Live Review: Friction Album Launch, The Pickle Factory, London 06/09/2018
Last week we got down to East London’s The Pickle Factory to celebrate the launch of Friction’s debut album.
The night kicked off with Deadline, a relatively unknown artist, as the first of the crowd began to arrive. The sound system was loud enough for a venue twice the size; it was a shock that you couldn’t hear it from outside the venue. It was the kind that vibrates your bones and begins to take over your heartbeat. The line-up of the night was kept well under wraps until a few hours before the event and the hype that the crowd latched on to when they entered through the doors was very palpable.
Deadline was followed by Technimatic, who guided the bassline junkies through the night. By the time Technimatic finished, the venue was full and the night was beginning to feel like it was about to kick off and only get better from there onwards. The whole event was being live-streamed on UKF’s channel and has already racked up over 12,000 views on YouTube, testament to the influence of Friction himself.
Jump-up artist, Turno, went back to back with rising artist, Benny L: a huge treat on the lineup of the night. The pair bounced heavy basslines between them and worked incredibly well as a pair of artists despite their differing styles.
It seems a surprise that this is Friction’s debut album considering the reputation and status he has in the drum and bass community. The night was voiced by many as being “a big night for drum and bass” and the energy of the crowd elevated this. Friction played an extended set including most of his new tracks and some old classics. Tracks, such as Protoje’s ‘Who Knows’, had the whole crowd jamming along. These anthems brought together with Friction’s basslines only intensified the hype that could be felt in the room.
The crowd went wild for Friction’s newer tracks as well. ‘Dancing’, one of his new singles featuring JP Cooper, went down a treat even among the hardcore ravers active at the venue. Its safe to say that the night attracted a whole variety of people as these nights often do: head chefs for leading restaurants, people waking up for work in two hours time, university students, etc.
The bar was set very high for A.M.C to take over after Friction’s set and round the night off; the energy of the remaining crowd didn’t fail to diminish.
Words of Max Herridge
Friction’s debut album ‘Connections’ is out now.