as many models as I could for my saxophone lines. The result is fun, fun to play at least; the crowd at Rumpus will be the judge if it’s fun to dance to as well.
Old Yemenis chewing khat with Romanians horn players at a south london rave!
Check out the full line-up for Rumpus here and book your tickets here.