CHATTIN' BREEZE: BELOW

It doesn't get much more underground than One boss Adam Shelton's Below. Bringing the finest names in house and techno to Birmingham since 2005, even the namesake refers to its status as an under-the-radar spot for iniquitous dancefloor activities.


Even as the term “underground” continues to lose potency, as deeper forms of dance music have become increasingly more popular among the general clubbing public, Below has stuck to its principles, taking its pick from a pool of select DJs for each date.

It's the very essence of the word, doing its own thing while immune to the external happenings of the mainstream world above it. 
During its lifetime, DJ Sneak, Jamie Jones and Visionquest have stood as the event's repeat offenders, while Shelton and his promotion partner Lee McDonald have searched the city far and wide for interesting spots to serve as alternatives to its regular stomping ground, The Rainbow Complex and its many internal incarnations.

On 4th and 5th May, Below returns to celebrates eight years on this earth with two events at the venue, the first of which will take place in the same arched industrial wasteland utilized for Circoloco in The Arena last summer, with Inner City (live), DJ Sneak, Derrick May, Todd Terry, Kevin Saunderson, Mr C and Shelton himself from midday till midnight. Following that, Alex Arnout, Tristan De Cunha and Frenchy will join Shelton again in The Rainbow Warehouse until 6am.


From Sunday afternoon until 3am at The Courtyard and Cellar Door, Jef K, Le Loop and Bloody Mary rub shoulders in the booth with H Foundation and Paranoid London (live), among others, with — yes, you guessed it — Adam Shelton taking another turn on the decks. How Below can you go?

WITH BELOW APPROACHING ITS BIG DAY, WE ASKED THE DJS TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR 8TH BIRTHDAY...

Adam Shelton
"For my 8th birthday, I went to Legoland in Denmark. Little did I know that back home in '88 a rave was kicking off! We will be making up for lost time at Below for sure!”

Jack Wickham
"My 8th birthday was an absolute corker! A swimming trip that ended in two broken wrists and a trip to A&E! This won't be happening at Below's 8th birthday unless I fall off the stage — fingers crossed.”

Bloody Mary
“I wanted a kitten so bad, I told all the boys at school: 'I want a pussy! I want a pussy!' and they all laughed at me. I got a doll! Rubbish! But now I know what they were laughing at! Naughty boys!”