Written by IM Community Reviewer: Oliver Necesito
Photography by IM Community Photographer: Juli Anne Necesito
Dutty Moonshine Big Band are a full-scale, brass-loaded, bass-heavy, big band! Born in 2015 from the imagination of DJ and producer Michael Rack, the project took vintage swing, shoved it headfirst into UK bass culture, and turned it into something completely genius.
Their high-energy is made up of a multiple piece collective with a brass section, MCs rooted in grime and hip-hop, a DJ and live drums and bass. A festival favourite to say the least. Their music is an awesome infusion of electro swing, UK bass, jazz and even garage. They’ve released three albums to date which are Most Wanted (2017), City of Sin (2020), and Villain (2023) each helping to solidify their place in the UK’s dance and live-music scenes. The band is currently touring to promote their upcoming three piece EP Blood, Sweat and Tears. Each EP has its own theme of hip-hop, electronica and pop jazz.
You know those gigs where you walk out thinking, I will be living off that energy for weeks? That was the Dutty Moonshine Big Band at Exeter Phoenix, two back-to-back nights on the 14th and 15th of November that felt less like concerts and more like a full-body experience. Honestly, if I could bottle the atmosphere inside The Auditorium from that weekend, I’d never need coffee again.
When the lights dropped, you could feel something epic gearing up. Then the first punch of jazz-meets-bass hit, and the whole room erupted in enthusiasm. As far as event openers go, this was top tier.
Trying to explain DMBB’s sound to someone who hasn’t seen them live is like describing a flavour that hits every taste bud at once. Jazz foundations. Heavy basslines. Grime swagger. Hip hop attitude. Big-band brass that could probably knock down the music venue it echoes through. All of this combined, gels into this wildly quirky, upbeat, fun sound.
It’s the sort of music that grabs you by the collar and says: You’re dancing! No arguments!
At the centre of the controlled chaos: Michael and Maria. Their rapport on stage was sharp and totally in sync. One minute they were firing off bars with precision, the next riffing off each other with “we’re having the time of our lives” grins that sent a musical memo to the crowd.That chemistry spilled into the rest of the band too.
There was beautiful, unspoken choreography happening between the brass, percussion, keys and turntables.You can tell these musicians love playing with each other because the room loved them right back.
The show was made even more euphoric by the on beat lighting crew. They deserve a huge shoutout for being flawlessly in sync with every beat. The lights were just spot on. They were practically another instrument. Bursts of colour cutting through basslines and strobes flicking to the rhythm.
