Our Story
D'Arke Promotions Biography
We are a group of mad music lovers who have come together over the years & who are developing & indulging in our passion of bringing top quality music to the people of Bristol & beyond.
D'Arke Promotions is the brainchild of Nyx & Rich.
Nyx brings with her over 30 years of music industry experience from being the lead singer in a popular punk band 'The Smartpills', a favorite of the original peace convoy of Stonehenge & early Glastonbury days, to running recording studio's such as Town House 3 & Richard Branson's famous Manor Recording Studio & Mobile studio's in Oxfordshire. Whilst there, she looked after artists such as Paul Weller, Radiohead, The Cranberries & the legendary Adrian Sherwood & On-U Sound crew, artists such as Asian Dub Foundation, Skip Mcdonald & Bim Sherman. On the aforementioned mobile studio's, Nyx went out on the road with the engineers, learning the craft of a Tape Operative & was lucky enough to be part of recording artists live, such as Prince & Depeche Mode.
Several years ago, Nyx moved to Bristol & met a guy called Rich & it soon became apparent that there was a massive mutual love for music, especially Drum & Bass. Nyx wanted develop her craft as a programmer/promoter, especially in the underground scene, working firstly with her lifelong friend, the late Gary Ds (S.C.R.A.P Records/Wreck N Roll Circus) & then getting involved with Brisfest, firstly as Stage Manager for the 'Weapons Of Choice' Stage in 2011 & then programming & running a stage 2 years running at the successful Ashton Court events, bringing Rich along as her prodigy.
In 2013, Nyx was approached & asked to put on an event in an old Baptist church which had been derelict for several years, then squatted & then transformed into a community centre in the Easton area of Bristol. Nyx & Rich thought that there was one artist who could bring this venue together & put it on the map. Nyx made contact with a certain LTJ Bukem. Everyone was won over with the idea & the rest is history. On May 17th 2013, the godfather of Drum N Bass touched down at All Hallows Hall along with a great supporting cast & the rest of the D'Arke Promotions team, Sam, Emma & Alex (Optik Rave Systems), who in turn, provided the most awesome visuals & Lighting display. The event had a feel of an old skool rave & no one could quite understand, how on earth we got away with it, what with the venue being smack bang in the middle of a residential area. It was a great success.
EVENT HISTORY
>BRISFEST - 22nd/23rd September 2012 - Ashton Court
- WRECK N ROLL BIGTOP (Programming & Stage Management)
Artists - HAWKWIND (For the Main Stage) FLAK / KICKERBOCKER GLORIES / DEADSILENCE SYNDICATE / AQUAKE / TRIBAZIK / CHINA SHOP BULL /
>BRISFEST - 21/22nd September 2013 - Ashton Court
- ALTERNATIVE TENT (Programming & Stage Management)
Artists - REMIX YOUTH ENSEMBLE / COOPER JONES / OOBER ALICE / CLEMENTINES / TWIN FALLS / EMPTY POOLS / DEAD IDLE / THISISDA / ST PIERRE & THE SNAKE INVASION / GOLDFISH DON'T BOUNCE / THORUN / RECONCILE / CULVER / TRIBAZIK / THE WITCHES DRUM
>AN EVENING WITH LTJ BUKEM - 17TH May 2013 - All Hallows Hall - Easton
(D'Arke Promotions in conjunction with All Hallows Hall)
Artists - LTJ BUKEM / DJ DAZEE / HARRY LIME / QUATERMASS
>THE 'REAL' NYX HALF CENTURY PANIC ATTACK - 20th December 2013 - The Bank Of Stokes Croft - Bristol
(D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - CON*NATURAL (AKA MC CONRAD) / PETER 'D' ROSE (SMITH & MIGHTY) / DJ DAZEE / THISISDA / HARRY LIME / QUATERMASS
>TRIBAZIK - DATA WARFARE ALBUM TOUR - 6TH March 2014 - The Exchange - Bristol
(D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - TRIBAZIK / IMPULSE THEORY / DJ DAZEE
>HEAVEN IS A PLACE - 2nd May 2014 - Trinity Centre - Bristol
(D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - LTJ BUKEM / CRITICAL IMPACT / DJ DAZEE / RANGE & KABLE / MC JOE PENG / GARDNA / MC TEXAS
>A RESTORATION OF SOUND - 27th July 2014 - Trinity Centre - Bristol
(Con*Natural Music / D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - MUSHROOM / DJ KRUST / DJ DAZEE / SMITH & MIGHTY / JOE PENG / SASHA STEPPA / GERARD LIONPULSE / RANGE & KABLE
>HEAVEN IS A PLACE II: NEXUS - 20th September 2014 - Trinity Centre - Bristol
(D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - MAKOTO / UTAH JAZZ / DJ DAZEE / CON*NATURAL / RANGE & KABLE / EKTO1 / MC TEXAS / TRAFIC MC
>STEREO MC'S - 20th March 2015 - The Fleece
(D'Arke Promotions / The Fleece)
Artists - STEREO MCS / PETER D ROSE & RAY MIGHTY (SMITH & MIGHTY) / CON*NATURAL
>BRISFEST RAVE-ON-AVON - 16th May 2015 - Full Moon / Attic Bar - Bristol
(Recreo Clothing / D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - ROB SMITH / BUNJY & JOE PENG / DJ DAZEE & CARASEL / SASHA STEPPA / SKY LION
>PLANET V - 17 July 2015 - The Fleece
Artists - JENNA G / BRYAN GEE / JUMPING JACK FROST / KRUST / PAUL T & EDWARD OBERON / DAZEE / TEXAS / DARRISON / TRAFIC
>LTJ BUKEM @ The FLEECE - 16th October 2015 - The Fleece
(D'Arke Promotions / The Fleece)
Artists - LTJ BUKEM W/ CARASEL MC / FURNEY / MADCAP / DJ DAZEE / TRAFIC MC / EKTO1 MC
>CHINA SHOP BULL - 23rd October 2015 - The Exchange
Artists - CHINA SHOP BULL / CHASKA / ATTERKOP / PUBLIC ORDER ACT
>STEREO MC'S - 25th March 2016 - The Fleece
(D'Arke Promotions & The Fleece)
Artists - STEREO MC'S / MARCUS ALLEN
> DR MEAKER ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY - 20th May 2016 - The Exchange
(D'Arke Promotions)
Artists - DR MEAKER / SKYLION / MADCAP / EMILY DUST / CARASEL / JOE PENG
>LTJ BUKEM RELOADED - 30th September 2016 - The Fleece
Artists - LTJ BUKEM W/ CARASEL MC / MARCUS ALLEN / MADCAP / FURNEY / MC JOE PENG / EKTO1
>SHERWOOD AT THE CONTROLS FT LAID BLAK - 10TH December 2016 - Fiddlers
Artists - ADRIAN SHERWOOD / LAID BLAK / DAVE CRIDGE / GARDNA / SASHA STEPPA
