Check out the Carnival 2012 Map with sound system summary courtesy of our good friends over at Time Out Magazine. Below is the key that accompanies the map #ilikeitalot.com will be at Notting Hill Carnival both Sunday/Monday so feel free to take pictures, bogle and whine with us 🙂
Key of soundsystems on the map above
1 – Mastermind Roadshow
Upfront R&B, hip hop, soul, old school and reggae, Canal Way.
Found Canal Way. Sound Upfront R&B, hip hop, soul and a pinch of reggae. Renowned Long-time crowd pleasers who go back to the days of acid house.
2 – 4 Play
House, garage, R&B, hip hop and bashment and reggae, West Row, near the junction with Kensal Rd.
Found West Row , close to the junction with Kensal Rd. Sound Garage, rare groove and jungle classics. Renowned Part of the Carnival family since 1994, this gang keeps it eclectic – ranging from PAs by underground UK talent to a host of old-school anthems through the ages.
3 – GI Roadshow
Reggae, bashment, salsa and R&B, Adella St.
Found Adela St. Sound Reggae revival, soca, calypso and soul. Renowned An old-school operation run by a young team putting out plenty of peaceful vibes thanks to a soulful selection policy.
4 – Sancho Panza
Funky house, disco and techno, Junction of Middle Row and Conland St.
Found Corner of Kensal Rd and Alderson St. Sound Funky house, UK garage and classics. Renowned Lord Shane straps up his huge rig – previously run by his similarly ennobled dad.
5 – SSP Soundsystem (formerly Lord Shane)
Funky and soulful house, UKG and classics, Found Alderson St (off Kensal Rd).
Found Corner of Kensal Rd and Alderson St. Sound Funky house, UK garage and classics. Renowned Lord Shane straps up his huge rig – previously run by his similarly ennobled dad.
6 – Aba Shanti
Roots, reggae and dub, Found Corner of East and Southern Row.
Found Corner of Southern Row and East Row. Sound Roots reggae and dub. Renowned A legendary London institution, not just for Carnival, but all year round, this enormous rig has been pumping out the biggest heritage dubs on a strictly roots tip since the ’70s.
7 – Blackstar Showtime (formerly Midnight Express 747)
Reggae, ragga and soul, Outside the Earl Derby (Southern Row) on the junction of Bosworth Rd.
Found Where Oxford Gardens meets St Lawrence Terrace. Sound Everything from reggae to a touch of soul. Renowned Having upgraded their system last year, the team move from their old home outside the Earl Derby (Southern Row) to this new stomping ground.
8 – Rough But Sweet
Reggae and dub to calypso and garage, Hazelwood Crescent.
Found Hazelwood Crescent, close to Bosworth Rd. Sound Reggae, lovers’ rock and R&B. Renowned An easily recognisable presence, from their distinctive green speaker stacks to their sweet, old-school selections.
9 – Mayhem Crew
R&B, ragga, soul, old school and revival, Junction of Golborne Rd and Hazelwood Crescent.
Found Golborne Gardens. Sound House, rare groove and dancehall. Renowned A heavy-hitting mix of anthems, expect anything from Cameo’s ‘Candy’ to Lethal Bizzle’s mighty ‘Pow! (Forward)’.
10 – KCC and the Rocking Crew:
Old and new US house, Wornington Rd.
Found Wornington Rd. Sound Classic house through the ages. Renowned One of the biggest attractions at the Notting Hill Carnival and a destination for funky house fans since 1991, expect an all-day feast of jacking US house.
11 – Sir Valdez
R&B, hip hop and ragga, Golbourne Rd, behind the Prince Arthur.
Found Golborne Rd, behind the Prince Arthur. Sound R&B, hip hop and ragga. Renowned A veteran soundsystem which boasts DJs who are able to please both young and old Carnival crowds.
12 – Arts A Light map 12 (formerly Scenario/High On Hope)
R&B, reggae, hip hop and classic garage, Junction of Bonchurch St and Portobello Rd.
Found On the junction of Bonchurch St and Portobello Rd. Sound R&B, reggae, garage and gospel. Renowned Vibrant and spectacular dance displays are this crew’s forte.
13 – Saxon Sound
Ragga and reggae, Lawrence Terrace, north of junction with Cherston Rd.
Found Where St Lawrence Terrace meets Chesterton Rd. Sound Reggae and dancehall. Renowned Maxi Priest, Tippa Irie and Smiley Culture all cut their teeth on this pioneering system, where fast talking MCs are always on hand to liven up the crowds.
14 – Latin Rave Street Jam
Latin and salsa, Outside 318 Portobello Rd.
Found Outside 318 Portobello Rd. Sound Salsa, merengue and reggaeton. Renowned The only place to bust out sexy Latin dance moves over the weekend.
15 – Gladdy Wax’s Roadshow
Roots and culture, reggae and ska, Adjacent to 304/306 Portobello Rd.
Found Portobello Rd. Sound Soul, reggae and ska. Renowned A don of London’s reggae scene and former owner of Stoke Newington’s Wax Unlimited shop, Gladwin Wright boasts one of the world’s best collections imaginable.
16 – Virgo International
Reggae and soca to hip hop, R&B and garage, At People’s Theatre, facing Oxford Gardens.
Found The corner of Portobello Rd and Oxford Gardens. Sound Reggae and soca. Renowned A family friendly system run by Father Floyd and members of his own family and friends.
17 – High Grade
Reggae and roots, Oxford Gardens facing St Lawrence Terrace.
Found Junction of Appleford Rd and Bosworth Rd. Sound Dub and roots. Renowned One of the deeper sounds in the neighbourhood, this is one for bottom-end fanciers.
18 – Lord Gelly’s
Reggae, R&B, soca and beyond, Outside 47 Cambridge Gardens.
Found Outside 47 Cambridge Gardens. Sound Reggae, R&B and soca.
19 – Rapattack
Across the board, from old school soul and rare groove to UKG and funky, At 23 All Saints Rd.
Found All Saints Rd, close to Lancaster Rd. Sound Funk, soul and house. Renowned Not just a hip hop hangout, expect this system to be pumping out everything from ’70s funk jams to ’90s house classics, right up to new R&B joints.
20 – CMC/Matrix
Drum ’n’ bass, All Saints Rd, opposite The Pelican pub.
Found All Saint’s Rd, opposite The Pelican pub. Sound Drum ’n’ bass. Renowned The home for all things D&B at Carnival, expect everything from jungle to jump-up at this lively spot.
21 – Mangrove Sound
Soca and reggae, Outside 3 All Saints Rd.
Found Outside 3 All Saints Rd. Sound Caribbean classics. Renowned Strictly on a soca tip, this huge and prestigious Carnival institution is closely tied to its Trinidadian roots. Mastermind Roadshow Found Canal Way. Sound Upfront R&B, hip hop, soul and a pinch of reggae. Renowned Long-time crowd pleasers who go back to the days of acid house.
22 – Good Times
Old and new reggae, At 11 All Saints Rd.
Found Junction of Southern Row and West Row. Sound Everything from funky house, rare groove, disco to early ’90s hardcore. Renowned Possibly the most iconic sight at the entire Carnival, Good Times’s open-topped bus returns after being cruelly absent last year. Expect Norman Jay MBE and Rudy Ranks to pump out the anthems, while GT’s Soul Kitchen and separate cocktail bar keep their revellers fed and watered.
23 – Killerwatt
Reggae, ragga and dancehall, Found St Luke’s Rd at the corner of Tavistock Rd.
Found St Luke’s Rd. Sound Reggae, ragga and dancehall. Renowned A fixture since the ’80s, So Solid Crew’s MC Romeo and Megaman first appeared here as teenagers.
24 – Different Strokes
Anything goes, house-party style, St Luke’s Rd, facing Lancaster Rd.
Found Where St Luke’s Rd meets Lancaster Rd. Sound Reggae, R&B, soca and tropical house. Renowned Known for dropping a fun blend of genres, expect party-starting beats of all vibes and tempos from this eclectic crew.
25 – Sir Lloyd
R&B and reggae, At 54 Leamington Rd Villas, Tavistock Rd.
Found The corner of Leamington Rd Villas and Tavistock Rd. Sound R&B and reggae/D&B and dubstep. Renowned While founder Lloyd Roberts keeps things soulful on Sunday, Shy FX’s Digital Soundboy label takes over the spot on Monday to drop some altogether more modern bass beats.
26 – Channel One Soundsystem
Roots and culture, Junction of Westbourne Park Rd and Leamington Villas Rd.
Found Junction of Leamington Rd Villas and Westbourne Park Rd. Sound Rockers reggae. Renowned One of Carnival’s definitive sights and sounds, brothers Mikey Dread and Jah T established this soundsystem back in 1979.
27 – Metro Glory (Science of Sound)
House to roots, Ledbury Rd, junction with Westbourne Park Rd.
Found Ledbury Rd, at the junction with Westbourne Park Rd. Sound Reggae and roots. Renowned A simply gawp-inducing system that pumps out some of the thickest, vinyl-based bass in the area.
28 – Disya Jeneration
R&B, hip hop, bashment and soca, Powis Terrace, outside No 12.
Found Outside 12 Powis Terrace. Sound Old-school hip hop, funky house and garage. Renowned Head man DJ Mark Ross the Boss earns his title thanks to a classy mix of party starters and his ability to command a crowd with two turntables and a microphone.
29 – King Tubby’s
Reggae, dancehall, bashment and R&B, Outside Clydesdale House on Clydesdale Rd.
Found Outside Clydesdale House on Clydesdale Rd. Sound Dub, reggae and bashment. Renowned Though sadly departed, the legacy of one of the UK’s most respected sound scientists lives on through a new generation of selectors and controllers.
30 – Rampage
** NOW CANCELLED **
31 – Nasty Love Mixing Lab
Reggae, ragga, hip hop and R&B, Colville Gardens (in the middle).
Found Colville Gardens. Sound R&B and reggae. Renowned The place to hear the latest dancehall pumped direct from the underground on to the streets.
32 – Disco Hustlers
House music through the ages, across the board, Powis Square (east).
Found East side of Powis Square. Sound 4/4 house grooves. Renowned Expect a healthy dose of ‘hntz-hntz’ from this relatively new arrival on the block, with tunes ranging from sunny funky fare to more driving progressive beats.
33 – Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues
Classic ska, revival and New Orlean’s R&B, Outside 103 Talbot Rd.
Found Outside 103 Talbot Rd. Sound Ska, swing, blues and vintage R&B. Renowned With this year’s theme based around ‘The Jungle Book’, expect Carnival hero Gaz Mayall to get all the swingers and jungle VIPs shaking to a soundtrack of fun retro gems. There are live sets too from ‘Double Barrel’ duo Dave and Ansell Collins, the Black Kat Boppers and the Resonators.
34 – Solution Soundsystem
Roots and culture, Junction of Ledbury Rd and Talbot Rd.
Found Ledbury Rd, at the Talbot Rd end. Sound Sweet and melodic roots reggae. Renowned After veteran sound merchants Jah Observer called it a day last year and emigrated to Jamaica, the team from Solution take over the space with their own impressive rig and deep selections.
35 – Pineapple Tribe
Techno and breaks, Opposite the Walmer Castle.
Found Ledbury Rd, opposite the Walmer Castle. Sound Techno and breaks. Renowned The home for everything from early ’90s hardcore to new-school breakbeat, with some fun random tunes thrown in too.
36 – The Fun Bunch
R&B, hip hop, garage and boogie, Junction of Talbot Rd and Sutherland Place.
Found Junction of Talbot Rd and Sutherland Place. Sound R&B, hip hop, garage and boogie. Renowned The former home of DJ Swing – the influential and much-loved leader of the Boogie Bunch collective – this team may be based on the edge of Carnival, but they always manage to set it off regardless.
37 – Mellotone
Soul, ragga, R&B and revival, Telford Rd, near junction with Lionel Mews.
Found Ledbury Rd, at the junction with Westbourne Park Rd. Sound Reggae and roots. Renowned A simply gawp-inducing system that pumps out some of the thickest, vinyl-based bass in the area.
38 – Red Bull Music Academy Party 2012 Party
All things bass, Under the Westway at Ladbroke Grove.
Found Under the Westway, corner of Portobello Rd and Acklam Rd. Sound Bass, bashment and slight smugness. Renowned Whether or not you agree with big-name sponsors muscling into Carnival’s heritage, it’s hard not to swoon at this excellent line-up. If you’re lucky enough to have won a free ticket for this Monday-only bash, expect to see Diplo’s Major Lazer crew hosting dancehall king Sean Paul as well as UK pioneers such as Hudson Mohawke, Melé and Lil Silva.
