Having established themselves as one of the most in-demand acts in the industry, Gorgon City have enjoyed stellar success over the past 5-years thanks to their blend of bass-driven house music and addictive vocals.
Also, Matt & Kye’s ‘Kingdom’ party brand sees a return to their roots where they play extended DJ sets instead of the full live band, channeling the essence and energy of the UK’s underground house and techno scene. The global event series has previously seen sell out UK, USA and European tours as well as hosting their own Kingdom Stage at SW4 and legendary party at The BPM Festival in Mexico with Kerri Chandler, Solardo & Latmun.
The brand also encompasses Gorgon City’s well established Kingdom Radio show heard on SiriusXM in the US. Broadcasted in over 40 countries to over 14 million estimated live listeners, Kingdom Radio showcases all of Gorgon City’s favorite tracks and unreleased gems from the duo each week.
We had the chance to talk with Gorgon City as they are about to embark on a new UK tour.
Electronic Groove: Hey guys, thanks for the time to chat with us. Your upcoming 2018 March-April KINGDOM tour has now been announced. How does it feel to be heading back out on the road
Gorgon City: Thanks to you for having us. We can’t wait to continue with our ‘KINGDOM’ events. It feels good to start 2018 with a big DJ tour alongside a massive live show at Brixton Academy.
EG: What was the inspiration behind the event and radio show name, ‘KINGDOM’?
Gorgon City: We have always felt like a mythical destination and the name felt like a good one to represent a new element of that place.
EG: What are you looking forward to about being back on tour?
Gorgon City: DJing with our friends and some of our favorite artists is so much fun. Also seeing all our fans in crazy places is always amazing.
EG: The tour includes a live date at the O2 Academy Brixton on March 31st. What can people expect from the show?
Gorgon City: A full live band, singers and loads of new music. We’ll also be bringing a new light show too, it is going to be big!
EG: For each KINGDOM tour you put together, the lineups reflect your passion for more underground sounds. You have handpicked important guests previously including Camelphat, Kerri Chandler, Solardo and Booka Shade. Who can we expect to see on this tour?
Gorgon City: Loads of people in a similar vein. We’ve got Booka Shade for the Brixton show which is crazy for us as we’ve grown up on their music. Also, Disciples are joining us in Birmingham which is always good vibes.
EG: What pressures, if any, do you feel when performing a set?
Gorgon City: You obviously always want to smash it, keeping the tune selection fresh is a must as people come and see us time and time again. We don’t feel much pressure though, we have a fun up there…
EG: You launched the KINGDOM event back in 2015. You’ve sold out 3 tours including your UK, USA and European KINGDOM tours. How has it been to see your event grow on a huge scale in the space of just a few years?
Gorgon City: It’s been crazy, the shows have all been great and the crowds get better and more diverse every time.
EG: Your fan base continues to grow on an international scale. Where are some of your favorite places to play based on crowd response/interaction?
Gorgon City: Los Angeles is always a vibe, we have a massive fanbase in California, which is mind-blowing. Ibiza is our summer home so we feel very comfortable there as well and Amnesia look after us very well.
“You obviously always want to smash it”
EG: 2016 saw the Kingdom stage come to South West 4. How did that opportunity come about?
Gorgon City: Our agent Obi had the idea with our manager Greg. We’d done the main stage before and felt the next step was to have our own tent. It was a great day, we had T Williams, Shadow Child and loads more amazing DJs.
EG: When playing in a festival environment, in what ways do your sets differ to that you would play on tour?
Gorgon City: We probably play a bit harder and a little more accessible as there are people there not specifically to see us, so you need to make everyone have a good time.
EG: Talk us through the process that takes place when creating event lineups.
Gorgon City: We make lists of all the people we’re loving at the time and also some close friends that we 100% want there anyway. Then we see if they’re available and that pretty much it!
EG: Who have been some of your favorite guests to bring to the KINGDOM events to date and why?
Gorgon City: Solardo always kill it and they’re great lads too. We’re massive fans of Paul Woolford too, he did an amazing set at our show in Liverpool in December.
EG: With the event now hitting over 40 cities across the globe, what do you hope to achieve moving forward?
Gorgon City: We want to reach new crowds that may not associate us with underground house music, and give them the other side of Gorgon which is groove-based heavy house music. Also putting more big lineups together!
EG: You also host your weekly KINGDOM radio show which is broadcast in 40 countries and to over 14-million listeners. Why did you first decide to start a radio show?
Gorgon City: For a similar reason we started the events. We wanted a platform to show the more underground side of Gorgon City and also to represent talent that we support in our DJ sets.
EG: No doubt a lot of work goes into show preparation. How do you prepare for the show?
Gorgon City: The live show takes a lot of rehearsals. We all meet up in rehearsal studios, create the show and all the transitions, jams and moments. Each show takes about a week to prepare, and we update the show each tour. It’s a lot of work.
“We want to reach new crowds”
EG: The show is a great way for you to share the music you love on a personal level. Who are you listening to at the moment?
Gorgon City: Some producers we’re feeling are Krystal Klear, German Brigante, Joseph Ashworth and Black Girl/White Girl.
EG: What have been some of your highlights on the radio to date?
Gorgon City: Having guest mixes using live recordings from our KINGDOM events has been great. We had Lee Foss, Max Chapman and Klose One on there.
EG: How do you go about sourcing new music and underground sounds for your shows?
Gorgon City: We check our promos every other day pretty much and check Beatport and Soundcloud for new bits too. Also Vinyl shopping in London is fun, but expensive!
EG: Where would you like to take the brand KINGDOM moving forward?
Gorgon City: We want to build the radio show even more and bring our concept to more festivals all over the globe.
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