...written and compiled by spank.
twelves | groove connection tour | grind creative collective / elevate
Throughout Leamington Spa, England there are groups working in collaboration creating a stir in the local scene. Elevate and Grind Creative Collective, who all originate from the Grays Mallory parties, have built their reputation through hard work and style. With their hand-made backdrops and ultraviolet worlds, they have formulated a new wave of grooves and beats. Both groups believe in the free party concept and this shows in the time they have spent developing and educating their sound. Predominantly, the styles in each group are different: Elevate have a largely techno and trance feel whereas Grind believe in a more open style ranging from big beat to ragga. What is most impressive is that these groups don't just spin slabs off vinyl, they produce tracks which verge on a professional level, their live P.A.s of trance and drum and bass developing a level of originality in intervals which create a fusion of sounds.
Grind showed this at their most recent gigs in Leamington's Jug & Jester and Kelly's (playing on the same night), where they joined forces with Bongo and Frogeye to produce a night to remember. These people deserve respect: those who don't get paid deserve all the help they can get. It is groups like Grind and Elevate who help to break down barriers within communities and create a mixed culture of electronic and live music.
Stuart Ibbotson
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