Moda has announced it will return to its birthplace for a night of music in Lincoln on Friday, October 5th. The club night-come-music label reaches its sixth birthday this month, with a Lincoln date which sees three ‘phases’ of music in one night.
Radio 1 DJ, Annie Mac is topping the bill, which also includes Moda DJ’s Jaymo and Andy George. One half of the BBC Radio 1 duo and Moda DJ, Andy George, spoke to The Linc about the upcoming Moda “Owns The City” date, how Lincoln compares to Ibiza, and life in the midst of the house music scene.
This year certainly has been busy for Andy George and Jaymo. They have just finished a six-date DJ residency in “We Love…Space Sundays” in Ibiza – along with announcing a new Moda date in Lincoln.
George explains: “It’s really busy but it’s that time of year again. It’s always a bit mental.” “That time of year” is a reference to the closing of the party season in Ibiza – a playing ground for big name dance DJs.
Now coming up to their fourth year in the “party isle,” Andy George feels like himself and Jaymo have found their place: “You have to earn your stripes, everyone out there has played there for quite some time. It’s about finding where you fit musically.”
However, it’s not all sun, sea and sand for Jaymo and Andy George. Between putting together their Radio 1 dance music show and spending time in the studio, the boys also have music label and club night Moda to look after – something that started in Lincoln, and has now branched its way out to London, Leicester and Ibiza.
The pair are at the forefront of Moda along with a host of friends, who also happen to be big house DJ names. Andy George explains: “We have all worked together for probably six years now. Me and Ben (Toy Tigers) actually went to school together. We found a hole in the market for something we all wanted to do – musically no one was really doing what we did in Lincoln back then, although there is now.”
Even though being at the head of a music label could be daunting at such an early stage in their careers, Andy George says forming Moda felt natural: “We’ve been lucky because it’s happened organically, the label was a result of us all being together. I was living in Lincoln but moved to London for university, but I just commuted. It was initially a way for us to put out music, and now it’s turned into a bigger deal. It’s a dream job. Not one day is the same!”
Andy says he is proud of how far Moda has come: “We’ve expanded, but kept Lincoln as the culmination of everything, and the heart of what we do. We try and run big events and keep it in Lincoln as well as in Leicester, Ibiza and, of course, London. But it’s good to come back home and still have a great party!”
He says the duo both feel it’s important to keep Lincoln’s music scene alive and kicking: “We try and bring a slice of major city mentality with varied MODA line ups. You always have to put on the bigger acts and we’ve supported them anyway – we were one of the first to book Annie Mac – but it means we can put on people that are super-up-and-coming.
“Lincoln sometimes needs more ‘educating,’ just naturally, because it’s a smaller place! Like any other city, it’s good to put an up-and-coming act alongside bigger acts. “
Moda Owns The City will see Lincoln taken over in one night and three phases – starting off on the terrace at Dogma, hitting the Engine Shed at 10pm, and rounding off with a basement after party at Tokyo from 3am.
Starting off with club DJs at Dogma, the line-up sees the night headlined by Annie Mac and Jackmaster at the Engine Shed amongst others, with Jaymo and Andy George and guests heading up the darker side of house music in the Moda Black room. Phase three’s basement party will also feature a DJ set from Friendly Fires.
Andy says the duo are excited about returning to the city with Moda: “Lincoln is always an amazing place to play. One of our favourite places is the basement underneath Tokyo. Our favourite spaces are often the smaller ones. The Engine Shed is more of a bigger deal, but we always get stressed!”
Despite Moda expanding to different cities, crowds in Lincoln are “usually amazing and some of the best, to be honest. When you’re more open to ideas, you watch a DJ and respond differently – whereas in London people get some of the best acts in the world, every day every week.”
And the main thing Andy George would like to see from Lincoln audiences during the night? ”Dancing! It’s all about the party. We want to try and make it as inclusive as possible, and that’s what the basement phase is all about. It’s that raw, bringing it back to the underground thing that we’re massive fans of, but dancing would be appreciated!”
Tickets for Moda Wild In The City are available through the Moda website and the Engine Shed box office at £15.50. One ticket allows entry to all three phases of the night, with spaces for the basement party in phase three on a first come first served basis.