Notting Hill Carnival 2011 – soundsystems map

Key to map

• 1 - Mastermind Roadshow

  Upfront R&B, hip hop, soul, old school and reggae, Canal Way.

  Renowned: Innovators with influence, this crew satisfy revellers year-on-year.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Dancing' by Omar Feat: Zed Bias.

• 2 - 4 Play

  House, garage, R&B, hip hop and bashment and reggae, West Row, near the junction with Kensal Rd.

  Renowned: For playing old school tunes for dancers with bum-shaking abilities (of which there are many!).
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Emotion II' by Tempo O'Neil.

• 3 - GI Roadshow

  Reggae, bashment, salsa and R&B, Adella St.

  Renowned: As members of the Southwark Community conservation group Friends of Brimington Park, this crew pedals ‘good intentions’ and a soulful, old school vibe.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Carnival Wine' by K-Jah.

• 4 - Sancho Panza

  Funky house, disco and techno, Junction of Middle Row and Conland St.

  Renowned: Rocking it alfresco, this Carnival favourite serves up soulful house before heading indoors for a Sunday after-party at Kensal Green’s The Regent.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Call Me' by Skyy (Sancho Panza - Re-Edit).

• 5 - SSP Soundsystem (formerly Lord Shane)

  Funky and soulful house, UKG and classics, Found Alderson St (off Kensal Rd).

  Renowned: Lord Shane (the son of the original soundsystem legend, who had the same name) returns.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Beautiful People' by Chris Brown.

• 6 - Aba Shanti

  Roots, reggae and dub, Found Corner of East and Southern Row.

  Renowned: The University Of Dub club’s resident, who started out as a mic man for Jah Tubbys, heads up this international roots-reggae soundsystem.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Got To Live Good' by Falasha Recordings.

• 7 - Blackstar Showtime (formerly Midnight Express 747)

  Reggae, ragga and soul, Outside the Earl Derby (Southern Row) on the junction of Bosworth Rd.

  A new name for a new year, and an upgraded, speaker-shaking system.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Beautiful People' by Chris Brown.

• 8 - Rough But Sweet

  Reggae and dub to calypso and garage, Hazelwood Crescent.

  Renowned: One of the most visually iconic systems, its powerful, luminous green speakers are rolled out for dub-heavy sounds.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Life' by Vybz Kartel.

• 9 - GT Flex Roadshow & Mayhem Crew

  R&B, ragga, soul, old school and revival, Junction of Golborne Rd and Hazelwood Crescent.

  Renowned: Two systems collide for a double dose of disorderly dancing.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Rum & Red Bull' by Beenie Man.

• 10 - KCC and the Rocking Crew: no longer appearing this year

  Old and new US house, Wornington Rd.

  Renowned: Crowd-pulling mix of soulful house tunes flecked with electro and funk.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Crook Your Neck' by KCC & Rossetti.

• 11 - Sir Valdez

  R&B, hip hop and ragga, Golbourne Rd, behind the Prince Arthur.

  Renowned: Manned by old-hands and fresh blood, including Sir Walter Riley, the soundsystem founder and Studio One DJ, and his son.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Rum & Red Bull' by Beenie Man.

• 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.

  Renowned: Brace yourself for old school sounds and sparkling stage dancers.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Optimistic' by Sounds of Blackness.

• 13 - Saxon Studio

  Ragga and reggae, Lawrence Terrace, north of junction with Cherston Rd.

  Renowned: Playing a special tribute to Smiley Culture, the innovative MC who died earlier this year, this fast-chatting crew keep the mics busy.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Saxon Is King' by Luciano & Delroy Wilson.

• 14 - Latin Rave Street Jam

  Latin and salsa, Outside 318 Portobello Rd.

  Renowned: Behinds always wiggle at the only all-Latin soundsystem. Shimmy-lovers will also find lashings of Latin across London as the LatinFest Weekender rages on beyond Carnival.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: Cubano Chant - Machito Afro Cuban

• 15 - Gladdy Wax’s Roadshow

  Roots and culture, reggae and ska, Adjacent to 304/306 Portobello Rd.

  Renowned: Manned by Carnival veteran Gladwin Wright, a true reggae boffin and the man behind Stokie’s missed Wax Unlimited record store (now online as Reggae Unlimited).
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Valerie' by Amy Winehouse.

• 16 - Virgo International

  Reggae and soca to hip hop, R&B and garage, At People’s Theatre, facing Oxford Gardens.

  Renowned: All ages are welcome to bounce and bop around at this long-running family affair.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Nah Sell Out' by Khago.

• 17 - High Grade

  Reggae and roots, Oxford Gardens facing St Lawrence Terrace.

  Renowned: Bass-heavy, reggae-fuelled fun.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'I Am Blessed' by Mr Vegas.

• 18 - Lord Gelly’s

  Reggae, R&B, soca and beyond, Outside 47 Cambridge Gardens.

  Renowned: A family-run soundsystem with old school charm.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Never Bad Mind One' by I Octane.

• 19 - Rapattack

  Across the board, from old school soul and rare groove to UKG and funky, At 23 All Saints Rd.

  Renowned: Ricky Belgrave, the BASS (British Association of Sound Systems) chairman, joins DJ Alistair to bring a master-mix of almost every musical genre – as long as it’s funky.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Buzzin'' by Mann featuring 50 Cent.

• 20 - CMC/Matrix

  Drum ’n’ bass, All Saints Rd, opposite The Pelican pub.

  Renowned: The only stop for drum ’n’ bass purists gagging for the rewinds.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Moments So Dark' by DJ wax.

• 21 - Mangrove Sound

  Soca and reggae, Outside 3 All Saints Rd.

  Renowned: Traditionalists congregate for pure soca.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Hold U' by Gyptian featuring Nicki Minaj.

• 22 - People’s Sound

  Old and new reggae, At 11 All Saints Rd.

  Renowned: A fat slab of reggae as Vego – the legendary DJ behind well-loved Notting Hill record store People’s Sound – does what he does best.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Natty Dread A Weh She Want' by Horace Andy.

• 23 - Killawatt

  Reggae, ragga and dancehall, Found St Luke’s Rd at the corner of Tavistock Rd.

  Renowned: So Solid Crew’s MC Romeo and Megaman played here as teenagers, but its legendary status transcends this factoid.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Heaven In Her Eyes' by Gappy Ranks.

• 24 - Different Strokes

  Anything goes, house-party style, St Luke’s Rd, facing Lancaster Rd.

  Renowned: From garage to soca via funk and calypso, you never quite know what you’ll be dancing to here – but you will be dancing.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'I'm Fly' by Donaeo.

• 25 - Sir Lloyd

  R&B and reggae, At 54 Leamington Rd Villas, Tavistock Rd.

  Renowned: Lloyd Roberts – the soulman who originally set up this soundsystem in 1979 – rocks on. Head down on Monday for the Digital Soundboy takeover where DJs include head honcho Shy FX, Breakage, Toddla T, Redlight, Donae’o and more.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Original Nuttah' by Shy FX.

• 26 - Channel One

  Roots and culture, Junction of Westbourne Park Rd and Leamington Villas Rd.

  Renowned: Long-running, family-friendly, party-heavy favourite that attracts a bigger crowd each year, they are also the current Red Bull Music Academy Culture Clash champs.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Everywhere' by Ras Kayleb. 

• 27 - Metro Glory

  House to roots, Ledbury Rd, junction with Westbourne Park Rd.

  Renowned: Ever bass-conscious, MG improves its gut-shaking power each year.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Real Rock' by Sound Dimension (Studio 1).

• 28 - Disya Generation

  R&B, hip hop, bashment and soca, Powis Terrace, outside No 12.

  Renowned: For DJ Mark Ross the Boss playing just about anything to keep the party jumping (and, when he's not at his own Major Lazer soundsystem, it’s also rumoured to be Diplo’s favourite pitstop).
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Nah Sell Out' by Khago.

• 29 - King Tubby’s

  Reggae, dancehall, bashment and R&B, Outside Clydesdale House on Clydesdale Rd.

  Renowned: Forty-one years this year and still going strong, this epically-old soundsystem knows how to please.

• 30 - Rampage: no longer appearing this year

  Hip hop, R&B, dancehall and bashment, Colville Square.

  Renowned: Carnival’s biggest and most famous soundsystem ramps up the Rampage, taking over this central square with live PAs from the likes of Ms Dynamite and more people-pulling guest appearances. Previous acts onstage have included Dizzee Rascal, Sean Paul and Tinie Tempah, so get set for a star.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Black & Yellow' by Wiz Khalifa.

• 31 - Nasty Love Mixing Lab

  Reggae, ragga, hip hop and R&B, Colville Gardens (in the middle).

  Renowned: Party-loving punters make a beeline for this soundsystem.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'In The Area' (Anthem) by Admiral Bailey.

• 32 - Disco Hustlers

  House music through the ages, across the board, Powis Square (east).

  Renowned: It’s only the third outing for this house-centric soundsystem but the crowds keep on building.

• 33 - Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues

  Classic ska, revival and New Orlean’s R&B, Outside 103 Talbot Rd.

  Renowned: The masses will jive as Carnival stalwart Gaz Mayall returns with fellow veteran DJ Duke Vin, one of the oldest living DJs well into his eighties, Studio One’s Winston Francis (backed by an 11-piece ska and reggae band), Natty Bo and 12-year-old DJ Ted. This year’s theme is ‘gypsy’ and they really go for it with the décor, so dress up to dance!
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Israelites' by Desmond Dekker.

• 34 - Jah Observer

  Roots and culture, Junction of Ledbury Rd and Talbot Rd.

  Renowned: Deep roots connoisseurs still flock to this soundsystem institution.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Prophesy' by Fabian.

• 35 - Pineapple Tribe

  Techno and breaks, Opposite the Walmer Castle.

  Renowned: It’s techno and breakbeat only at this dedicated corner of Carnival.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: Techno, techno, techno!

• 36 - The Fun Bunch

  R&B, hip hop, garage and boogie, Junction of Talbot Rd and Sutherland Place.

  Renowned: The late, much-loved DJ Swing, the influencial linchpin of south London DJ collective Boogie Bunch, famously headed up this crew, though the party and his spirit lives on.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'The Mack' by Mann Featuring: Snoop Dogg.

• 37 - Mellowtone

  Soul, ragga, R&B and revival, Telford Rd, near junction with Lionel Mews.

  Renowned: This girl DJ duo (Night Nurse and Lady Banton) have been here since 1994 with an eclectic mash-up that relies on bass but skirts past swing and soul.
  Tune for Carnival playlist: 'Man Down' by Rihanna.

• 01 - Red Bull Music Academy Party with Major Lazer

  All things bass, Under the Westway at Ladbroke Grove.

  Renowned: One of Monday’s biggest draws, if you were lucky enough to win free tickets. Major Lazer head up the mayhem alongside Black Chiney, Lunice, Kito, Dillon Francis b2b Brodinski, Oneman b2b Jackmaster and asecret guests.

• 02 - Extra Stout Sound

  Reggae and dancehall, Outside Mau Mau, 265 Portobello Rd.

  Renowned: Jamie Rodigan (son of David) and friends including Reggae Roast and Style & Swagger spin at this unofficial plot.