Once upon a time drum & bass was king.

By 2000, Houston had become one of North America’s headquarters for dominating beats and tougher basslines. Any new d&b soldier in the area had to earn respect (and status) from either pride of DJs at the forefront of the d&b movement — Purrin Lion or Protoculture – if they wanted to step up to the decks.

Shortly after Matrix Crew’s Chris Anderson and Andrei Morant introduced “jungle” over the KTRU Rice Radio airwaves in 1996, I started covering its progression at home and abroad for Public News, Tha Pride and URB magazine. All truth told, I fell in love.

At its peak in 2000, Houston’s d&b crews (reluctantly) fraternized on successive UK-headlining events, monthly Micros at 2020 Commerce and weeklies across the street at Club Hyperia. Audio 3 (Lionel Gonzales), Classic (Brad Slack) and Ramsey (Mike Davila) spearheaded Static, a weekly d&b night and ad hoc DJ crew made up of oftentimes opposing units. That collaboration ushered in a new era of d&b here nearly a decade ago.

Today, Heavy DNB is the only d&b event in town that’s endured featuring local and out-of-town talent on a quasi-monthly basis at various venues. Our own DIRB! crewmate, SDF-One, and Pejman have become musical curators of sorts, carrying on the d&b sound via Heavy DNB installments. And this month’s round-up brings it full circle (see flyer below).

This Saturday, March 6, a founding member of each d&b crew, Matrix’s Andrei Morant, Purrin Lion’s BMC and Static/Protoculture’s Ramsey, steps up the bpms at The Blue Room (Wired Live, 1503 Chartres, 77003). Ramsey also dropped us his new February Mix 2010 to share just in time. After listening to the mix, it also reminded me of that long-lost love.

Ramsey February Mix 2010 (dnbshare)

Track List

I Need You – Subwave (Medschool)
Bone Structure – Rockwell (Critical)
Dark age – Total Science & SPY (CIA)
Lonliness feat Riya – SPY (CIA)
Tribes – Rockwell (Critical)
Jerhico – Total Science & SPY (CIA)
Spectrasoul – 4points (Metalheadz)
Slum Dub – SPY (Soul:r)
Stars Get Down – Subwave (Medschool)
Jubei – Outcast (31 Records)
Icicle feat Noisia – Driftwood (Shogun Audio)
Alix Perez feat Peven Everett & Spectrasoul – Forsaken (Shogun Audio)

FRIDAY 9/25

We look fly! We feel GOOD!…Come out and play with us!

FB RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131841798479

SATURDAY 9/26

11am-3pm – GRACIE CHAVEZ DJs DANA DAVIS Fall ‘09 Trunk Show
at Nordstrom – Galleria, Houston.

THEN…

10pm-2am – Nacional Records, Fahrenheit-Media & Lunaface Promotions combine forces to present PACHA MASSIVE listening party & KINKY after party with DJ GIL CEREZO (Kinky, MEX) at DEAN’s Montrose.

The Pacha listening party is followed by the official Kinky after party with none other than Kinky lead vocalist DJing Gil Cerezo on the 1s and 2s. Check out the interview with Gil and more info at Lunaface’s blog.

Be the first to hear their NEW sophomore album, If You Want It, and get FREE CDs. Their music is a funky bilingual fusion of traditional Latin rhythms, like Colombian cumbia, Dominican palo, reggae, dancehall, sexy dub and electronica.

Then, DJ Gil joins Gracie & G.Wizz as we spin new sounds of Latin music (bajo tropical, cumbia bounce, dance rock, disco, electro and beyond) for the night.

FB RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131405053068

See you on the dance floor!

G.Wizz & Criminal Vox

DIRB!'s Gracie Chavez & Karma's Kung Fu Pimp

Amish & The Twins

This is how it pretty much went dawn on Saturday! Powerhouse trifecta with DIRB!, Karma and Gritsy teaming up for a special event at Block 21. Thanks to all involved for setting it off!

Wish you coulda been there!

More DIRB! Block Party photos on Facebook:

• DIRB! + Karma + Gritsy (pt 1)
• DIRB! + Karma + Gritsy (pt 2)
• DIRB! + Karma + Gritsy (pt 3)

Photos by Suraj Kurian for Karma Houston. Thanks for the roving lens!

Join our FB groups for more event updates:

• Block 21 on Facebook
• DIRB! in TX on Facebook

Photo by Karma Houston

Come through for a KARMA! GRITSY! DIRB! PAHTY, YA’LL!

Re-enforced BASS for your FEELING pleasure, with Karma & DIRB! DJs Kung Fu Pimp & Gracie Chavez rocking the main room.

Howard Hughes Room:
Chris Taylor, Suraj K., TDBZ and SDF-One

YOU KNOW IT’s FIDNA GIT NASTY UP’NERE!!!!! SEXY, SWANKY LOVE w/ DUB!! You Heard??

Early birds can catch the Body Of Work art exhibit from 8-10 pm. More details below…

This Saturday night is gonna be fiya!

DJs G.Wizz (Neon Nites, Fahrenheit-Media) & Jep (HoustonsMostHated) join the DIRB! team and tag team on the decks!

And in the Howard Hughes Bar, it’s an extended Cinco-De-Midge-O! Happy birthday, Midge! Guest DJs Jeff Mac and Gritsy’s finest Suraj K., SDFONE (DIRB!, Heavy) & Page will set it off!

COMING UP at DIRB! Block Party…
5/16 Kung Fu Pimp (Karma Houston). Plus, Gritsy DJs Suraj K. & SDFONE in Howard Hughes Bar.
5/23 DIRB! DJs
5/30 Champa Moore (NYC)

It’s official: our family is growing!

DJs Squincy Jones and SDF-One are the newest DIRB! members added to the roster. As El Jeffe embarks on his eastward migration and Sizzle holds down the West, DIRB! is not only going tri-coastal, but is beefing up its game with new talent.

SDF-One has been a solid force on the regional dubstep and drum & bass front, but most recently he’s dabbled in DJing fidget house.

One of Houston’s Best DJs (Houston Press, 2008), Squincy Jones easily genre hops to get the party jumpin’. He’s currently working on a follow up to his highly acclaimed Nintendub mix.

Both are set to play dates at DIRB! Block Party with the fam–Antonio and I. Squincy’s up first as he teams up with me (and El Jeffe, hopefully) to play this Saturday, April 11. Next month will be SDF-One’s debut at Block. Stay tuned for more info and a confirmed date.

They both recently played at Houston’s infamous Gritsy dubstep parties and recorded Squincy’s latest set.

Meanwhile, get this here:

Squincy Jones Live at Gritsy (04.04.09) (mp3)

SDF-One Live at Gritsy (04.12.08) (mp3)

And befriend them there:

www.myspace.com/enofds
www.myspace.com/squincyjones