Radar: UpItUp’s 10th birthday weekend

Founded ten years ago, UpItUp Records is arguably one of the most important labels to ever come out of Liverpool. One of the first places to utilise the internet to its fullest (its releases are downloadable and completely free), it’s meant UpItUp has continued to push boundaries on zero budget. And Liverpool’s all the better for it.

Founders Jacques and Pablo have injected the city (as well as Stuttgart and Rome, where they also work) with a healthy dose of do-it-yourself dance music and forward thinking electronica. Regularly expanding into live shows, they’ve turned numerous DIY spaces - many sadly departed - into eccentric party hubs: you’ll see and hear everything from mental GameBoy gabba to oddball techno and ambient hip-hop. Cream it ain’t.

UpItUp proudly works in its own sphere, outside of trends and commercial interests, but it’s never felt exclusive or elitist: as long as you’ve got open ears and an open mind, anyone’s welcome. To celebrate their decade, they’re hosting a special three-day party this coming weekend across three different venues. The lineup’s massive and ridiculous: a perfect representation of where they, and their artists, are at ten years down the line.

There’s a premiere of medieval techno opera ‘Gargantua’ by Ergo Phizmiz at Mello Mello, a night at the Kazimier with Ceephax Acid Crew and more, and on Saturday a Drop The Dumbells-hosted celebration of their own roster, featuring Isocore, Tracky Birthday and more. We’ll be booking the Monday off work, by the looks of it. Here’s to another ten.

UpItUp 10th Birthday Weekender
21st/22nd/23rd March
£15

For a full lineup and more information, visit their official site.