London Electronic Arts Festival, also known as LEAF, will return in March 2015.
The brainchild of Rob Da Bank and Ben Turner, the city-based conference launched in November 2013. Teaming up with London Warehouse Events for next spring's second edition, the majority of the action will take place across March 6th and 7th at Tobacco Dock in the capital's East End. Several off-site events are also in the pipeline, though exact details are still TBA.
On Friday at Tobacco Dock the day will be split in two, starting with a series of talks and interviews from 10 AM through 8 PM. DJ Harvey, Nile Rodgers and representatives from Andy C's Ram Records are among the confirmed. In the evening, Modeselektor will perform as part of LEAF Live, taking over the Great Gallery from 7 PM.
The Saturday will host the main event, with Luciano, Tale Of Us, Pan-Pot, Anja Schneider, Chris Liebing, DJ Harvey and Sasha all performing across three rooms from midday. More names will be added in the coming weeks.
For some more insight into LEAF 2015, we chatted briefly with Ben Turner over email.What do you think LEAF will add to London's electronic music landscape?
I think the London nightlife scene has been disparate for some time. There are incredible innovations all around but very little holding it all together. LEAF is designed to focus people's attention on London and the UK and we aim to work with as many promoters as we can in order to share ideas, artists, venues and push the message.
We are especially focused on the evolution of electronic music audiences today. That awful (but useful) marketing term "pro-sumer" reflects the fact that a large percentage of people on the dance floor at discerning electronic events are producers, DJs and future industry icons. LEAF wants to encourage these people to participate more deeply and hence the focus on Conversations as much as Concerts and Clubs. Also, we have a commitment to add more and more digital art into the concept as we grow year on year. We are so committed to getting LEAF right for London so it can grow and last as the capital unites for its wider benefit. We've been so happy at the promoters reaching out to participate and hence myself, Rob da Bank and SJM are brining in LWE as official partners in the concept overall.
Tell us about how you think Tobacco Dock will suit a festival like this.
I've had my eye on this venue ever since I was living in Tower Bridge in 1993. I'd go there for lunch and wonder why this incredible space was empty! That was some time ago, but congratulations to LWE for making the dream a reality and contributing the best venue to London nightlife for as long as I can remember. . . So it's a dream to be able to be creative with this space and present something beyond what LWE already deliver. Seeing the Wired conference event there really convinced us it was a dream place for Conversations, Concerts and Clubs. All our favourite disciplines under one roof.