Nocturne Sound System (2025)

12/12/2024

Nelson’s nightlife and arts scene needs your voice! Take a moment to fill out this survey and let the RDCK know how important event spaces are for our community.

STORY TIME:

Finding a stable, supportive venue is a constant challenge for independent artists, promoters, and creatives. This isn’t just a Nelson or Kootenay issue—it’s a widespread struggle—but our relative isolation makes the impact even more pronounced.

Since the beginning of Nocturne, this has been one of our biggest hurdles. We’ve explored countless options, only to find ourselves at one dead end after another. Despite this, we believe wholeheartedly that our community is stronger because of the contributions of artists, promoters, and nightlife culture. We don’t thrive as individuals unless our culture thrives as a whole.

Recent events concerning the Eagles Hall and Oak Hotel have closed some doors for us, but they’ve also opened new ones. We’ve been moved by the outpouring of support following our last post and are grateful to those who pointed us toward the RDCK’s upcoming project.

However, it’s important to understand that this issue isn’t just about finding a willing venue—it’s also about addressing broader structural barriers. Nelson’s current noise bylaw treats all spaces equally, making no distinction between busy downtown areas on a Saturday night and quiet residential neighbourhoods during the week. This means that even if we could develop a purpose-built event space, the bylaw could prevent it from ever reaching its full potential.

As it stands, this framework makes it nearly impossible for nightlife and community events to thrive, regardless of who’s organizing them. That’s why it’s so vital to advocate for change—not just for us, but for the future of Nelson’s arts and culture.

Nelson is more than just a ski town, a college town, or a charming tourist destination—it’s a vibrant community of diverse, creative people connected by our shared culture. Let’s work together to ensure that culture has the space it needs to flourish.

27/11/2024

It is with heavy hearts that we announce Nocturne Sound will no longer be providing sound for this weekend’s Jungle Gang event at the Eagle’s Hall.

The addition of a hotel next door to this beloved historic venue has unfortunately made it impossible for us to continue using the space without putting its future at risk. As difficult as this decision is, we believe preserving the Eagle’s Hall as a community hub for local promoters and artists is more important. Being the loudest in the room has its rewards, but it also comes with responsibilities.

We’re deeply thankful to Max and the Eagle’s Hall board for their tireless efforts and continued support. Their dedication to maintaining spaces where creativity and connection can thrive is vital to our community. We stand with them in ensuring that these opportunities remain available for everyone.

For now, this means Nocturne Sound will be on hiatus in the Nelson area until we can find a new venue to call home. If you know of a space that might suit us, please reach out—we’re all ears.

As we reflect on this chapter, we’ve shared some highlights from our time together at the Eagle’s Hall. To our Nelson family, thank you for the memories, the support, and the energy you bring to every event.

21/11/2024

These might just be grainy phone photos, but let’s call them vintage for the vibe. 🖤 Huge thanks to the Mogul Smoker team for another incredible year, and to everyone who came out for a brisk wiggle. I think it's safe to say the snow dance worked. ❄️ It's always a time, Fernie - let's do it again soon!

05/11/2024

We're stoked to announce our debut with the Jungle Gang crew, hosted by the one and only Throwbekk! Grateful to be part of this close-knit, community-focused event series for the first time. 🎚️

Catch us there with an incredible lineup of local talent & feast your ears on all the DNB and jungle goodness they can eat. Tickets are live, don’t miss it! 🎟️

01/11/2024

Thrilled to announce we'll be returning to Fernie and the legendary freezin szn kick-off, Mogul Smoker! And check out this lineup 👽 👀

Catch us at the Cave stage—big shoutout to the Mogul Smoker team for having us back for round two! ❄️🎚️

30/10/2024

To everyone who joined us last Saturday night—thank you for an unforgettable night! 🙏 Your energy made it special.

Big love to the Juan Forte label, each DJ, and our crew of volunteers, harm reduction, and security who kept everything running smoothly. Huge props to Sam and Tom for all their hard work, to Miirror and Nev for setting the vibe just right, and to ESC Images for capturing the night.

Scroll through the gallery and relive the memories. 📸

18/10/2024

This is the last artist feature before the big night—lil stitious and Liminal are ready to deliver a heavy dose of bass and deep rhythms. We can’t wait to see you all in the dance for what’s set to be an unforgettable night. 💥

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Limnal () aka Tom Suncat () is a producer and DJ based in Nelson, BC. Weaving between hits of leftfield bass, minimal techno, downtempo and broken beats, his sets are expansive and wide ranging explorations of deep rhythms, atmospheric soundscapes and modern soundsystem aesthetics.

This time around he will be bringing a straight 140 set paying homage to some of the classics of the sound.

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A passionate selector and dedicated figure in the underground scene, .stitiousmusic draws inspiration from global rhythms and unique sounds. With deep roots in BC’s bass music community, she’s performed across some of the province’s most iconic venues, including Shambhala, Wicked Woods, and Bloom Nightclub. As a DJ, promoter, and co-owner of Nocturne Sound System, her sets weave together a diverse array of genres, delivering a dynamic experience that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

17/10/2024

The countdown is on, and we’re hyped to present a massive vs set from two legends, Lorne B and Crimson. 🔥 With Lorne B’s roots-driven selections and Crimson’s genre-defying productions, this merging of styles is guaranteed to be one for the books. 🌀 Expect an unforgettable blend of dubstep, jungle, garage, and more as these two heavyweights go head-to-head on the decks. 🎛️

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LORNE B
Renowned for his diverse range of dance infused genres, Lorne B has passionately represented roots music from around the globe for over a decade. A cornerstone of the community, he has shared the stage and set the bar with heavyweights both locally and internationally, consistently serving as an ambassador for Western Canada's underground scene.

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CRIMSON
An enigmatic figure immersed in the UK underground, dub, and dance culture, Crimson has been producing and DJing for over a decade. He skillfully blends elements of dubstep, garage, jungle, and ambient music to create genre-defying, club-driven sounds. Brought up within the high standards of Modern Math, The Hificlub, and Basscoast, Crimson embodies a deep respect for the vibrant Western Canadian music scene.

16/10/2024

Bringing the underground heat, it’s Rareman. 💣 A master of exclusive tunes and deep dubplate culture, his influences reach far beyond dubstep, infusing everything from reggae to Brazilian rhythms into his sound. 🎧 This one’s sure to be a journey.

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Rareman (South Coast/London, UK)

Rareman is known for a stack of unreleased, sought-after tunes and VIPs. True to his name, it’s a rare occurrence to see his records pop up on Redeye or Beatport, making his appearances all the more special when it comes time for a release or to play live.

Some of the labels he’s released under include Juan Forte, Foundation Audio, and W.I.T.H. In his university days, Rareman frequented System nights at the Dome, DMZ, and Medi parties. These foundational outings inspired him to start crafting his own sound system-oriented music. Having played in bands and nurtured a musical background since his early teens, these experiences are intrinsic to the distinct nature of his sound.

In his own words: “All that stuff being run on dubplate at System made me wanna have a go at making my own tunes, after standing at the back of that party for years just taking it all in.” Rareman’s inspirations reach beyond dubstep, often drawing from reggae sound system nights, Brazilian music, soul, and hip hop to bring these textures and rhythms into his dubstep productions. This wide range of influences helps him craft a sound that truly stands out.

14/10/2024

Coming through with serious vibes, it’s Truant. 🎛️ Known for his low-key approach but high-impact sound, this UK don has been holding it down on Rinse FM and vinyl alike. 🚨 Get ready for a deep dive into the underground.

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Truant (London/Bristol, UK)

Truant has a reputation for being slightly elusive in the UK underground scene. With a humbly low profile, he’s captivated listeners with a true-to-the-sound disposition, which comes through in both his releases and his two-year running residency on Rinse FM. Both his vinyl releases and monthly Rinse shows have become staples in dubstep circles.

Truant has released on labels such as Juan Forte, W.I.T.H, and his own XPRS imprint. He is also known by his alias, Saturday Night Rush, under which he explores house, garage, and rave-influenced sounds. His style incorporates elements of breakbeat, garage, jungle, and early dubstep arrangements, keeping his sound rooted in the core of the underground.

11/10/2024

Next up, we've got the one and only Sub Basics. 🎛️ Sub Basics isn’t afraid to take risks in the studio, and it shows. Whether it’s switching up BPMs or layering unexpected beats, his productions consistently bring something fresh to the table. 🔥 This one’s for the heads. 🌀

Sub Basics (Kent/Bristol, UK)

Sub Basics has released an astounding amount of work on some of the genre’s most renowned labels, including Juan Forte, Modern Hypnosis, Lion Charge, and Infernal Sounds, to name a few. What’s particularly striking is his ability to range BPMs and beat patterns, yet still create material that is distinctly his own.

Growing up on jump-up DNB and listening to liquid CD compilations from the likes of Hospitality, Sub Basics was already producing tracks at 13 years old. Some early inspirations for his signature sound include originators like Mala and Coki, along with the entire DMZ catalogue. Productions from 2562 and Martyn also played a large influence. To this day, Sub Basics heads to the studio with the mindset that “anything can happen, and the tune can go anywhere."

09/10/2024

As we gear up for next week’s show, we’re stoked to introduce the legends, Leftlow. 🔊 Their heavyweight blend of deep bass and sharp sound design has made waves with iconic labels like System Music, Exit Records, and Juan Forte. This boundary-pushing duo knows how to deliver the goods. 👽

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Leftlow (London, UK)

Leftlow brings a unique take on the early Dubstep sound, landing releases on heavy-hitting labels such as System Music, Juan Forte, and Exit Records. Their distinguished sound emphasizes the nuances of mid-range sound design, combining half-step beats with intricate layers that bridge the fast and slow, meditative and aggressive, landing somewhere in-between.

Their sound is inspired by jungle, DNB, half-time, and dubstep, creating the contemporary output of this dubbed-out, low-end-focused production duo. "We grew up together in the same area, building a friendship through school, going to nights out, and skateboarding for years. We both produce, so naturally we ended up making music together—mostly just to send to the DJs playing the nights we would frequent, hoping they’d play our tunes out. For example, 'Cluedub' was made just before we went to a HVYWGHT night. It got a solid reaction, which led to us being asked to do a System release. We didn’t even have a proper name back then, but this kick-started the Leftlow project and we took it from there."

03/10/2024

New merch alert! Featuring our stunning Nocturne models and, of course, a poodle 🐕 🍂 ➡️ last slide for Giddy's derpiest outtake.

We heard your feedback and are happy to announce two new peel-and-stick stickers, along with the much-anticipated launch of Nocturne double wall WATER BOTTLES! What else should we make? Let us know in the comments! ⏬

As always, our garments are made with 100% thrifted, upcycled, or otherwise repurposed materials, and each item is one-of-a-kind. Huge thanks to our merch babe, model, and photographer Jessie Johnston, our models Matt Bourassa and Emily Whitehead, and our host and photographer Basia Siedlecki!

DM to reserve your stickers and water bottles, supplies are limited!

17/09/2024

Big DNB night to kick off the indoor szn right 🔊

Capital Jungle welcomes Canadian DNB don and Machinist Music boss John Rolodex, coming through to light up the dance floor with support from local selectors Pete Shredz and Mr Mugz. Join us for some big breaks and rollers on the hefty Nocturne Soundsystem October 5th.

🎟 tix in bio.

14/08/2024

Holy shomley! That's a wrap on UMF 2024 - what a memorable weekend! This is our third year with the festival and it's been an honour to learn and grow with this incredible team. Every year this event levels up, but this one felt special. Major upgrades all around, plus some all-star additions to our production team made for an unforgettable show. Huge thanks to the and team, the .harmonics team, , , , and for holding it down in the front of palace for us all weekend. And of course to everyone who came out and danced under the stars with us!

04/08/2024

Next weekend is one of our favourite annual events here in the Kootenays - the ultimate chilled out campout, ! The lineup is looking extra spicy this year and as always we're already dreaming of lazy afternoons at the floating stage, vibing out with the resident turtles 🐢. The stunning property and relaxed, intimate atmosphere always make this event feel more like a retreat than a rave, so if you're looking for a little getaway after a the last month of festivities, look no further 😉

18/07/2024

Your friendly neighbourhood sound system is teaming up with the mans and to bring the heat this fall 🚒 Don't miss out, the dancefloor won't tear up itself!

Shuka Invites Juan Forte and friends for a night of sound system music in Nelson. Showcasing the sounds of the label and spanning out into the wider reaches of bass music. Sound provided by Nocturne Sound System.

JUAN FORTE (UK)
Juan Forte combines authentic underground sounds and unique visuals to help drive sound system culture. The record label, events, garments and digital media are the crossroads at which the music and the art meet.

Line up:
LEFTLOW (UK) �RAREMAN (UK) �SUB BASICS (UK) �TRUANT (UK)
9pm - Late
Eagles Hall
Set times, Support TBA
In partnership with NOCTURNE SOUND SYSTEM

04/07/2024

International things with the crew at just outside of beautiful Darrington, WA. Cant wait to see how y'all get down ✌💖💫

Nocturne Sound System