Wow my feet hurt today. Must’ve pounded a good solid 10 miles of West London tarmac on Bank Holiday Monday – at Europe’s biggest outdoor streetparty, the Notting Hill Carnival.

We’d been booked to headline at The Masons Arms afterparty on the Harrow Road along with numerous London Luminaries from the Dance Music fraternity: Justin Robertson, Dub Pistols, The Whip, The Cuban Brothers to name but a few so at about 2pm (I know, I know – must try harder at that whole “morning” thing) – I headed off to get my Soca on, whistle at the ready…

I stepped into The Cobden Club on Kensal Road as I realised it was Kiss HQ for the day. Inside I ran into Rickie & Melvin (Kiss Breakfast Presenters par excellence), reporting live alongside DJ Swerve & Jez Welham. Quick hello’s & a cheeky plug for our DJ set later, & I was back in the thick of it.

Eventually made it down to the Westway where Red Bull were hosting the Major Lazer Sound System BBQ, featuring Diplo, Switch, Toddla T & just about every other big hitter in the Electro scene. It was basically THE big ticket for clubheads at Carnival this year – strictly invite only – & although we were on the guestlist, it soon became clear that the 50-odd other people clamouring to get in were all “On The List” too! Security were having none of it. We were all clearly way too late. Gutted.

So that was a non-starter. I heard the first 20 minutes of Major Lazer from outside though – sounded pretty sick. Time for Plan B: off to the S.L.A.C.K. Party at The Metropolitan. Much better idea. We easily beat the rush for the 7pm official start time. Rather depressingly, Popeye & Olive Oil, who had been casually snaking their way across West London all this time at 1/2 mph managed to beat us though, & they lolled their collective heads rather disparagingly at me (I felt) as we queued up to get in. So much for my sneaky back routes…

Inside, Radio1’s Annie Mac was throwing down some bouncy drum’n'bass on the packed upstairs terrace. The sound system was sorely lacking any proper bass but it really didn’t matter & one by one, just about anyone who’s ANYone on the club scene materialised from the nearby environs, regaling one another with the highs & lows of their experiences over the weekend. Both Switch & Diplo arrived, still glowing from their huge Major Lazer gig, Fake Blood was there just soaking up the general carnival atmosphere, my Kiss compatriot Sinden
was on fine form, DJ Zinc, Toddla T, Jack Beats, Seiji, Skream, Nick Grimshaw… The list was all but endless. My good friend DJ Sam Roqwell rather worryingly observed at one point “if they dropped a bomb on this place right now, they would decimate the remix community…” Well quite.

Had such a brilliant day. Carnival in the Sunshine makes me feel honoured to call myself a Londoner. Until next year then everyone…

Saucy

After you guys chose Lovelle as the UK ambassador on the Pepsi-back Akon single “Oh Africa”, the time has finally come!

On Sunday (31st January), the single will be released, and we all hope it gets to number one!

The song, featuring Akon and Keri Hilson (pictured with Lovelle, right) is giving proceeds from the sales to helping underprivileged African youth. Akon’s Konfidence Foundation, (Konfidence.org), will be one of the main charities set to receive a portion of the proceeds.

Check out konfidence.org to download the track, and check back here next week for more information and videos!

Maxcast Team