Like most of dance music’s most well-loved events, Jacfest was originally just an extension of two ravers’ own beliefs on what made a club night so special. Initially they were just looking for a place they could host their own take on the house sound they’d fallen in love with. And beyond music, their goal was to create an atmosphere that would enable people to leave their inhibitions and problems behind them. Two lads with a strong feel for house music and a desire to do things a little differently.
That was 2005, and close to twenty years later Joss and Simon have managed to not only achieve that goal, but they’ve swiftly taken it to the next level. Jacfest’s reputation for a killer party has compounded year upon year, as they’ve managed to showcase some of the best names in dance music from their Cambridge home, as well as taking Jacfest further afield across the UK and into Ibiza.
The artists they’ve put on reads like a who’s who of dance music. Their line ups have included house music legends Todd Terry and Danny Rampling, UK dance music pioneers Seb Fontaine and Norman Jay, and UK garage and breakbeat mainstays such as MC Creed and the Plump DJs. As well as killer club nights and festivals in their Cambridge base, they’ve also worked with iconic names such as Ministry of Sound and Clockwork Orange, helping thousands of clubbers lose themselves from their worries.
More than a basic focus on a Dj spinning records, Jacfest’s production values and dedication to a proper party lends itself to a bigger experience. You’ll often hear the DJ augmented by live sax and digital percussion, giving people a memorable experience beyond the norm. Never dictated to by trends, Jacfest delivers the same concept whether an intimate gathering for a few hundred or a stadium sized festival. That’s an evening of unrivaled musical escapism where everyone can feel free to leave their problems at the door.
