Name: Junction 2 (UK)
Start: 2022-06-03T12:00:00.000-08:00
End: 2022-06-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

Junction 2 puts the music before everything.

That may sound like the bare minimum for a music festival. After all, “music” makes up half of the term. But with every passing year, the music festival market biomes more saturated, and every new event has to find a way to stand out.

, however, only needs the music to stand out. It premiered in 2016 on a June afternoon in London. According to Will Harold, co-founder of the festival, it was “born out of our passion for music,” and that passion has developed into one of the most in-demand music events of the year.

Looking back at Junction 2 rosters between 2016 and 2019, it becomes clear that diversity on all levels is a salient principle of their booking strategy. Each stage is curated more on energy rather than concrete details like tempo, label, or the Beatport category most likely associated with the artists in question.

 stage housed familiar favorites like Adam Beyer and 

, and a rare Modular Pursuits live set from Detroit legend Carl Craig. 



The CityFox Halloween Festival returns to Brooklyn's adored venue, Avant Gardner this Friday and Saturday. The long-anticipated Halloween spectacular is CityFox's first Halloween event since 2019 and promises to be their largest and most enchanting to date. The spine-chilling lineup features an array of house and techno’s top talent and most electrifying rising stars over two ghastly nights of tricks and treats.

Zurich-born, Brooklyn-based CityFox is one of the most lauded event producers in the game. Their combination of underground sensibilities and intense attention to detail is the driving force behind events that seduce the spirit and tantalize the senses. Their transformation of a gritty industrial space in East Williamsburg into the award-winning Brooklyn Mirage is a testament to their ability to build mesmerizing worlds to explore. 

Now in it its third year, the festival will undoubtedly be a feast for the senses. Combining larger-than-life deco, state-of-the-art sound, and—of course—fire for an unforgettable return to Halloween celebrations.

CityFox's reputation for expert curation is well documented. Each event always combines the best established and emerging talent for a journey through the wide breadth of dance music. This year revelers will enjoy the sounds of legendary acts like British progressive pioneer John Digweed, architects of Detroit techno Carl Craig and Kevin Saunderson, and GRAMMY Award-winning minimal techno hero Dubfire.



Cityfox Halloween Festival Tickets are almost gone, get yours now!



Also slated to perform are Drumcode mainstay and passionate advocate for social justice Ida Engberg, Billboard chart-topping Brazillian artist Vintage Culture, and Afterlife regulars Fideles, Innellea, Mathame, and Stephen Jolk. West African-born, Brooklyn-based AMEME will bring his scintillating afro-inspired electronic beats. And Cassian who mixed RÜFÜS DU SOL's albums Bloom and Solace will draw from his diverse sonic palate for a rousing set.

CityFox core artist Juston Marchaco has been teasing the live version of his emotive melodic techno via Instagram. German artist and Innervisions mainstay Recondite’s slant towards the dark and eerie will provide the perfect atmosphere for a Halloween performance. And the Copenhagen experimental pop trio WhoMadeWho will undoubtedly bring a fresh and unexpected vibe to CityFox.

CityFox Halloween promises to be a memorable and historic return to form for CityFox, an organization that has quickly become a fan favorite and an example of how to elevate the underground.

Limited tickets are still available for CityFox Halloween Festival here

Feel the Fright at CityFox Halloween Festival in New York

By 2019 some of the most respected musical forces in the UK curated the stages.

Carl Cox b2b Adam Beyer at Junction 2

Surely it gets no bigger?
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Sign up for Junction 2 in 2019: https://www.junction2.london

Junction 2 , A LWE event, saw three heavyweight back-to-back sessions for its third edition at London’s Boston Manor Park on June 9.

Heading up the bill was Adam Beyer and Carl Cox, who will be spinning a world exclusive duel set, as well as playing separate solo slots. Dixon and Âme also helmed a six hour session together, and Sonja Moonear is joined forces with Nicolas Lutz.

Ahead of the festival, Adam Beyer said: "It's a dream come true. Playing back-to-back with one of my absolute heroes will be one of the highlights of my life personally as well as professionally".

Thumbnail by Sam Neill.

Tracklist:
00:00 Danny Tenaglia ft. Celeda - Music Is The Answer (Dancin' And Prancin') (Luca Agnelli Remix) [TWISTED AMERICA]
4:40 ANNA - Portable Paradise [DRUMCODE]  
8:39 Patrik Berg ft. Matt Sassari - Driving Force [TERMINAL M]
12:00 Darren Emerson - Deadlock [INTEC]  
16:50 Riva Starr pres. Hyperloop & Green Velvet - S-Sound [DRUMCODE]
21:10 Brennen Grey - Through The Lens (Opus - It's A Fine Day Edit) [INTEC]
25:50 Elio Riso & Muter - Twilo (Vikthor Remix) [NATURA VIVA]
29:30 Sisko Electrofanatik - Overground (Original Mix) [Intec Digital] 
track: https://www.beatport.com/track/overground-original-mix/11674887
38:10 Adam Beyer & Bart Skils - Your Mind [DRUMCODE]
42:30 A Homeboy, A Hippie, A Funki Dredd - Total Confusion (ROD & Benny Rodrigues Edit) [DIFFERENT (PIAS)]
48:50 Carlo Lio - Get On Up (Paco Osuna Remix) [MINDSHAKE]
51:35 Loco & Jam - Heat It Up [TRONIC]  
54:00 Future Sound of London - Papua New Guinea (Bart Skills Rework)
57:14 Koen Groeneveld & Fierce Ruling Diva - You Gotta Believe [_ABZOLUT (SPINNIN')]
1:00:00 Boxia - Rezerection
1:08:00 Cirez D - On Off [MOUSEVILLE]  
1:10:00 Adam Beyer - What You Need [DRUMCODE]
1:15:00 Wehbba - Catarse
1:18:55 Jose Ogalla - A Night In Giogio (ID Remix)
1:22:27 Enrico Sangiuliano - Symbiosis [DRUMCODE]

CARL COX b2b ADAM BEYER at Junction 2

The legendary nightlife institution Fabric took over (rather under) the infamous Bridge stage on the first night with a lineup primed for  Room 1. Innervisions boss Dixon (who is practically always booked as a closer) played in the middle of the day while Fabric regulars Craig Richards and Ricardo Villalobos joined forces to close out the night with a back-to-back set.

London’s premier record shop, Phonica, also curated a stage in 2019, bringing the effortless funk of Motor City Drum Ensemble and Hunee under the tent at The Stretch, one of the chiller corners of Junction 2.

All this was happening while the festival founders booked the Main Stage, where Tale of Us and Maceo Plex rallied for six hours, each playing their own set then closing with a back-to-back.

For 2022, no stage hosts are announced, but there is a lineup, and it’s a surefire pick for one of the best of the year. On very few events do you see the throbbing techno of Kobosil next to the organic world music of Four Tet. There will also be live sets galore from the likes of 999999999, 

, E-Dancer (A.K.A. Kevin Saunderson), and Fatima Yamaha.

Will Clarke, the bearded Britt with the pounding techno beats has completely reshaped his career over the last two years. His shift from Dirtybirdesque house to thumping techno, with a purpose, has been effortless. And the veteran DJ and producer is clearly in the most comfortable space of his career. Releases like "U Take Me Higher," "Hallelujah," and "My Church" (with MK) have proven his aptitude for crafting warehouse-ready cuts that are body rocking and emotionally reverent. 



“I'm trying to write songs that have a bit of a meaning,” Clarke told Gray Area earlier this year. 

He also revealed his dance music origin story. He was first inspired to DJ after seeing 90s icons Faithless perform when he was still quite young. Clarke began DJing as a teenager. And with such a long history, the thought occurred to us that he'd be the perfect person to tap for a playlist of classic techno cuts. His knowledge of dance music is deep, so we knew his list would be a treat. You can check out what he has to say about his favorite jams below, and listen to the playlist via Spotify.

Joey Beltram - Mentasm (1991)

“Absolute belter, I've always loved what Joey did for the techno scene way before I was even working in the genre. However, I recently met him and he’s such a lovely dude which just made it all even better. Do meet your idols, it's key."



Laurent Garnier - Crispy Bacon (1997)

“This came out in 1997, I was seven and it still sounds fucking amazing today and better than most techno tracks currently being released.  If there was an Electronic Music Hall Of Fame, Laurent would be the first person to be inducted”



Maceo Plex - Conjure Sex (2014)

“More of a modern day classic for me, this record just hits different on the dancefloor. Maceo is current day god, everything he touches is unreal."



Jeff Mills - The Bells (1996)

“Do I really need to explain why I love this record? Nope didn't think so”


MK - Burning (1992)

“Yes to all the techno snobs out there saying this isn't techno. No shit Sherlock! It's still better than any record out there and was released 20 years ago”




Bobby Peru, Paul Woolford - Erotic Discourse (Dense & Pika Remix) [2008]

“The original is fucking solid but I remember hearing this in a club once and falling in love with it. It started my love for the Dense & Pika boys who I personally think are some of the best producers around today”


Plastikman - Spastik (1993)

“So simple yet so beautiful, the first time I heard this I was a little confused but after a few listens I was sold, absolute genius record”


Burial - Archangel (2007)

“I have spent many nights in the studio listening to this whole album, it brings back so many memories of when I first started going to Ibiza and I would play his records during the sunset. Again, not quintessential techno but an absolute masterpiece.”


Green Velvet - Stalker (1996)

“I have loved this record for years, played it many times and although its 13:24 long it always amazes me how it doesnt get boring and slams every time”


DVS1 - Black Russian (2014)

“From the first time I heard this I knew it was special and to this day its one of my go to records to put me in a good mood, I love it and it works soooo well on the dancefloor”

Will Clarke Shares His Essential Classic Techno Tracks

But beyond the eclectic sounds, Junction 2 is an event that inspires loyalty among the artists. Adam Beyer has played every event starting in 2016 with his Drumcode friends in tow. Dixon will be returning for their third consecutive festival. 

That kind of commitment to one event displays a deep connection to its values and a deep love for the energy. There is no doubt that love and harmony will come out in sets from regulars. Furthermore, it will be compounded after so much time off due to the pandemic and the fact that this will be the biggest Junction 2 yet.

Tale Of Us Epic Melodic Techno Set From Junction 2

Tale Of Us perform an amazing two hour set live from Junction 2 festival, London. 

The  infamous Afterlife Label bosses take us on a deep melodic techno journey live from the main stage at Junction 2 festival.

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Tale Of Us Epic Melodic Techno Set From Junction 2 Festival

Initially, Junction 2 hosted 10,000 people for a one-day affair, expanding to two days in its third year and hosting 30,000 people across an entire weekend for their latest edition. 

Throughout that time, Junction 2 stayed at the same venue, 

, on the west side of London. The hallmark of the location is the stage known as The Bridge.

As the name would suggest, The Bridge lies beneath a highway that runs through the park’s center. With concrete and steel interlocking overhead while grass, trees, and steady-flowing streams flank the dancefloor, The Bridge offers an authentic underground experience punctuated by the serenity of nature.

This stage has stood strong since 2016 and serves as the nucleus of Junction 2. The event started with three stages and has since expanded to five stages over the three following years. Now the event allows attendees to fully explore the city-wrapped village green, enjoying the sights and (more importantly) sounds that fit the diverse environment.

There is a temporary indoor complex known as The Warehouse where experimental heavy hitters like Objekt and Amelie Lens have performed. Finally, the Woods is a shaded cove where the slower, sexier sounds of Nicolas Lutz and Ben UFO have a home.

Junction 2 does not offer VIP amenities to further their commitment to the music. Everyone is equal on the dance floor. Everyone pays the same price and gets the same sound and view. This is the type of festival people want post-COVID. After two years of forced separation, why seclude yourself at a festival by hiding away in VIP? Get on the dance floor and enjoy the energy of those around you.

That commitment extends beyond the event to the Junction 2 presence on the internet. Like many events, their website has a “news” section, but in this section, the considerable majority of the posts are dedicated to new music. 

Regular pieces include monthly roundups of new releases, whether the artists have played Junction 2 or not. They’ve also curated an original mix series and two 

 is a biweekly curation from the event’s staff of favorites and hidden gems, while 

 is made up of songs specifically played in Junction 2’s office as the team is hard at work making the next festival happen.


Gray Area makes another step in its mission to “unify and strengthen the House Music community around the world,” today by partnering with Spotify for an official editorial playlist on the streaming platform. Gray Area Guest List launched with over five hours of house and techno from the forward-thinking and creative voices that are defining the myriad sounds of underground dance. 



Spotify’s Guest List playlists allow noted brands and artists to take over an official editorial playlist curating it from top to bottom precisely to match that brand’s unique footprint. And the Gray Area list is lovingly selected to reflect the future of dance music.



Included are songs from Gray Area Spotlight featured artists QRTR, LP Giobbi, Vintage Culture, and Will Clarke. Alongside bonafide legends like Ricardo Villalobos, Miss Kittin, Maya Jane Coles, Anja Schneider, Guy Gerber, Steve Bug, The Martinez Brothers, Joseph Capriati, Jamie Jones, Louie Vega, Pig & Dan, Royksopp, and Maceo Plex. 2022 GRAMMY Award nominee Black Coffee, Repopulate Mars boss Lee Foss, Drumcode front-man Adam Beyer, and Godfather of House Frankie Knuckles are also featured.


The Gray Area Guest List is a great way to get familiar with the sweeping sonic footprint of house and techno. Too often, we get stuck in our own lane, and the beauty of dance music is that it encompasses an array of shifting moods and aural textures. So take yourself on a journey through the expanse of underground dance music, turn up the volume and Let There Be More House Music.




Gray Area Takes Over Spotify's Official Guest List Playlist

Junction 2 returns to Boston Manor Park on June 3-4, 2022. Same weekend of the year. Same convenient location. Not much has changed about Junction since its launch in 2016. The music still comes first, and at this rate, it always will.

Junction 2 (UK)

Words by: Harry Levin

Junction 2 puts the music before everything.

That may sound like the bare minimum for a music festival. After all, “music” makes up half of the term. But with every passing year, the music festival market biomes more saturated, and every new event has to find a way to stand out.

Junction 2, however, only needs the music to stand out. It premiered in 2016 on a June afternoon in London. According to Will Harold, co-founder of the festival, it was “born out of our passion for music,” and that passion has developed into one of the most in-demand music events of the year.

Looking back at Junction 2 rosters between 2016 and 2019, it becomes clear that diversity on all levels is a salient principle of their booking strategy. Each stage is curated more on energy rather than concrete details like tempo, label, or the Beatport category most likely associated with the artists in question.

For example, at Junction 2 2016, the Drumcode stage housed familiar favorites like Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg, and a rare Modular Pursuits live set from Detroit legend Carl Craig. 

By 2019 some of the most respected musical forces in the UK curated the stages.

The legendary nightlife institution Fabric took over (rather under) the infamous Bridge stage on the first night with a lineup primed for  Room 1. Innervisions boss Dixon (who is practically always booked as a closer) played in the middle of the day while Fabric regulars Craig Richards and Ricardo Villalobos joined forces to close out the night with a back-to-back set.

London’s premier record shop, Phonica, also curated a stage in 2019, bringing the effortless funk of Motor City Drum Ensemble and Hunee under the tent at The Stretch, one of the chiller corners of Junction 2.

All this was happening while the festival founders booked the Main Stage, where Tale of Us and Maceo Plex rallied for six hours, each playing their own set then closing with a back-to-back.

For 2022, no stage hosts are announced, but there is a lineup, and it’s a surefire pick for one of the best of the year. On very few events do you see the throbbing techno of Kobosil next to the organic world music of Four Tet. There will also be live sets galore from the likes of 999999999, Dense & Pika, E-Dancer (A.K.A. Kevin Saunderson), and Fatima Yamaha.

But beyond the eclectic sounds, Junction 2 is an event that inspires loyalty among the artists. Adam Beyer has played every event starting in 2016 with his Drumcode friends in tow. Dixon will be returning for their third consecutive festival. 

That kind of commitment to one event displays a deep connection to its values and a deep love for the energy. There is no doubt that love and harmony will come out in sets from regulars. Furthermore, it will be compounded after so much time off due to the pandemic and the fact that this will be the biggest Junction 2 yet.

Initially, Junction 2 hosted 10,000 people for a one-day affair, expanding to two days in its third year and hosting 30,000 people across an entire weekend for their latest edition. 

Throughout that time, Junction 2 stayed at the same venue, Boston Manor Park, on the west side of London. The hallmark of the location is the stage known as The Bridge.

As the name would suggest, The Bridge lies beneath a highway that runs through the park’s center. With concrete and steel interlocking overhead while grass, trees, and steady-flowing streams flank the dancefloor, The Bridge offers an authentic underground experience punctuated by the serenity of nature.

This stage has stood strong since 2016 and serves as the nucleus of Junction 2. The event started with three stages and has since expanded to five stages over the three following years. Now the event allows attendees to fully explore the city-wrapped village green, enjoying the sights and (more importantly) sounds that fit the diverse environment.

There is a temporary indoor complex known as The Warehouse where experimental heavy hitters like Objekt and Amelie Lens have performed. Finally, the Woods is a shaded cove where the slower, sexier sounds of Nicolas Lutz and Ben UFO have a home.

Junction 2 does not offer VIP amenities to further their commitment to the music. Everyone is equal on the dance floor. Everyone pays the same price and gets the same sound and view. This is the type of festival people want post-COVID. After two years of forced separation, why seclude yourself at a festival by hiding away in VIP? Get on the dance floor and enjoy the energy of those around you.

That commitment extends beyond the event to the Junction 2 presence on the internet. Like many events, their website has a “news” section, but in this section, the considerable majority of the posts are dedicated to new music. 

Regular pieces include monthly roundups of new releases, whether the artists have played Junction 2 or not. They’ve also curated an original mix series and two Spotify playlists. Junction 2 Selects is a biweekly curation from the event’s staff of favorites and hidden gems, while Junction 2 Office Picks is made up of songs specifically played in Junction 2’s office as the team is hard at work making the next festival happen.

Junction 2 returns to Boston Manor Park on June 3-4, 2022. Same weekend of the year. Same convenient location. Not much has changed about Junction since its launch in 2016. The music still comes first, and at this rate, it always will.

Gray Area Spotlight: Junction 2 Festival (Will Harold)

London is known the world over for its unique, historic, and fascinating club culture. Institutions like Fabric, XOYO, Ministry of Sound, Printworks, and more have welcomed artists from all over the world and fostered musical exploration that’s shifted the course of dance music’s evolution. Junction 2 is a festival that manifests London’s unique, historic, and fascinating club culture in an outdoor, multi-stage environment.

Read the full Spotlight: https://grayarea.co/magazine/festival-spotlight-junction-2-co-founder-will-harold

▪️Follow Junction 2▪️
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/junction_2/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/junction_2
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Junction2London/
Website - https://www.junction2.london/festival

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/entergrayarea/
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Gray Area's mission is to build a bigger house music community in North America by helping fans discover exciting house music artists, event brands and festivals that are new to them. 

#grayarea #junction2 #housemusic

London is known the world over for its unique, historic, and fascinating club culture. Institutions like Fabric, XOYO, 

, Printworks, and more have welcomed artists from all over the world and fostered musical exploration that’s shifted the course of dance music’s evolution.

Ministry Of Sound


Modern British clubbing may have been altered by Shoom in December 1987; however, the template for the contemporary British club—the layout, the sound system, the vibe—was created by Ministry of Sound. The landmark club opened thirty years ago in a former bus depot in London’s Elephant & Castle, with four separate dance floors and numerous bars, not to mention the most three-dimensional speakers in the business.
       

Founded by DJ Justin Berkmann, also a resident for the first four years, Ministry became one of the most widely known clubs and clubbing brands globally, licensing dozens of mix CDs during the nineties and 2000s and even, for a time, siring its own magazine. Improbably, Ministry still steams on thirty years after the fact, still in the exact original location. Gray Area’s Michaelangelo Matos spoke with Berkmann about opening the club and keeping it going all this time later.



GA: It is widely accepted that there is British clubbing before and after Ministry of Sound. When you started working on the club, what did you want to see changed about nightlife?


JB: When I went to New York, I obviously was already very interested in the nightlife industry. I suddenly saw that there was a different level of order—these people were playing almost a different sport. It was just such a different level of professionalism, just everything, the whole way the clubs were run, the vibe. It’s probably lucky I didn’t go to Japan because I might have had my head blown off by them because I think they’re even further ahead. But New York was exciting and so sophisticated in terms of its clubbing. 


When I came back to London, I saw that the market suddenly was ready for it, but there wasn’t really anywhere for it to go. And that’s why everyone was going to do it in fields: Because the system, the government, didn’t want that undesirable element of the population—they didn’t want us to do what we wanted to do, and we wanted to dance. So we ended up in fields, having to drive for six hours and halfway across the country together. What I wanted to change when I did Ministry was to give the people here what I’d experienced over there. It was just to give people a place to go then, hopefully thinking that people would then copy and make other places, which they actually, basically did.



GA: You obviously took off from the Paradise Garage’s sound system. What were most British sound systems like, and how was Ministry’s different from them? 


JB: With the exception of Heaven, most nightclubs’ sound systems were adequate, nothing more. They were OK. There were some that were good, and there were lots of poor [systems], but none that were brilliant. Again, in New York, the bar was so high that you could see that everyone invested a lot into sound. [I came] back to London and went to the Hippodrome. They had invested 90 percent [of their budget], or something like that, into their lights. And I did [the party] Trade there, and they had no concept of sound. It was all about lights.


When I first moved back to London, February 1988, I immediately got a residency at Heaven. It was in a long arch and had very good sound pressure. For London clubs, it was probably the best at the time, and I played there for two years. It was through meeting people from Turbo Sound, at the same time that I met the guys I started Ministry with, that the sound system started developing. Later on, I realized that to do the right system, I had to get Richard Long, or what was left RLA [Richard Long Audio] at that point, to do the installation. I wanted to get something that had the sense of the Garage, so that’s why we went to the RLA people. It was Kenny Powers and Austin Derrick.


GA: From 1991 to 1994, you were a Ministry resident. Which nights from that period stand out in your memory?


JB: Most of them, but probably two that were really different: Larry Levan’s memorial, where we had people from the Garage come over to the party—that was incredibly spiritual, meaningful, emotional, critical. That was a beautiful party. 

The other real pivotal moment was when we had a Hot 97, the New York radio station, party in Ministry where Frankie Knuckles played. Two hundred competition winners from the radio in New York were flown over and had a party at Ministry. Two hundred New Yorkers came and infected Ministry with the vibe of New York. I don’t know if the club really recovered after that. It was always—people danced better. There was an element of New York to the club that was never there—before, it wasn’t so prevalent. They showed everyone how to do it. The energy of the dance floor changed, and they got more wild. I never realized how important doing something like that was. 


GA: How many nights a week was it open at first? 

JB: Initially, we worked on Saturdays only. And then we tried to get the Friday going. We tried a couple of different concepts that didn’t work. Eventually, maybe six months in, after having various different ideas, we settled in with the progressive night, which worked really well. We had Justin Robertson and Darren Emerson in residence. To be honest, it’s a bit like trying to remember a parachute jump. You remember going out the airplane, the landing, but pretty much everything in between just flew by in seconds.


GA: Tell me about what it’s like right before that door opens. What have you been doing? How long have you been up? How long were you working on that club before you opened the doors?


JB: We were up three days beforehand painting the walls because we, in effect, built the entire place, lock, stock, and barrel, in twelve weeks. They slept on site. They had two crews. They built the club incredibly fast, so we were ready. We had a soft launch on the first day for friends and family, and journalists. We had about four hundred people. And that was a really nice experience. 

The actual opening night, if I’m honest, I don’t really remember that much, partially because it was such a long time ago and also because it was just so hectic. I remember everyone being there. I remember my parents being there for the only time. 
We didn’t actually advertise before anyone was at the club. We only told them that it was opening. I had already gone out and found a thousand members, handpicked them at other clubs. And we posted to them the invitation for the opening nights. They were allowed in free, plus one. Fourteen hundred people showed up.

GA: That’s a good opening night for no advertising.


JB: Yeah, no advertising—no previous knowledge, no reputation, nothing; just the chatter that had been going around. This is pre-Internet. I thought it was incredible work. 

The one thing I remember most about the first night was that one of the two digital processers broke, and we lost [sound on] three [speaker] stacks in the main room. So we only had one side [of speakers working], and everyone walked in. You know, these things happen.


GA: The club has been in one spot for thirty years. Has there ever been a worry that the club might have to leave the Elephant & Castle?


JB: I think you’ll find that the underlying story of what is going on with Ministry is a lot more than people would know. Fundamentally, everyone around them would like Ministry to go. There are nightclubs that came into existence when no one was there. And then subsequently, people have moved into the area. And then, subsequently, they decide that they don’t want a nightclub next door and want to try and kick-kill Ministry.

So, unfortunately, there’s always someone who wants Ministry to go away. But fortunately, Ministry is protected, much like theaters. You know Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, which is a historical site, has the same protection as Ministry of Sound. So it’s going to be really tough for these people to get the club to shut up. But it has meant that we can’t make as much noise. We can’t have parties in the forecourt in the daytime anymore. Or in the nighttime, I should say or anytime. It’s made life a little bit more difficult. So, yes, there are always people who want us to go away, but you know, we’re 30 now, and we’re hopefully not going to go anywhere.











 is a festival that manifests London’s unique, historic, and fascinating club culture in an outdoor, multi-stage environment.

Boston Manor Park

was always designed to be the festival that we felt that London was missing,” says co-founder Will Harold. “[London] was one of the places where club culture had developed and taken on a London identity. You get that in different periods whether it’s Detroit, Berlin, Ibiza. There are these different areas where club culture has evolved and created its own pockets and melting pots. London really had that and I don’t think any of the festivals quite captured that.”

Harold is a product of that London club culture. As he speaks to Gray Area over Zoom from London, he jokes about failing his university degree twice because he spent too much time in nightclubs. 

Unsurprisingly, Harold’s parents were less than thrilled at the idea of their son quitting school to party, but their disapproval served as his motivation. He wanted to prove that he made the right decision to pursue event organization, and after years of hustling, he did just that.

“I started from the ground up. Handing out flyers. Working behind bars. Grew slowly and steadily, worked my way through a bunch of different venues,” Harold says. 

Harold would go on to cut his teeth booking some of the most in-demand club nights in London for venues like Fabric and Matter. Matter, unfortunately, closed down, but it was through that closure that Harold connected with fellow promoter Paul Jack, who became Harold’s partner in founding Junction 2.

Maceo Plex B2B Tale Of Us Techno Set From Junction 2 Festival

Two techno titans Tale Of Us and Maceo plex go b2b to close out the main stage of Junction 2 2019.

#TaleOfUs #MaceoPlex #Junction2

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SoundCloud: http://bit.ly/1pE3QIU
Mixcloud: http://bit.ly/UK6i8

With their shared experience working in the London nightlife industry, Harold and Jack were assured of the values around which they could build a festival that embodied the city’s club culture. 

First and foremost it was imperative that the event be rooted in techno. To give their artists the room to breathe and take the dancefloor on a journey they pledged no short sets (most DJs are just getting started at one hour). There's no VIP at Junction 2 because techno is supposed to be non-pretentious. The production is stellar and you will never see a white plastic tent. Harold and Jack also pledged to bring together like-minded people and maintain unmatched attention to detail in everything they produced.

“That is what we wanted to deliver,” Harold says. “There are times when I pull those things back up and I throw it back at the team and tell them ‘Let’s not lose sight of this because this is what made it magic in the first place.’”

The success of Junction 2 demonstrates that Harold was right about the magic. The festival has only completed four editions (with the fifth being delayed numerous times due to COVID-19) and in that time the event has expanded to two days and tripled in size from 10,000 to 30,000 people, adding two new stages in the process making five total.

This growth wasn’t entirely smooth according to Harold, but sticking to the original tenants is what guided them to create what is now one of the most revered events in the UK.

“Year one we lost a tiny bit of money. Year two we lost an absolutely staggering amount of money, but it was one of the shows I’m most proud of, that we’ve ever put on,” Harold says. “We came back for year three and we didn’t change anything. Even though we lost a lot of money in year two we knew [we were] on the right path, and it’s that sort of gut instinct as a promoter, that singularity of vision—we knew what we wanted to create. We knew the fans were buying into it because we were the same fans. We were creating a festival that we wanted to go to.”

A key reason why Harold and the rest of the team would want to go to Junction 2 is the programming, which Harold still oversees directly. That responsibility would also extend to musical entities hosting the stages. For the most recent edition of the event, celebrated London record store Phonica and 

Looking down the list of upcoming festivals in Croatia this year, it’s clear the plague has not dented the Balkan nation’s enthusiasm for raving. 2022 will see (fingers crossed) the return of Hideout, Senses, Outlook, Sonus, Dimensions, Ultra, and SuncéBeat, among others. 

Almost every weekend from June to September, there’s a huge electronic music festival taking place somewhere in Croatia – usually on a sun-drenched beach surrounded by the turquoise blue of the Adriatic Sea. So how did Croatia transform itself from a post-Soviet warzone to the capital of the European festival scene? 

Croatia was part of Yugoslavia for most of the 20th century. For a communist bloc country, it was relatively liberal and by the late ’70s was already known for the bold, experimental electronic words of composers such as Mario Marzidovšek. 

During the ’80s, Yugoslavia had a small synth-pop scene with acts such as the excellently named Denis & Denis (check this amazing video) and Max & Intro. When the USSR collapsed, Yugoslavia broke up and plummeted into war. By the time it was over, more than 20,000 Croatians had been killed as the nation finally staggered to its independence. 

In 2004, a UK music promoter called Nick Colgan moved to Croatia with his wife, Charlotte, to open a bar in Zadar, a city on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. Tourism was starting to pick up after the war, he later told The Guardian. Business was slow, so they decided to put on a party and fly in some friends. This was the first Garden Festival, held in 2006 for about 300 people in a fishing village called Petrcane. It returned the following year and by 2008 had grown into an event pulling in a few thousand punters and headliners such as Mr. Scruff and Norman Jay. 

Other promoters started to take note, and in 2008, the first Outlook Festival was held. Arranged by the Leeds-based SubDub crew, it highlighted bass music from reggae and roots to dubstep. The following year saw the inaugural Soundwave festival and, in 2010, the first SuncéBeat, with sets by Ron Trent, Theo Parrish, and Larry Heard, among other legends. 

“We fell in love with Croatia when we first saw Petrcane,” says Alex Lowes, one of the founders of SuncéBeat. “It was the most amazing discovery, full of wonder and charm ­– an idyllic hideaway.” 

Like most festival promoters arriving in Croatia, Lowes worked with Nick and Charlotte Colgan to arrange the event. “It was a nascent scene then, with festivals including ours and intimate get-togethers with a mix of UK, European, and Croatian guests … What was happening in Petrcane was a defining moment for the events scene. It could only grow.”

And grow it did. 2012 saw the first Hideout festival, with guests including Chase & Status, Scuba, Richie Hawtin, Seth Troxler, and Jamie Jones. The following year the Sonus festival arrived – five days of house and techno with a lineup including DJ Sneak, Matthias Tanzmann, Ricardo Villalobos, and Seth Troxler. The same year saw the first Ultra festival in Croatia, a more commercial event held in a stadium in Split with Fedde Le Grand, Avicii, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, and Hardwell. 

In the following years, more promoters piled in, with Love International, Defected, and Movement all joining the party in 2016 to showcase some of the most celebrated DJs in the world, including Sven Väth, Nina Kraviz, Ben Klock, Kenny Dope, Roger Sanchez, and Marcel Dettmann. 

Nick Colgan and his crew had by now opened a dedicated festival site, The Garden Resort in Tisno, with outdoor stages, camping facilities, and a club – Barbarellas – in a nearby village to host after-hours parties. The Garden Resort has become the de facto home of festivals in Croatia. It hosts many of this year’s highlights, including Love International, SuncéBeat, Outlook Origins, Defected, Dimensions, and Dekmantel Selectors in Tisno since 2016. 

Spanish party people elrow also joined the fray in 2021, taking over an entire island for a 72-hour festival reserved for just 800 people. No news yet whether that will return this year, but for those after an island vibe, Sonus is held this year on Pag Island, from August 21-25, with a lineup including Dixon, Anfisa Letyago, KiNK, Maceo Plex, and 999999999. Senses is also held on Pag, from July 11-14, with the lineup still to be announced.  

“For us, Croatia is the perfect mix,” says Alex Lowes of SuncéBeat. “It’s a simply beautiful country. The beaches and bays are stunning, with historic cities and beautiful inland areas. The weather is, of course, sublime, so it creates the perfect mix of holiday and festival in one.”




Dates for 2022 Festivals in Croatia

Xistence: (psytrance): June 27th-30th

Fresh Island: July 1st-8th 

Ultra Europe: July 8th-10th

Senses: July 11th-14th

Love International: July 13th-19th

SuncéBeat: July 21st-28th

Outlook Origins: July 28th-August 2th

Defected Croatia: August 4th-9th

Sonus: August 21st-25th

Dekmantel Selectors: August 25th-30th

Dimensions: September 1st-5th

Words by: Nick Taylor

How Croatia Became the Festival Capital of Europe 

Sonus

Pag Island

Sama' Abdulhadi - Junction 2: Inner-City | The Great Gallery | @Beatport Live

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Sama' Abdulhadi streaming live from the Great Gallery for Junction 2: Inner-City 2021 in London warehouse space Tobacco Dock on Beatport Live.

https://www.beatport.com/

About Sama' Abdulhadi: 
Sama Abdulhadi’s rise to becoming one of the first DJs to emerge internationally from Palestine can be traced back to Beirut, where she immersed herself in the burgeoning local techno scene. Her years in the Lebanese capital not only developed in her a singular musical aesthetic, but educated her as to the technicalities of mixing records and forming a narrative by doing so. Her sets, while rooted in high-octane, punchy techno, have a distinguished and defined ark, encompassing a broad range of sounds in their beginning and end. It’s a style that can be traced back to her teachers, two DJs who instilled in her the value of adaptation and track diversity. “The music is Berlin techno, but I perceive it in a Lebanese way,” Sama explains. Sama’s story begins in Ramallah, Palestine’s de facto capital. Moving there from Jordan, her place of birth, she first connected with hip-hop and rap, the region’s foremost alternative genre. A penchant for music was evident at an early age, but it was the technical side that drew her in first, leading her to study in Beirut. She returned to Palestine with a new understanding of electronic music, and brought with her the techno genre, inspiring a local community of artists that continues to flourish in the face of the geo-political restrictions imposed upon it. Intent on pursuing a career in Music Production, Sama studied Audio Engineering at SAE Institute London, the basis for two albums as Skywalker, her former alias, and a job in Cairo, Egypt, where she began working with bands and designing sound for moving picture, including Egyptian films like “The Builders” and “Thread and Wall.” She also partnered with Arabic music incubator Eka3 to start her own publishing agency, Awyav. It wasn’t until much later that DJing became her focus, sparked by a run of gigs that has continued ever since. Her education in music continues to inform her work: not only has it had a big impact on how she hears sound, but she sprinkles real-life samples throughout her sets, recorded on her travels and shaped back in her studio. In 2018, she performed at Germany’s Fusion Festival and Hungary’s Sziget Festival, but it was her Boiler Room set, viewed nearly 3-million times, that identified her talents to the wider electronic music community. While touring every weekend, she bases herself in Paris, France, after completing a six-month residency at the International City of Arts having been selected as a Laureate by the French Institute. In July, she completed her first Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1, opening it with a binaural recording from London’s Kings Cross train station to Paris. Much beyond the success she’s already enjoying, Sama’s goal has always been to put Palestine on the musical map. While she continues to excel on all fronts, she uses her status as a rising touring DJ to support the growing number of musicians at home. Besides advising them on the challenges they’ll face, she’s recently set up Union, an artistic community in Ramallah that also serves as a platform for DJs and producers to better their skills.

Sama Abdulhadi's music on Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/artist/sama-abdulhadi/897611


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Sama' Abdulhadi - Junction 2: Inner-City | The Great Gallery | @beatport Live

The original philosophy behind the bookings for Junction 2 was simple, “music first,” which stems from the original tenants of the festival. For years this philosophy served them well, but following the Black Lives Matter movement, Harold and the team committed to make changes that would make their booking process more inclusive.

Beyond consciously including more female, BIPOC, and queer artists on the lineup for the upcoming addition (which they did an excellent job of doing), this inclusivity begins within the Junction 2 team.

“We have a team of bookers who work with myself to do all the programming but then we also have monthly sessions with the whole team where we have open booking,” Harold says. “We sit down with the bookers leading the session with anyone who wants to join from the whole organization. Doesn’t matter whether you’re from the finance team or from the marketing team or the operations team. You’re welcome to come and sit down talk about what we’re booking, why we’re booking it, what music you’ve heard, who you like, who’s doing for you, who’s not, and we review that openly and transparently.”

Overall, as a tried and true raver, Harold understands that dance music was founded on inclusivity, and while there is still work to be done to make the scene truly inclusive for all walks of life, he takes the responsibility of booking a major festival seriously. He has the ability to influence that trajectory, and this sense of duty is shared by the entire team along with a true love for the dance floor.

“Ultimately, we’re all ravers. Even if we don’t spend as much time on the dancefloor as we probably once used to, that’s where we cut our teeth and that’s where our passion was,” Harold says. “I can say for certain that every event I’ve ever put on I’ve got on the dancefloor.”







London is known the world over for its unique, historic, and fascinating club culture. Institutions like Fabric, XOYO, Ministry of Sound, Printworks, and more have welcomed artists from all over the world and fostered musical exploration that’s shifted the course of dance music’s evolution.

Junction 2 is a festival that manifests London’s unique, historic, and fascinating club culture in an outdoor, multi-stage environment.





“Junction 2 was always designed to be the festival that we felt that London was missing,” says co-founder Will Harold. “[London] was one of the places where club culture had developed and taken on a London identity. You get that in different periods whether it’s Detroit, Berlin, Ibiza. There are these different areas where club culture has evolved and created its own pockets and melting pots. London really had that and I don’t think any of the festivals quite captured that.”

Harold is a product of that London club culture. As he speaks to Gray Area over Zoom from London, he jokes about failing his university degree twice because he spent too much time in nightclubs. 

Unsurprisingly, Harold’s parents were less than thrilled at the idea of their son quitting school to party, but their disapproval served as his motivation. He wanted to prove that he made the right decision to pursue event organization, and after years of hustling, he did just that.





“I started from the ground up. Handing out flyers. Working behind bars. Grew slowly and steadily, worked my way through a bunch of different venues,” Harold says. 

Harold would go on to cut his teeth booking some of the most in-demand club nights in London for venues like Fabric and Matter. Matter, unfortunately, closed down, but it was through that closure that Harold connected with fellow promoter Paul Jack, who became Harold’s partner in founding Junction 2.

With their shared experience working in the London nightlife industry, Harold and Jack were assured of the values around which they could build a festival that embodied the city’s club culture. 

First and foremost it was imperative that the event be rooted in techno. To give their artists the room to breathe and take the dancefloor on a journey they pledged no short sets (most DJs are just getting started at one hour). There's no VIP at Junction 2 because techno is supposed to be non-pretentious. The production is stellar and you will never see a white plastic tent. Harold and Jack also pledged to bring together like-minded people and maintain unmatched attention to detail in everything they produced.





“That is what we wanted to deliver,” Harold says. “There are times when I pull those things back up and I throw it back at the team and tell them ‘Let’s not lose sight of this because this is what made it magic in the first place.’”

The success of Junction 2 demonstrates that Harold was right about the magic. The festival has only completed four editions (with the fifth being delayed numerous times due to COVID-19) and in that time the event has expanded to two days and tripled in size from 10,000 to 30,000 people, adding two new stages in the process making five total.

This growth wasn’t entirely smooth according to Harold, but sticking to the original tenants is what guided them to create what is now one of the most revered events in the UK.





“Year one we lost a tiny bit of money. Year two we lost an absolutely staggering amount of money, but it was one of the shows I’m most proud of, that we’ve ever put on,” Harold says. “We came back for year three and we didn’t change anything. Even though we lost a lot of money in year two we knew [we were] on the right path, and it’s that sort of gut instinct as a promoter, that singularity of vision—we knew what we wanted to create. We knew the fans were buying into it because we were the same fans. We were creating a festival that we wanted to go to.”

A key reason why Harold and the rest of the team would want to go to Junction 2 is the programming, which Harold still oversees directly. That responsibility would also extend to musical entities hosting the stages. For the most recent edition of the event, celebrated London record store Phonica and Croatia’s Sonus Festival each hosted a stage.

The original philosophy behind the bookings for Junction 2 was simple, “music first,” which stems from the original tenants of the festival. For years this philosophy served them well, but following the Black Lives Matter movement, Harold and the team committed to make changes that would make their booking process more inclusive.

Beyond consciously including more female, BIPOC, and queer artists on the lineup for the upcoming addition (which they did an excellent job of doing), this inclusivity begins within the Junction 2 team.

“We have a team of bookers who work with myself to do all the programming but then we also have monthly sessions with the whole team where we have open booking,” Harold says. “We sit down with the bookers leading the session with anyone who wants to join from the whole organization. Doesn’t matter whether you’re from the finance team or from the marketing team or the operations team. You’re welcome to come and sit down talk about what we’re booking, why we’re booking it, what music you’ve heard, who you like, who’s doing for you, who’s not, and we review that openly and transparently.”





Overall, as a tried and true raver, Harold understands that dance music was founded on inclusivity, and while there is still work to be done to make the scene truly inclusive for all walks of life, he takes the responsibility of booking a major festival seriously. He has the ability to influence that trajectory, and this sense of duty is shared by the entire team along with a true love for the dance floor.

“Ultimately, we’re all ravers. Even if we don’t spend as much time on the dancefloor as we probably once used to, that’s where we cut our teeth and that’s where our passion was,” Harold says. “I can say for certain that every event I’ve ever put on I’ve got on the dancefloor.”





The United Kingdom is by far one of the best destinations on Earth for house music. Hundreds of festivals dot the island every summer, offering every manner of lineup and environment in which to dance. Many of them reside in arm’s reach of the nation’s capital of London. 

 is one of those festivals, nesting in Boston Manor Park on the west side of London. With this considerable proximity, attendees have full access to one of the most historic cities in the world. A trip to Junction 2 is a trip to London, and London offers endless activities for travelers to enjoy.

Spend a day as a tourist hitting all the famous landmarks like Big Ben, Tower of London, Parliament, and Piccadilly Circus. Hang around Buckingham Palace to see the change of the guard. Then, get a ticket to The Eye of London and see the whole city from the top of the massive Ferris Wheel.

There are also dozens of museums, including The British Museum (where the Rosetta Stone is on display), The Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Tate Modern offering everything from historical artifacts to modern art.

Since this is intended to be a guide for those traveling to London for a festival, experiencing music in the city is surely a priority. Thankfully, Junction 2 happens during the Summer, which means all of London’s musical options will be available.

If after attending a large outdoor festival like Junction 2 you prefer an intimate club experience, legendary institutions like Fabric, EggLondon, 

, The Nest, and XOYO run long into the morning. 

London is one of the few cities in the world that employs a Night Czar. The Night Czar is a government official who ensures that the city recognizes nightlife as an invaluable cultural asset.

Inside Ministry of Sound: An Interview with Founding DJ, Justin Berkmann

London’s Night Czar is named Amy Lamé, and she works with police and other municipal bodies to keep nightlife safe and functioning for tourists and locals alike. Before she was Night Czar, Lamé spent years working to keep nightlife establishments like the cabaret club Royal Vauxhall Tavern open.

Beyond nightlife, there are dozens of venues all around the city catering to all genres. See iconic bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the London Stadium, or check out the more modest Eventim Apollo, where the art-pop muse St. Vincent is scheduled to perform in June 2022.

The Barbican Center is another excellent opportunity to engage with London culture, as the multipurpose space offers numerous types of entertainment. You can explore art exhibitions, watch movies, visit their conservatory, take architecture tours, and of course, watch musical performances. Given the more polished nature of the surroundings, expect performances from jazz musicians and classical symphonies at The Barbican.

For those who enjoy similar refined sounds, the London theater district in the West End is known the world over for hosting musicals and plays. Famous shows like 

 have been playing for decades, and modern classics like 

frequently return to one of the West End’s almost 40 different theatres.

While London is undoubtedly the cultural center of the UK, there are also dozens of cities on the island that are between a 90 minute and two-hour train ride away that offer their own individual cultural identity.

Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!

Leeds, Birmingham, and Sheffield are just a few major cities with significant historical and artistic contributions to the UK and the world. Don’t forget to visit Liverpool and see where the Beatles first became a band. 

Manchester is another major city worth visiting. Even though football won’t be in season at the time of Junction 2, visiting Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium is never a bad use of time.

There are hundreds of hotels, a short tube ride from the Boston Manor Park, and a short tube ride from the city center. Choose a hotel based on the experience of London you’d like. Suburban to urban to rural. 

Most hotels with a few miles of the venue range from $50-200 a night.

Hotels in the city center of London range from $150-500 a night, with luxury options as well.


London Heathrow is one of the largest airports in the world and offers service from all around the globe. As an American-based entity, we compiled the flight costs from various populated areas at publishing. As dates for the festival get closer, flight costs will increase

The United Kingdom is by far one of the best destinations on Earth for house music. Hundreds of festivals dot the island every summer, offering every manner of lineup and environment in which to dance. Many of them reside in arm’s reach of the nation’s capital of London. 

Junction 2 is one of those festivals, nesting in Boston Manor Park on the west side of London. With this considerable proximity, attendees have full access to one of the most historic cities in the world. A trip to Junction 2 is a trip to London, and London offers endless activities for travelers to enjoy.

Spend a day as a tourist hitting all the famous landmarks like Big Ben, Tower of London, Parliament, and Piccadilly Circus. Hang around Buckingham Palace to see the change of the guard. Then, get a ticket to The Eye of London and see the whole city from the top of the massive Ferris Wheel.





There are also dozens of museums, including The British Museum (where the Rosetta Stone is on display), The Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Tate Modern offering everything from historical artifacts to modern art.

Since this is intended to be a guide for those traveling to London for a festival, experiencing music in the city is surely a priority. Thankfully, Junction 2 happens during the Summer, which means all of London’s musical options will be available.

If after attending a large outdoor festival like Junction 2 you prefer an intimate club experience, legendary institutions like Fabric, EggLondon, Ministry of Sound, The Nest, and XOYO run long into the morning. 

Fabric, London



London is one of the few cities in the world that employs a Night Czar. The Night Czar is a government official who ensures that the city recognizes nightlife as an invaluable cultural asset.



READ THIS NEXT: Inside Ministry of Sound: An Interview with Founding DJ, Justin Berkmann



London’s Night Czar is named Amy Lamé, and she works with police and other municipal bodies to keep nightlife safe and functioning for tourists and locals alike. Before she was Night Czar, Lamé spent years working to keep nightlife establishments like the cabaret club Royal Vauxhall Tavern open.

Beyond nightlife, there are dozens of venues all around the city catering to all genres. See iconic bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the London Stadium, or check out the more modest Eventim Apollo, where the art-pop muse St. Vincent is scheduled to perform in June 2022.

The Barbican Center is another excellent opportunity to engage with London culture, as the multipurpose space offers numerous types of entertainment. You can explore art exhibitions, watch movies, visit their conservatory, take architecture tours, and of course, watch musical performances. Given the more polished nature of the surroundings, expect performances from jazz musicians and classical symphonies at The Barbican.

For those who enjoy similar refined sounds, the London theater district in the West End is known the world over for hosting musicals and plays. Famous shows like Les Misérables have been playing for decades, and modern classics like The Book Of Mormon and Hamilton frequently return to one of the West End’s almost 40 different theatres.

While London is undoubtedly the cultural center of the UK, there are also dozens of cities on the island that are between a 90 minute and two-hour train ride away that offer their own individual cultural identity.



Become a Gray Area member for access to exclusive perks!



Leeds, Birmingham, and Sheffield are just a few major cities with significant historical and artistic contributions to the UK and the world. Don’t forget to visit Liverpool and see where the Beatles first became a band. 

Manchester is another major city worth visiting. Even though football won’t be in season at the time of Junction 2, visiting Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium is never a bad use of time.




Hotels

There are hundreds of hotels, a short tube ride from the Boston Manor Park, and a short tube ride from the city center. Choose a hotel based on the experience of London you’d like. Suburban to urban to rural. 

Most hotels with a few miles of the venue range from $50-200 a night.

Hotels in the city center of London range from $150-500 a night, with luxury options as well.




Flight Costs On Average.


London Heathrow is one of the largest airports in the world and offers service from all around the globe. As an American-based entity, we compiled the flight costs from various populated areas at publishing. As dates for the festival get closer, flight costs will increase

LA ~$800

New York ~$600

Chicago ~$800

Seattle ~$1000

San Francisco ~$800

DFW ~$1100

Miami ~$800

Junction 2 (UK)

Location