In this episode of Loud & Unfiltered, we sit down with Quentin Chambers, one of the UK’s original acid house promoters and a central figure behind some of the most legendary illegal raves of the late 80s and early 90s. From warehouse parties and motorway shutdowns to evading police surveillance, fake decoy convoys and 25,000-strong outdoor raves, Quentin shares the unfiltered truth about how the UK rave scene was really built.

The conversation traces the rise of Energy, the infamous M25 raves, moral panic headlines, arrests, police infiltration and how early acid house events broke down barriers of class, race and culture. Quentin also reflects on why those moments can never be recreated, how underground culture continues to evolve, and what today’s promoters can still learn from the chaos and creativity of that era.

Beyond raves, the episode explores Quentin’s later work as a DJ, producer, music tech pioneer and his role in early digital radio, online music platforms and the relaunch of OpenLab, founded by the late Robert Miles.

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Key Moments: 0:00 – Introduction & Podcast Overview 01:05 – Guest Introduction: Quentin Chambers, UK’s OG Rave Promoter 02:19 – Early Musical Influences and Discovery of Electro 03:28 – The Birth of Acid House & London’s Club Culture Shift 06:24 – The Acid House Explosion: Community and Social Barriers Broken 10:11 – From Dancefloor to Event Promoter 12:40 – Organising Massive Raves: Logistics, Sound, and Police Evasion 19:22 – Ticketing, Promotion, and Party Operations 22:12 – Police, Law Evasion Tactics, and Decoy Trucks 28:22 – Health, Safety, and Law: Production and Party Experiences 29:09 – Media Sensation, Public Perception & Moral Panic 35:04 – Legalisation of Raves and Venue Evolution 44:39 – DJ, Producer, Groove Tech & The Dawn of Online Radio 49:46 – Open Lab and Honouring Robert Miles’ Legacy 00:53:34 – Expanding Open Lab: Future Plans & Growth 54:36 – Quickfire Q&A: Influential Clubs, Records, DJs 58:07 – Closing Thoughts & Final Reflections

2025 was a turning point for dance music. So what happens next?

In this special Loud & Unfiltered round-table episode, Alex, Josh and Grego sit down to unpack the biggest moments from last year - and make their bold predictions for dance music, club culture and festivals in 2026.

From the resurgence of clubs post-COVID, to the explosion of UK garage and tech house in the US, to the rise of harder and faster sounds via TikTok culture, the conversation cuts through hype and looks at what’s actually shaping the scene. Drawing on their experience as bookers, promoters and industry insiders, the trio debate fees, lineups, market saturation, underground culture, Ibiza rumours, festival economics and where audiences are really heading next.

They dive into why clubs are finally coming back, why boutique festivals are thriving, what the absence of Glastonbury means for the wider festival market, and how new global destinations like Brazil, Albania, Saudi Arabia and Eastern Europe are redefining party culture. There’s also plenty of classic Loud & Unfiltered storytelling — from Glastonbury madness and Ibiza celebrity encounters, to illegal raves, DIY culture and the moments that remind everyone why this scene exists in the first place.

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Key Moments:

0:00 – Introduction & Recap of 2025

05:13 – Dance Music Trends and Artist Highlights for 2026

10:34 – Event Booking, Diversity, and Festival Lineup Trends

14:28 – Impact of Glastonbury’s Absence in 2026

20:19 – Party Destinations and Global Scene Predictions

29:24 – Personal Festival Anecdotes & Standout Moments

47:41 – Ibiza 2026: Club Rumors, Amnesia’s 50th Anniversary, and Scene Evolution

0:55:28 – DJ/Artist Predictions for 2026 and Upcoming World Cup Podcast Plans

In this episode of Loud & Unfiltered, Inside the Industry, we sit down with Jodie Layton, Talent Booker at The Night League, the powerhouse organisation behind Hï Ibiza, Ushuaïa, UNVRS, and some of the most influential venues and residencies in global nightlife.

Jodie’s journey is a proper industry story. From flyering at Turnmills, learning the ropes at Ministry of Sound, building pop-up venues like Brixton Beach, booking at Pacha Ibiza, and now playing a central role in programming Ibiza’s most dominant clubbing brands - she’s lived every layer of the business.

This conversation goes deep into how modern booking really works: juggling multiple venues without cannibalising lineups, managing artist value across territories, maintaining creative integrity at scale, and why Ibiza is one of the hardest places in the world to book successfully. Jodie also opens up about working within an all-female booking team, the mental and physical toll of seven-night-a-week seasons, and how nightlife culture is changing with younger, healthier audiences.

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Key Moments:

0:00 – Introduction and Meeting Music Industry Heroes

0:32 – Meet Jodie Layton of The Night League

01:06 – Night League’s Clubs Win Top 100 Club Awards: A Historic Achievement

01:44 – Building an All-Female Booking Team at The Night League

02:19 – Ministry of Sound: The “University” of the Music Industry

04:36 – Transition from Fine Art to Music: Jodie’s Early Career and Promotions

06:03 – Brixton Beach and Entrepreneurial Ventures in London

07:53 – Moving to Ibiza and Joining The Night League

09:19 – Comparing Booking at Ministry, Pacha, and The Night League

10:11 – Female Empowerment in Festival and Club Bookings

11:21 – Venue Booking Dynamics and Glastonbury Festival Experiences

13:18 – The Challenge of Planning Lineups and Season Openings

15:01 – Pursuing a Career in Dance Music: University to Professional Journey

16:32 – The Power of Live Events: Early Influences and Memorable Nights

18:56 – Coping with Intense Schedules: Working Nights in Ibiza

20:02 – Influential People and Mentors Shaping a Music Industry Career

21:55 – The Most Challenging Aspects of Being a Club Booker

23:19 – How Living in Ibiza Shaped Personal and Professional Growth

25:00 – Understanding Regional Differences in Artist Value

27:31 – What Would You Change in the Club Industry?

28:34 – Staying Motivated: The Buzz of Teamwork and Great Music

29:56 – Meeting Music Legends: Starstruck Moments and Making VIPs Comfortable

31:48 – Advice for Aspiring Music Industry Professionals

33:54 – Nightlife Generational Differences and Future Challenges

35:56 – Day Raves vs Night Clubs: Changing Club Event Trends

37:34 – Work-Life Balance for Long-Term Music Industry Success

39:17 – Looking Ahead: The Launch of Universe and Upcoming Projects

In this Inside the Industry edition of Loud & Unfiltered, we sits down with one of the most respected forces behind global club culture and festival programming: Jenni Cochrane. From selling tickets at Café Mambo, to programming the world’s biggest stages, to navigating political crises with EXIT Festival, Jenni’s 30-year journey in music is wild, unpredictable and packed with lessons for anyone building a career in nightlife, events or artist bookings.

Jenni shares how she fell into the industry by accident, rose through the ranks in Ibiza during the late-90s hedonistic era, learned the craft at Renaissance and Ministry of Sound, booked global superstars long before they were household names, and eventually became the programmer for EXIT Festival’s mainstage - a bucket-list festival for artists around the world.

This conversation goes deep into what the booking world really looks like: navigating agents, fee inflation, TikTok-driven breakout acts, political instability affecting festivals, and the pressure to build gender-balanced line-ups without compromising artistic or commercial integrity. Jenni also opens up about her wellbeing work through GetAhead, her experience working in Saudi Arabia with Middle Beast, and the evolving role of women in the global music industry.

Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/

Key Moments:

0:00 – Introduction and Industry Background: From Clubbing in Glasgow to Ibiza

02:17 – From Fashion to Music: How Jenny Cochrane Entered the Industry

05:00 – Climbing the Ranks: Early Roles in Promotions and Renaissance

06:50 – Ibiza’s Golden Era: Legendary Clubs and Networking

09:10 – Breaking into London: Ministry of Sound, PR, and Booking

11:38 – Building Global Brands: Ministry of Sound’s Expansion and Team Growth

13:32 – Booking Superstar DJs: From Steve Angello to Calvin Harris

15:30 – Career Milestones: Major Gigs, The O2 Arena, and Festival Takeovers

20:39 – Going International: Booking in London, The Middle East, and the Balkans

21:25 – EXIT Festival: Booking Main Stage Acts, Genre Diversity, and Programming

25:00 – Saudi Arabia & Middle Beast: Market Evolution and Social Impact

41:31 – Gender Equality in the Music Industry: Mentorship and Representation

45:00 – Booking Headliners and Diversity: Challenges and Strategies

50:54 – Personal Stories: Fun with Artists Like Wu-Tang Clan and Skrillex

55:00 – The Reality of Booking: Processes, Crisis Management, and Hard Work

1:03:29 – Get Ahead and Mental Health: Wellbeing Initiatives in the Music Industry

1:09:10 – Work-Life Balance: Parenting, Career, and Advice for Women in Music

1:12:37 – Quickfire Questions: Dream Bookings and Career Highlights

In this new series of Loud&Unfiltered, Inside The Industry, we have Jacob, better known online as Jakkob, who has lived one of the wildest, most unlikely journeys in UK club culture. From burning CDs on Numarks in his teens, to blagging his way into his first warm-up gig, to accidentally becoming the UK’s biggest “SeshTok” personality, to now selling out shows, releasing on major labels and having the biggest DJs in the world play his tracks… the story is outrageous, relatable, and full of proper rave folklore.

In this unfiltered conversation, Alex and Josh dive deep into how Jacob built an audience of over one million followers, the moment he became “the Smash Guy”, why some venues refused to book him because of his comedy style, how he balances humour with credibility, and how he’s now carving out a serious path as a DJ and producer.

Across the episode, Jacob speaks candidly about building community, getting taken seriously in the scene, content strategies, viral format creation, behind-the-scenes festival stories, insane afterparty invitations, playing Ibiza Rocks all summer, releasing on respected labels, getting support from huge names like Baker, Siragusa, Rossi, and why seeing your own tune go off in a club is still the biggest buzz on earth.

Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/

Key Moments:

0:00 – Guest introduction, discussion about origin of the DJ name “Jakkob,” branding, and anecdotes about alternative nicknames.

02:00 – Early DJ Beginnings & First Gigs

6:00 – Touring with Regression Sessions & Unique Nightlife Stories

08:30 – Social Media & Viral TikTok Content Creation, “Smash Guy” persona, and strategies for viral music content.

10:15 – Navigating Comedy, Branding Risks & Club Bookings

13:00 – Best man experience at an Indian wedding, family reactions to career milestones, and the role of parents in supporting a creative journey.

16:20 – From DJ to Label Owner: Kitchen Club Records

18:50 – High-Profile Remixes & Streaming Success

20:50 – Changing Perceptions & Building a Community

22:20 – The Importance of Community & Sold Out Shows

23:40 – Afterparty Culture & Wild Tour Stories

26:45 – Gigs Abroad & Family Moments

29:00 – Industry Friends & Festival Highlights

31:40 – The DJ Rider, Promoter Tales & Funny Interactions

34:00 – Ibiza Adventures & International Gig Life

41:20 – Label Releases & Track Sampling Process

45:20 – Reflections, Fan Support & What’s Next

In this episode, Alex sits down with Nikki Gordon and Tom Ranger: from Ministry of Sound and Oval Space to now their biggest project yet - Eutopia, a multi-space venue in Barking.

Across nearly two decades, they’ve booked everyone from Weatherall and Harvey to Dixon, Tom Yorke, Nile Rodgers, Max Dean, and the new wave of collectives reshaping the scene. They’ve lived the Wild West years of London clubland, seen the era of monster DJ fees take over, handled artist chaos, navigated industry politics, launched festivals, survived takeover attempts, and rebuilt from scratch — all while carving out careers that defined entire eras of dance music.

This episode goes deep into:

• How Eutopia was built from a literal construction site into an industrial mega-venue • What today’s clubbers want (and why headliners matter less than ever) • The new era of queer collectives, community-led brands, and DIY promoters • Why big venues are moving East — and what it means for London • Insane promoter war stories you won’t hear anywhere else • Nikki’s powerful story of cancer diagnosis, sobriety and returning to the scene stronger

Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/

Key Moments:

0:00 – Opening Stories & Podcast Welcome

0:31 – Introduction to Nikki & Tom: Early Careers and First Collaborations

01:44 – Tom’s Journey: Breaking Into Music PR and Club Promotion

05:22 – Nikki’s Beginnings: Throwing Parties and Building Reputation

08:08 – Booking Breakthroughs: The Power of Spotting Future Hits

11:10 – Reflections on London Venue Culture: Wild West Days & Growth

16:08 – Learning On The Job: Lessons in Club Management

18:22 – The Birth of Eutopia: Founding Stories, Team-Up, and Venue Build Process

22:25 – Location Strategy: Why Barking? Navigating London’s Changing Club Landscape

24:25 – Eutopia’s Unique Selling Points: Design, Production, and the Visitor Experience

26:32 – Launching and Promoting Eutopia: Community Reception & Upcoming Events

30:39 – Eutopia’s Place in Today’s Scene: Grassroots Spirit vs. Corporate Clubs

33:46 – The Changing Face of Clubbing: How the Scene Has Evolved

35:01 – The Rise of Communities and Collectives in London Nightlife

37:28 – Wild Stories & Industry Challenges: From Festivals to Business Betrayals

41:09 – Balancing Creativity and Commerce: Artist Booking and Club Marketing

47:25 – Personal Resilience: Nikki’s Story of Cancer & Transformation

53:05 – Favourite Bookings and Industry Legends: Iconic Artists and Moments

1:00:17 – Eutopia in 2026 and Beyond: Vision for the Future

1:01:47 – Why Experience Eutopia: What Sets The Club Apart

1:06:10 – Memorable DJ and Club Stories: Behind the Scenes Anecdotes

In this Inside London episode of Loud&Unfiltered, Alex Jukes sits down with DJ programmer, event builder and long-standing heartbeat of Sunday’s at Fabric, Jacob Husley.

This is a conversation about more than DJ bookings. It’s about scene DNA.

From feeding crowds out of Brick Lane, to merging minimal heads with Club Kids, to co-founding a movement-style Sunday party that eventually landed a 17-year home at fabric, Jacob walks us through the moments London couldn’t package into a press release if it tried.

They get into:

• The evolution of the Sunday rave culture scene
• Partying in The Shard and Museum Of London
• 80+ year-old couple flying from Poland to visit Fabric
• Building nights that are free, meaningful, multi-cultural, community-led
• The importance of having a loyal team around you
• From promoting at Fabric, to running restaurants

Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/

KEY MOMENTS:

0:00 – Introduction

01:16 – Jacob’s History with Fabric and “Wet Yourself”

04:10 – Building London’s Sunday Club Scene

08:48 – From Local Success to Fabric Residency

15:32 – Modernising & Adapting Sunday Parties

19:00 – “Come As You Are” Relaunch & Free Tickets Model

23:37 – The Viral Story of the Elderly Polish Couple

30:03 – Expanding Fabric’s Brand: World Tours & Unique Venues

43:21 – Fabric’s Enduring Community and Legacy

50:13 – Gastronomy Meets Music: Jacob’s Restaurant Ventures

55:22 – The State of London’s Nightlife

59:04 – Favourite Clubs Worldwide & Standout Bookings

In this episode of Loud&Unfiltered, Inside London, Alex Jukes catches up with promoter, festival gambler, pub-rave architect, and general scene instigator Rob Star.

Rob takes it from the beginning: first raves at Fantasia events at Castle Donington, Leicestershire, UK, and why he built his own path outside clubs, outside social media, outside the predictable.

Expect:

• The rise of London’s illegal rave and squat-party culture
• Moving 10,000+ people without a venue or a licence
• How Rob used temporary event notices before it was the norm
• Fabric London politics, DJ booking blocks, and ego-free alliances
• Community over trending audio
• Why festivals are a professional gamble, and promoters are the house’s biggest punters
• How his pub at the time accidentally became a rave venue because he couldn’t afford furniture

From Shoreditch warehouses to rave pubs, to festivals like Eastern Electrics, Rob lives the ethos of building culture from the ground up, keeping it loud, honest and impact-driven, without falling into the hype vortex.

Subscribe to Loud&Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators, and cultural entrepreneurs and connect with us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jukeboxpr/

Key Moments:

0:00 – Introduction & Early Rave Culture

04:19 – Building a Party Brand: Early Promoting & The Birth of Mullet Over 07:13 – The Warehouse Revolution & London’s Underground Scene How London’s party landscape shifted, finding warehouse spaces, and the intersection with squatters and illegal raves.

14:25 – Legalizing the Underground: The Power of Temporary Event Notices (TENs) 19:19 – Growing a Scene: Music Programming, Community, and Competition

25:02 – Reinventing the London Pub: From Nightlife to Hospitality The decision to open Star Bethnal Green, evolving pub culture, and adapting for modern audiences.

34:12 – Eastern Electrics: From Warehouse Party to Iconic Festival Origins, early struggles, and the unique ethos behind building the Eastern Electrics Festival.

39:32 – Stories of memorable campaigns, viral videos, and creative festival promotions.

46:21 – How lineup curation changed, community connection, and the festival's evolution post-pandemic pause.

50:17 – Diversifying: Restaurants & Future Hospitality Ventures Launching a restaurant, challenges in the food industry, and plans for a new multi-purpose venue.

54:32 – Rob Star’s picks for best restaurants, bars, and clubs in London.

56:44 – Final thoughts on passion in business, future ambitions, and gratitude for collaborations.