Friction At Antwerp Mansion. The Drum And Bass DJ Whose “Eclectic Mixing Was Seamless And Unrelenting.”

Abi White | 3rd October 2017

Brighton’s own Drum and Bass pioneer, Ed Keeley, better known by his alias, Friction, stepped onto the decks at Manchester’s own post apocalyptic den, Antwerp Mansion for a masterclass in the UK’s favourite sub genre on Saturday.

Following his recent success of multiple releases on UKF, Viper Recordings and Ed’s own label Shogun Audio, he has skilfully earned his way into the drum and bass hall of fame alongside chart topping names such as Andy C, Wilkinson and Shy FX.

The month of September marks many things for the Antwerp regulars. The cold weather begins to set in with realisation that the University term is now in full swing. However, the mansion is packed out and university assignments can wait for one night. Alternating between Bassline and Drum and Bass on Antwerp’s two floors, you can barely move whilst ambling past chatty teenagers in Moschino uniforms and big groups of fresh Fallowfield recruits.

As Friction arrived on stage, ravers packed into the downstairs room like sardines. Everyone watched closely as he smiled, plugging in his prized USB stick which soon caused carnage within the walls of the mansion. The tempo grew in his opening track as mass groups of drum and bass lovers bustled into the room- eagerly anticipating the next hour as Friction’s set begun.

Friction’s eclectic mixing was seamless and unrelenting, featuring songs from the past and present with no track left spared. His latest singles ‘All Nite’ and ‘Mad in the Jungle’ made appearances amongst songs which might never see release. The dark and twisted sounds complement the Mansion’s aesthetics as they work in perfect harmony to throw you in head first to the world of UK Drum and Bass.