Redditch drum and bass event forced to change venue

The team at Bass Assembly <i>(Image: Bass Assembly)</i>
The team at Bass Assembly (Image: Bass Assembly)
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The organisers of a Drum and Bass event in Worcestershire have shared their "shock" and "disappointment" after being forced to find a new venue due to noise complaints.

Bass Assembly was founded only two months ago and held its first official event at The Rising Sun pub as a way of bringing life, music and the drum and bass scene back to Redditch after people started describing it as a "ghost town".

The team, which described the response as "incredible", were invited to host a monthly event at the pub only for the plans to be cancelled following noise complaints.

Bass Assembly said: "Our first official event at The Rising Sun was held as a free event to introduce people to what Bass Assembly is all about. The night was a huge success, attracting a fantastic crowd and creating an atmosphere that reminded people what live music in Redditch can be.

"A major highlight of the event was a performance from MC Bassman, which helped draw people from across the region. It was just the beginning, with Bass Assembly already planning to bring more well-known artists to Redditch in the coming months.

"Unfortunately, after the first event, a local resident raised concerns about noise and organised a petition. As a result, Bass Assembly has since been informed that continuing to host these events at The Rising Sun could put the venue’s music licence at risk."

The team is made up of CEO and resident DJ Iconyx ( Ivan Regenda), alongside DJ Blackwell (Sam Blackwell), DJ Hannay (Jack Hannay) and MC JT (Josh Lewis).

Supporting the team behind the scenes are administrators Niamh Cowman and Charlie Mitchell, who help bring Bass Assembly’s events and vision to life.

CEO Ivan Regenda and admin Niamh Cowman had the idea to start Bass Assembly and brought the team together with the event at The Rising Sun due to be held from 12pm to 2am on July 18.

The team has described the cancellation as a huge "disappointment" and praised The Rising Sun for providing such a "perfect venue".

They said: "The team was very shocked when we heard this information as we thought it went very very well, we just can’t get our heads around why flats were built right next to a pub when pubs are legally allowed to play music.

"The night of our event at The Rising Sun, the licence got extended as we knew that it was going to be loud music. So for this outcome, we were very shocked and heartbroken.

"We are all trying so so hard to bring some life back to Redditch and if you want the truth, it’s not cheap, but everybody deserves to have some life in their town. And if Bass Assembly UK aren’t going to do it, who is?"

The Rising Sun said it had a "fantastic experience" working with Bass Assembly and it is "extremely disappointed" that the events cannot take place at the pub going forward.

Bass Assembly is now working hard to secure a new location, and has had offers from Redditch to as far as Bristol and other parts of the UK.

The team said it is a "priority" to keep the event in Redditch and they hope to announce a new venue next week.

Bass Assembly said: "Despite this setback, the team remains committed to its original goal: bringing major drum and bass events, respected artists and a thriving music scene back to Redditch. Bass Assembly believes this is only the beginning and is determined to continue creating opportunities for local music lovers while putting the town back on the map.

"We also had a 14-year-old boy play for us who blew the roof off. We are trying to get young people who deserve to be recognised seen."

The Rising Sun said: "We are extremely disappointed to announce that our Drum and Bass night at The Rising Sun will not be going ahead.

"We had a fantastic experience working with Bass Assembly. They were incredibly professional, well organised, and a pleasure to work with. Their set was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who attended, and we are genuinely saddened that we cannot continue with these events due to complaints from nearby residents.

"We did everything we could to put measures in place and were overwhelmed by the support we received from the Redditch community. We cannot thank everyone enough for the kind words, encouragement, and continued support.

"Although this event will not be returning, we will continue to host entertainment every weekend, including live bands, DJs, and even an Elvis Presley tribute night. We look forward to welcoming you all and continuing to bring great events to The Rising Sun.

"Our main goal is to bring a great nightlife back to Redditch."

To find out more about Bass Assembly visit the BassAssembly.UK Facebook page.

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