Kanine in Brighton review: nostalgic D 'n' B brilliance

Renowned for performing on the biggest stages across the globe, last Friday night saw drum and bass heavyweight Kanine travel down to the South Coast, coming through to deliver a set that will go down as nothing short of a rave to remember. Bringing his live show to The Arch in Brighton, the underground urban rave location based along the seafront was packed out with a sold-out crowd of 550 people; marking an unmissable occasion. Curated by Worried About Henry, the widely known rave event organisers, Kanine certainly didn’t disappoint, offloading a set people will remember for not just the weeks to come, but months. 

Founded in 2014, Worried About Henry now operates in more than 20 cities bringing multi-genre dynamic lineups to the best venues in the UK. Eagerly anticipated by not only those who live within Brighton, but also those outside who travel down for the weekend nightlife, WAH’s curation was the perfect offering to create a reminiscent taster of the atmosphere ‘real’ rave culture can still have in venues like these - a reflection of what some generations may refer to as the ‘golden rave’ days. With that being said, the event boasted a stacked lineup including a whole range of DJs including Kanine, Gray, Oko, TLB and Milli Cooper, alongside two MC’s 2Shy and G3. An evening filled to the brim with extremely heavy bass and hard-hitting, crispy drum patterns, the night, which started at 10pm had ravers dancing until the very early hours of the morning - an opportunity to start the weekend on a high. 

After a range of sets before the main event, the highly anticipated Kanine took to the stage promptly at 1am. Delivering the charged-up crowd a one-hour set consisting of a perfect fusion of newer and older drum and bass brilliance, Kanine presented his gift of crowd encapsulation by retaining the tight-knitted crowd's attention on a knife edge. A strong diversification of his USB, the combination of both new releases and older drum and bass classics allowed the audience to resonate with his sound, taking many on a nostalgic path through some of the best sounds to come out of recent years. Still allowing scope to weave a couple of rustic and ‘outside the box’ tracks into the setlist, Kanine’s crowd connection was pivotal in creating an atmosphere as energised as it was on Friday. 

There’s no secret as well that The Arch's intimate layout played a crucial role in fostering this sense of connection between Kanine and the audience. Proud owners of a great sound system, the tangibility of the Crucast members’ music became ever-present with the floor vibrations and sensory ability to feel the music truly. Dictating each bass drop with an intelligent lighting system and multi-monitor surround sound, the venue became a space for people to let go of life and seek shelter in the music. Kanine's engagement with the crowd, gesticulating on every drop whilst charging up the two-levelled Arch main floor with his MC, elevated the whole experience with a strong sense of connectedness, boasting a set full of captivity. 

A textbook rave; packed, sweaty, heavy and bassy - it’s safe to say that Kanine truly shone on the South Coast, a night to remember for all those lucky enough to attend and a constant reminder of the underground rave scene still so prominent today. Worried About Henry never fails to deliver a class event, and when you partner this curation with a venue as prestigious to Brighton as The Arch, it’s highly unlikely the event will ever miss. 

For more raves from across the UK check out our UK Rave Guide Inspire Me. If you want to hear about more Worried About Henry events, click - here.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.