Eskimo Dance

Skepta performing a headline set at the Opera House in September is undeniable proof that grime has gone truly global, but if you want a guided tour through the genre’s past, present and future, there’s only one place to be. Eskimo Dance began life as a club night on the outskirts of London in 2002 back when the burgeoning scene’s frenetic beats, rapid-fire spitting and tales of UK urban life didn’t even have a name that everyone could agree upon. Thanks to Wiley’s seminal instrumental, ‘Eskimo,’ and his place at the heart of Eskimo Dance, “eskibeat” was born, which gradually evolved into the signature grime sound we know today. Sixteen years on, the Godfather himself, Wiley, is heading up this impressive line-up, along with London stalwarts Lethal Bizzle and Devlin. There’ll also be an appearance from Big Shaq, whose viral hit, ‘Man’s Not Hot’, went platinum on the ARIA Charts last year.