How we got Berlin’s biggest DJ to play at Oxford for the second time

Levon is no stranger

| UPDATED

Tonight sees Simple, an underground club night in Oxford run by local promoters, host one of Berlin’s most famous techno DJs at The Bullingdon: Levon Vincent.

However, this is not the first time Vincent has played in the city of dreaming spires.  On 5th March 2014 Subverse, “an online radio station and fortnightly underground music event at The Cellar, Oxford,” convinced one of the slickest names in techno to play mere metres away from The Oxford Union.

Alex Hinkson, founding member of Subverse, said: “We were on good terms with his agency, I think, because we’d booked Lerosa and Tama Sumo through them before.  Anyway, Harry suggested we have a go booking Levon and we were all like ‘no way, won’t happen.’ And then it did.”

Despite having played in venues as infamous as Berghain, Levon has decided to return again to Oxford.

From Berghain to the Bully

Alex, a.k.a. Skins, and who will play alongside Levon tonight, said: “They knew we did things properly and looked after their clients. So basically, they knew we were offering a good club with good sound, a decent crowd and a comfortable environment to perform.

“The demand for techno seems to be bubbling away nicely at the minute. Turf have made some great bookings. It would be nice to have some smaller promoters pushing through though. The one-off night with Hodge in Trinity last year was great. I’ll be interested to see which direction Pitch Black goes. There’s also way more to come from Patchwork. And Playground. All the Ps.”

Nick Gladwin, spokesman for Simple, said: “A DJ is always looking for different experience and some of the less well-known cities and club nights can offer just that.

“Almost all of the acts we have had, big or small, are very impressed with the Oxford vibe inside the venues.

“For the size of the city I think our techno scene is amazing.  It will only get bigger and we feel we can even rival the big cities.”

You can find the Facebook event page for tonight here.