James Ruskin: 30 Years of Blueprint

CORN help UK techno royalty James Ruskin toast 30 years of his label Blueprint with an extended set at Brew on September 18th. 

Celebrating 30 years of his landmark label Blueprint, we're honoured to welcome James Ruskin to Strange Brew for an extended techno masterclass. Matching unrelenting propulsion with a wide-angled view on the lineage of club music, you're as likely to hear him throw down Chicago acid and twitchy electro as looped up hardgroove and Brummie industrial, all folded into a rollicking high-pressure rush for the backroom ravers. 

Like many of his peers, Ruskin's foundation was built on 80s hip-hop and electro before he barrelled into the 90s techno boom. Partnered up with late sparring partner Richard Polson, he delved into production and by 1996 the two of them had launched Blueprint as a vessel for their Outline releases. The punchy, hard-knockin' sound they pushed was complemented by other heavyweights finding their feet at the same time — Oliver Ho and Surgeon were firm fixtures on Blueprint from the first year of operation onwards. 

30 years later, the label is one of the true totems of UK techno with successive generations of producers taking the sound in fresh directions, from Kerrie, Nadia Struiwigh and Chloe Lula to Kr!z, Samuel Kerridge and Rene Wise. Ruskin's own production journey has seen essential albums on Tresor and collaborations ranging from the deep-diving O/V/R project with Regis to neck-snapping electronica explorations as The Fear Ratio with Mark Broom. 

Suffice it to say, Ruskin continues to press forwards as a true emblem of UK techno royalty, and we're thrilled to host his first show in Bristol for 10 years. Support duties will be provided by none-more-qualified local sure shots RS Tangent (The Trilogy Tapes) and Mackenzie (Northfield / CORN).

words: Oli Warwick / Max Mackenzie

poster: G. De Ubeda

22:30-04:00

18/SEP/26

@ Strange Brew 10-12 Fairfax St, Bristol, BS1 3DB