By Helen Macrae

You’ll have to forgive me for doing a triple-take when I saw the flyer for Forward Festival. Surely a brand spanking new event can’t possibly have a line-up THIS amazing?? Spanking aside, if good music is your cup of tea and you fancy a 12-hour thrashathon to some of the hottest DJs and acts of the moment, then dust off your dancing shoes and get thee to the Madrid Telefónica Arena on Friday 9^th May for some serious fun.

Purveyors of danceable top-notch techno and one of the few truly creative groups around, Underworld, are headlining. Still going strong an incredible 28 years after their formation, original duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith are back to treat us to a performance fusing together elements of trance, drum and bass, dub, techno and ambient house, accompanied by Hyde’s whispered, hypnotic lyrics and hopefully sprinkled with that unique brand of Underworld magic responsible for the band’s ongoing success. Perhaps best-known for the epic “Born Slippy” (1996), considered one of the greatest dance tracks of the decade, which then became the soundtrack of a generation after it was immortalised in Danny Boyle’s film “Trainspotting”, the band have since undertaken varying projects, the latest of which has resulted in the long-anticipated release of their fifth studio album “Oblivion with Bells” (2007). Underworld have been on a long and exhilarating journey over the years, and are here in Madrid this May to show us it’s not over yet.

2manydjs are another obvious highlight on the bill. Also known as Soulwax, the Dewaele brothers only have one rule when it comes to their record collection: if it gets the dance floor jumping then it’s worth playing. Their sets and remixes are a mash up of just about anything and everything - breaks, rock, pop, country, house, you name it - in an exploration of the finest products of music history. Like their sets, the duo are full of surprises, with David in possession of a black belt in tae kwon do and Stephen named as the chairman of the Belgian Carpenters Association. If you’ve not seen the pair of them perform before, expect something along the lines of mind blowing.

Other artists confirmed so far include Spanish electro-pop group Fangoria, featuring none other than the queen of the movida herself, Alaska, and her partner-in-crime Nacho Canut, who will share the stage with Nancys Rubias, the glam-electro-clash band headed by Mario Vaquerizo. Liverpool-based group Ladytron will be treating us to their distinctive brand of electronic pop, whereas Montreal-born DJ/producer Tiga is journeying from slighter further afield to provide a blistering soundtrack perfect for a good old stomp. German producer Alexander Kowalski will be giving us a live performance of his unique blend of classic Detroit and historical Berlin techno, and Philadelphia-based producer and DJ Diplo will be showing us just why Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, Bloc Party and many others have been clamouring to undergo his remixing services. Soulwax will also be squeezing in a cheeky set and last but not least, darling of the Dutch club scene, Isis, will be there to kick off proceedings.

The fun starts in the early evening, with doors opening at 6.30pm. Tickets cost a mere 50€ in advance (55€ on the door), so go on, give your ears a treat! For further details (including more artist info, set times and ticket outlets) check out:

www.forwardfestival.es

http://www.myspace.com/festivalforward