HIVE: NEW ELECTRONIC MUSIC FOR LIVERPOOL

Who We Are

Electronic music requires as much listening as dancing. The Hive Collective aims to promote new and exciting electronic music throughout Liverpool. We are interested not only in the sound of virtual stones dropping into infinite wells of zen-like depth or pile-driving 4-to-the-floor techno but in all forms of innovative electronica.

The Hive Collective has a long-standing relationship with the FACT art centre in Liverpool as well as many other art and music organisations.

We organise regular live events and started Liverpool's first annual festival of electronic music in November 2005.

While Liverpool is often seen as a centre for music, the culture surrounding music in the city is either guitar or mainstream club/dance oriented. There is no regular opportunity to hear (or perform) innovative music. The Hive Collective aim to present electronic sound and music by local, national and international producers and DJs.

Since the advent of affordable home computing power, many are now able to produce music rather than merely consume it. Hive gives an opportunity for people to come out of their bedrooms and showcase material they have created. The Hive Collective feels that if Liverpool is to be taken seriously as a European Capital of Culture it must encourage a radical approach to increasingly accessible computer-aided music production.

hive -

  • Allows the dissemination of innovative electronic music in Liverpool
  • Encourages "bedroom" producers to showcase their material
  • Establishes a community of those interested in experimental electronic music culture
  • Provides an exciting listening opportunity in a comfortable environment with high acoustic quality

The Hive Collective are:

  • Alex Spiers (Dj Alextronic)
  • Matthew Smith (Testcard)
  • Sara Smith (Bluecoat Arts Centre)
  • David Sorfa (Screen Studies, Liverpool John Moores University)
  • Rob Strachan (Institute of Popular Music, University of Liverpool)
  • Bob Wass (WassArts)
  • Sam Wiehl (Burneverything)

Alex and Matt are experienced new music promoters and accomplished electronic/organic djs. Matt and Rob perform in the electronic pop group, Testcard. David irregularly produces music and djs as Strcprstskrzkrk. Bob and Sam manipulate images. Sara makes things work.