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Deep within the cold, dark, smog fuelled streets of the UK’s North Eastern industrial town that is Middlesbrough, a small group of individuals are unperturbed by what some may call the misfortune of being born in a place with lack of opportunities, prospects or healthy lungs. This band of merry few is of contented mind and unruffled spirit and they were brought together through what can only be described as musical co incidences, like minded beliefs and the fact that they are all a bunch of professional wreck heads who can’t say no to a good time.

It is these inquisitive Pioneers that have went out into the world beyond the black cloud of Teesside to educate themselves with aesthetically pleasing, harmonious sounds, then return bringing back with them the ingredients and knowledge which is fused with their own innovative artistic ideas to produce contemporary electronic styles of music.

This electronically engineered 4/4 racket of eclectic sounds can be heard once a month in a low key, dark, sweaty dungeon of dreams where the Shepherds herd their flock that has grown in numbers over the past 7 years and are exposed to artists from around the planet whom have helped influence this movement. The underground chamber where this monthly party is held lies beneath the Medicine Bar which is regarded as Middlesbrough’s epicentre of dance music, and it is here where *riffraff has made their home.

The collective rabble implies a punk philosophy to their marketing techniques and a DIY attitude to putting on parties, this rebellious attitude of turning its back on glitzy VIP nightclubbing where champagne drinkers turn up their noses toward the clubber is setting an example to how music should be heard. They believe that you don’t need a fancy plastic venue with a dress code; they believe you need one where everybody counts, where everyone is equal and where the love of the music can bring people together from whatever walk of life they are from, a place where all inhibitions are forgotten and all egos are left at the door and that everybody is ready to have a good time.

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This month at the famous Medicine Bar dungeon, we’re following our usual suit as your archetypical, no-nonsense, NSFW, troublemakers by welcoming FUTUREBOOGIE & WOLF MUSIC’S wonder boy JAMES WELSH to the dungeon. James’ euphonic & chunky house music that’s been mangling the faces of dance floor troopers all around Europe by playing at the most prestigious underground clubs and releasing records on Futureboogie, Hypercolour and Wolf Music, is sure to leave a massive dent in the head of the *riffraff faithful.

Episde 017 // Lee Pennington & JAmes G