Culture
THE AIR MAX DN 2024 PRESENTED BY END. — EVENT RECAP
25 March 2024To mark the release of the all-new Air Max Dn, END. hosted a celebratory evening of festivities and live performances at London’s Vinyl Studios.
Moving through Soho on a Saturday afternoon is a multisensory experience I’m more than familiar with. The joviality of pub goers spilling out onto every street. Pop music blaring from neon-hued rickshaws. The smell from restaurants shapeshifting with each corner turned, reflecting the district’s culinary diversity.
It’s an energy that’s palpable, a unique, infectious feeling that’s long represented the district’s beating heart. As we move towards another familiar cornerstone of Soho’s cultural ecosystem, the much-loved Phonica Records, it comes as no surprise to see this energy continues. It’s here where our night begins, as a queue of people stretches down Poland Street, all waiting in anticipation for the Air Max Dn event. Having spent many hours flicking through the vast spectrum of underground electronic music Phonica has to offer, it’s another element of Soho I’m heavily acquainted with, but not in this capacity, with a long, dark, tall curtain forming a hallway from the entrance to the back of the store. The store itself merely acted as a gateway to the party’s destination, The Vinyl Factory: a bright white, gallery-like venue space that would be our venue for the evening’s festivities.
Following a few hours of DJ sets, and many of collective cocktails drank, it was time for the main section of the event. Ashbeck made his way on stage to a roar of applause and cheers from the crowd, delivering live performances of “INTHATMODE” and the unreleased track “IT’S LIKE”. Rushy, the West London rapper and long-time collaborator, then joined him to perform their critically-acclaimed track, “ROYALE”. Rushy then took over the mic for a solo performance, commanding the crowd with his infectious flow and sharp lyricism on the heavy-hitting “Pressure”. Suddenly, after performing “Pressure”, Rushy stopped and addressed the crowd, announcing his need for assistance in performing the next track. With the crowd surveying the room wondering what was next, AntsLive suddenly burst onto stage to a soundtrack of cheers, joining Rushy to perform their collaborative track “Estelle”. Following a mesmerising, back and forth trading of bars, Rushy then went on to close the show with a live performance of his unreleased track "Koko Crazy".
Following an electric, high-energy display of UK underground rap’s finest, attention now shifted to the Wing Stop counter that had opened, offering attendees some post-show food in the form of chicken and chips.
Release information
Nike Air Max Dn
Black, Dark Smoke Grey, Cool Grey & White
dv3337-002
03/26/2024
Release information
Nike Air Max Dn
Sail/Black-Coconut, Milk-Beach & Team Gold
dv3337-100
03/26/2024
writerEND.
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