Sheffield’s best electronic day and night festival brings the party again this month! After a hugely memorable event in May which saw Skyline take over a host of venues and spaces across Neepsend, the team are back with ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ – 13 hours of immersive raving with some of the city’s finest talent behind the decks.
Exposed caught up with organisers Phil McCue and Simon Tomlinson to discuss how they’ll once again be pushing boundaries for their return on July 15th.
Photo: Brad Wood
Following on from a hugely successful Skyline event spread across six venues in May, it’s difficult to see how you’re going to top that with your upcoming Midsummer Night’s Dream event! You’ve mentioned even bigger and better production elements, but can you tell us a bit more about what you’ve got planned?
PM: I think I speak for both of us when I say that the last Skyline event was the proudest we’ve ever been of an event we’ve worked on – which is amazing, but it definitely heaps the pressure on for the next one.
Since the very first Skyline we’ve always tried to introduce something new at every event, and it’s no different this time around. We’ve been fortunate enough to bring on board some of the industry’s finest minds to take the production to the next level with coordinated laser shows and festival-level pyrotechnics, as well as a few surprises we’re keeping under wraps for now!
You always put a big focus on showcasing local talent at your events. Who shall we be looking out for at this one?
PM: When we talk about Sheffield’s musical history, it’s only natural that the first names that come to mind are Pulp and Arctic Monkeys, but our city has always been at the forefront of the electronic scene, with venues like Gatecrasher and Niche acting as an incubator for up-and-coming talent.
Since we launched Skyline in April last year, we’ve been lucky enough to have over fifty local DJs play for us, and watching their development has been one of the highlights of running the event. We’re really excited to be bringing Tommy Farrow back for the next event – a local lad who’s gone from producing in his Sheffield Hallam uni halls to being named as Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’ on BBC Radio 1.
Photo: Brad Wood
What are the advantages of hosting at Southbank Warehouse and FØRGE?
ST: As we come into the summer months, the outside space offered by both Southbank and FØRGE allows us to create two great stages for the daytime part of the festival – and the FØRGE Warehouse really is the perfect arena for us to showcase world-class lighting and production to compliment the incredible music from local artists.
What’s the key to hosting a successful dance music event? What are key targets that need hitting?
PM: There’s a lot that goes into running a big event behind-the-scenes that people don’t see. For us, it’s a case of paying attention to 100 small details and having complete faith in the people you bring on board to help. Whether it be the tech geniuses at RAZE Soundsytem, the team at Trinity Medical who keep everybody safe, or the creative minds at Flawless Entertainment, we’re fortunate to partner with some amazing local businesses that make sure the event runs like clockwork every time.
Photo: Brad Wood
How would you sum up the Skyline ethos in a nutshell?
ST: Events should all be about being able to relax, be yourself and make incredible memories – we work really hard to ensure everyone is able to do this by focusing on every aspect of what makes a festival great: music, production, safety and inclusivity.
What are your plans for the future of the festival? Do you have any upcoming expansions, collaborations, or changes in mind?
ST: Stay tuned for that!
Tickets are flying out so get your final release tickets here.
