Music / Review
Review: Boiler Room, Propyard – ‘Bassy synths and groovy beats’
In the absolutely packed Propyard, Boiler Room made its return to Bristol for a sunny weekend full of huge beats.
Featuring a mix of bigger names and up and coming talent, the weekend showed off the energy of Bristol brilliantly.
Boiler Room Open Air started slowly on Saturday. The weather was fantastic, with blue skies and hot sun providing the perfect backdrop for the stage.
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The beginning of the afternoon was soundtracked by Remi Wanless and Chez De Milo, whose sets consisted of bassy synths and groovy beats.
Despite the crowd taking their time to get in the zone, these first acts performed quality sets, never making the small crowd feel uncomfortable without the safety of a huge mass of people.
Once the cameras started rolling, staff hurriedly rounded up people to surround the stage from all angles and, within a couple hours, the crowd’s energy picked up.
With a mix of people chilling at the back with a cold beer and hardcore fans locked in entirely, the atmosphere was inviting and friendly.
The rest of the day continually upped the energy, with Amaliah being a particular highlight. After her 2022 Boiler Room set, she was one of the buzziest names on the lineup and her set showed off her eclectic taste with a mix of house and techno.
As the queues began building, the Propyard filled out and, as always, she had complete control over the crowd.
The Sunday was also filled with highlights. Despite a rainy start to the day, the weather soon cleared and the tunes began flowing once again.
Even with hangovers from the day before, the crowd was even more buzzy. Food options were pricey but decent, with Smoking Buns and Pizzarova feeding the masses.
One highlight of Sunday was the incredible I. Jordan. Their signature house beats were infectious and refreshed the lineup nicely.
It would have been nice to have more of a variety from Sunday’s lineup and acts like I. Jordan are an example of why eclectic DJ sets are so important.
Closing off the weekend was Denis Sulta, whose high energy set was the perfect finale. Compared to the bright sun of the other sets, Sulta’s took place mainly in the dark, fitting the club atmosphere perfectly.
From within the crowd, it was clear he knew his audience.
The best moments of Boiler Room Open Air, and any electronic festival, were the moments of creativity; the dropping of a Talking Heads track or an unbelievably squelchy synth line, for example.
The talent was clearly on point throughout the weekend and, with a slightly more eclectic mix of genres, the next Boiler Room Open Air could be even more wild.
Main photo: George Ward
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