Mercury Prize-winning DJ Roni Size played a one-off G-SHOCK Sessions set inside Cwmorthin slate mine in Eryri, North Wales, on October 15, with the event aimed to be the world's deepest underground rave.
A small group of lucky ballot winners geared up in helmets and harnesses before tackling a gruelling two-hour descent through waterlogged tunnels, underground ravines, scrambles, zip lines and abseils. Their reward was a rave 1,375 feet below ground, inside a vast underground chamber known as Deep Sleep.
Music through the mountain
The unusual gig saw the mountain become part of the music itself. Special vibration transducers sent sounds directly into the surrounding slate, while geophones and hydrophones captured how the beats travelled through rock, water and mud.
Before Roni took to the decks, the group heard the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau echo through the chamber. The Bristol drum and bass pioneer said the experience brought his music back to the unexpected locations that helped shape rave culture.
G-SHOCK Mudman launch
The event was staged by G-SHOCK to celebrate their new £200 Mudman watch range, built for tough conditions and featuring mud resistance, shock resistance and water resistance to 20 bar. The piece also features a high-contrast MIP LCD, red LED backlight and Smartphone Link.
Record verification pending
The record attempt is now being submitted for independent verification, meaning the world's deepest underground rave title has yet to be confirmed. Fans can catch the full Roni Size set on G-SHOCK Radio's Mixcloud.
