Ring in 2027 With the Godfather: Ray Keith Headlines Strictly Jungle & DnB Classics NYE

Manchester’s Jungle faithful have their New Year’s Eve sorted. Strictly Jungle & DnB Classics, the city’s home for the genre’s golden years, take over Rebellion on Whitworth Street West on 31 December for two rooms of bass, breaks and MCs, running from 10pm until 5am.

Room One is headed by Ray Keith, widely hailed as a godfather of Jungle and Drum and Bass. The Colchester-born DJ and producer set up Dread Recordings in 1994, the same year his Renegade anthem “Terrorist” became one of the most recognisable jungle tunes ever made. His 650-page biography, Dark Soldier, tells the rest and his nephew is Joy Orbison. Expect the sort of set that makes a room go off at midnight.

He’s joined by Manchester’s own North Base, the duo of Silver and Prophecy, who first met at Isa Bar in 1997 and have been through jungle, garage and the arena circuit since, with releases on Viper, Hospital and Technique. They’re playing a Silver and Prophecy birthday set. Mark XTC, who started DJing at fifteen and won the North West DMC DJ Championships while spinning at the Hacienda, also plays, with sets from Standard Procedure, Dawn Raid, Jack Banner, Ajay, Sebred, Rubez and Dach.

Room Two runs from Inkey, S Man, Jumanji, Shelldown, Microcosm, B-52, Dach, Rubez, Phoenix, Boxie, Finn and Indeva. On the mic are Toddlah, TNT, Frost, Digga, MC BIC, Operator, Jaytmisc, Kamakaze and Davie Dee. MC BIC is a Manchester resident who made his name in the late 90s alongside Dawn Raid and has shared stages with Zed Bias and Mark XTC.

The promoters have already brought Nicky Blackmarket and DJ Brockie to the city this year, so they know how to throw a night. Don’t wait for the last-minute tickets.

Event details:

When: Thursday 31 December 2026, 10pm to 5am

Where: Rebellion, 2B Whitworth Street West, Manchester

Tickets: skiddle.com

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