Dpercussion is Dead, Long Live Manchester…

On August 4th Dpercussion reached its 10th and final year.

After 10 years of making noise on the streets of Manchester we have decided to call it a day.  It comes down to the simple issue of economics.  Each year Ear to the Ground battles with funding and after a decade of trying to make the numbers add up we have been sadly forced to make 2007 the final year.

However, for one day it was all about celebration.  Approximately 35,000 people packed into the UK’s only ‘urban heritage park’ for a cacophony of musical styles from across the rich mix that is modern Manchester.  Eleven open-air stages blasted everything from grime to electro, house to funk with a bit of samba thrown in.  Over 650 performers took part with 150 bands and DJs.  In the final year, guitars triumphed with highlight performances from the likes of the Courteeners, Cherry Ghost, Polytechnic, Answering Machine and a secret performance from Manc hero Badly Drawn Boy.  However, there was still room for hybrid dance crossovers from rising legends the Whip and Sunshine Underground to keep the indie kids bouncing.  The clubbers enjoyed over 80 Djs including legendary carnival king Norman Jay, Andy Votel and Guilty Pleasures.

Such was the demand for this year’s Dpercussion that we were forced to close the doors after reaching capacity at the unprecedented time of 7pm.  This difficult decision was made to ensure the safety of all festival goers to avoid injuries through overcrowding.  For those unlucky few who left the site and were not informed re-entry was not guaranteed we apologise.  We simply could not risk a riot by picking and choosing who could come back on site.  The police were incredibly supportive and the huge majority of the 15,000 people outside were aware they just should have got there earlier.  We did the best we could in a difficult situation and really hope those unlucky people understand that the decision was made in the best interests of everyone.

Ear to the Ground will continue to conceive, produce and promote cool events for the people of Manchester and beyond. We will see you at New Islington Urban Folk Festival and at the legendary series of Warehouse Projects that we produce in the autumn.

So thanks to the partners, artists, volunteers, suppliers, and especially Manchester City Council for giving so much help over the last decade.  Thanks to the people of Manchester for setting Dpercussion in the city’s musical folklore that travels in songs and high tales across the globe.  We would really like to thank everyone who has worked at Ear to the Ground since it began and who deliver Dpercussion against all the odds, year after year with enthusiasm and excitement.  It’s with sadness in our hearts that we say goodbye to the best event we have ever done and where it all began. 

Dpercussion is Dead, Long Live Manchester…