ORIGINAL SOUNDS: END. x adidas x NTS

Championing underground talents and homegrown sounds, END., adidas and NTS looked to spotlight musicians across the North of England and Scotland. Hosting a series of parties in our stores, each night celebrated local artists, alongside an opportunity for attendees to see the headliners perform in an intimate setting.

Kicking things off on a surprisingly dry Wednesday night in Manchester, our store on St. Mary’s Gate played host to a plethora of DJs and performers from the north western metropolis. With drinks flowing and crowds amassing on the top floor of our store in the centre of the city, MBB started the night off, easing guests into the evening with a varied mix of sounds. Taking things further, Abena kept the vibes right, creating an intimate party atmosphere reflective of Manchester’s vibrant and diverse clubbing scene. Following Abena, local legends Children of Zeus took to the stage, enrapturing the crowd with their potent blend of R&B and hip-hop. Invigorating the audience masterfully with their trademark sound, the duo’s set got the crowd involved, priming them to continue the celebratory feeling into the night. Rounding off the Manchester leg of the END. x adidas x NTS tour, Synna G brought impactful energy with her set. Propulsive techno and high energy tracks ensured attendees were glued to the dancefloor, before the evening sadly had to come to a close.

After the heady heights of Manchester the night before, Thursday saw adidas and NTS bring the party to Scotland’s premier city for music culture: Glasgow. A stone’s throw from the city’s infamous statue of the Duke of Wellington – continuously adorned with a traffic cone by members of the public – END.’s store on Ingram Street played host to the evening’s festivities. As the queue began to form before doors, the city’s energy and appetite for music was palpable. Starting things off with her trademark combination of dancehall edits, baile funk and more, Bellarosa immediately set the tone for the night. As guests poured into the store and down the stairs to the basement area, the dancefloor instantly filled and Glasgow’s desire for a night to remember was abundantly clear. Keeping things moving and people glued to the dancefloor, Plantainchipps took to the decks, exhibiting her expertise and genre hopping style, before Maveen took over, offering up a whirlwind showcase from techno to bassline, and everything in-between. Closing out the night, Stirling-born, Glasgow-based DJ and producer Sam Gellaitry hit the decks, expertly mixing with three CDJs to deliver an uplifting and playful set, including his hit single Assumptions. Dropping in to catch some of Sam’s set, West London rapper AJ Tracey made a surprise visit after his own gig in Glasgow, just before the night came to a close.

As Friday rolled around, it was time for quick trip down the east coast and back home to Newcastle for the final night of the END. x adidas x NTS Original Sounds series. Still riding high from the immaculate atmosphere of Glasgow the night before, Newcastle wasn’t one to shy away from matching the energy. With queues forming early on in the evening, the Grey Street store overlooking Newcastle’s epicentre, Grey’s Monument, was primed and ready for a night like no other. Descending on the basement of the store, attendees were met with Sketchy Rida’s distinctive blend of jungle and drum & bass wizardry. Starting as we meant to go on, a sea of attendees piled onto the dancefloor, with Newcastle’s varied music scene showcased to great effect. Taking to the decks following Sketchy Rida, ZINZILE’s genre-hopping set typified the artist’s multi-faceted creative practice, keeping guests firmly on the dancefloor ahead of the evening’s headliner. Emerging from above and surrounded by his entourage, South London rapper and Newcastle football club mega-fan CASISDEAD performed an electric set of cuts from his 2023 breakthrough album Famous Last Words. Interspersed with football chants that whipped an already passionate crowd into a fervour, the masked rapper/producer’s intimate set offered a distinctive insight into his prowess as a wholly unique artist. Ensuring the energy didn’t dip, Newcastle’s premier techno DJ Jacklyn took to the decks, delivering a kinetic set taking us through a variety of the genre’s niches with immaculate blends and energetic selections.

As the crowds eventually filed out onto the street and the doors of END. Newcastle closed, we wrapped up on three days celebrating the musical cultures of Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle. Delivering an eclectic programme across the events, each city offered something original, championing their own approach to club and music culture that is singular to each place and emblematic of their originality as cities with their own distinctive identities.