How house music built its comeback in Nottingham

Video: Where You At organiser Dec Shutts

It’s two years since Nottingham house event Where You At was born – in one room in a city pub.

Today it attracts thousands of people from across Notts wherever it appears and is a platform for DJs who are trying to break into the music industry.

It celebrated its second birthday at the Market Bar on Friday, having been founded at Spanky’s on Goldsmith Street in March 2014.

Dec Shutts, 25, from West Bridgford, who organised the event, said: “At where you’re at we’re trying to book people that are under the radar or have never played in Nottingham before.”

Special guest Adam Shelton who has previously played at Ibiza was brought in to help promote the event, where up-and-coming DJs such as Tom Dawson are given a platform to showcase their talent.

The 21-year-old from Nottingham said:”To become a resident DJ on a night like this gives you more drive to carry on with what I’m doing because the music industry is so hard to break into these days you need that little push.”

It’s just about people loving the music

 

Other venues in Nottingham are also promoting the house scene, however Dec Shutts believes that some of these venues are taking the limelight away from local talent.

Dec said: “Some places are dominating the whole scene at the moment and they’re not fulfilling what they’re trying to say by booking big artists that they’ve booked for a long time.

He added: “Were trying to break the scene which is a very hard thing to do but you get there eventually.”

Where You At resident DJ Jason J Matter experimented with different styles before settling on the house genre and earning a residency.

He said: “Dec has given us an opportunity to show people what we want to do, I’ve got that dream that everyone’s got to make it into the music industry.

“I started with garage, and I have seen the house scene progress and I’ve got more into house music. The big thing with the house scene is that the people who are pushing it love the music. It’s not just about the fact that it’s house, it’s the fact everyone is loving everyone’s company.

“Forget the gimmicks forget everything else its just about people loving the music.”