DDE 2026 spotlight: Andrew Morgan on bringing global visuals to Dundee’s biggest dance event
- Andrew Batchelor
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Before the lasers, the giant screens and the global stages, Andrew Morgan’s journey started with a simple idea - just getting out there and creating something.
His path into visual production and VJing has never followed a straight line, instead shaped by instinct, risk-taking and a deep connection to music culture.
From student experiments to world-renowned stages, his story reflects a career built on passion and persistence.
Studying animation in Edinburgh gave him the technical foundation, particularly in hand-drawn work, but it was never going to be a conventional route.
Drawn to the energy of live music and club culture, he made the move to London in search of opportunities, quickly finding himself immersed in the underground scene.
With little more than a couple of projectors and a laptop, Andrew began creating visuals for warehouse parties across Hackney.
These early experiences became a proving ground - fast-paced, unpredictable and full of creative freedom.
It was here that his signature approach began to take shape, blending movement, rhythm and visuals into something immersive and reactive.
That momentum soon led to bigger opportunities. Touring across Europe, working on projection mapping projects and collaborating with lighting designers opened doors to major productions.
Over time, this included working with globally recognised artists and performing at large-scale events, building a portfolio that spans both the underground and the mainstream.
Now based in Tayport, Andrew Morgan is bringing that experience back to Scotland, contributing to a growing nightlife culture in Dundee.
With events like DDE attracting attention and audiences from across the country, there is a sense of something building - and he is right at the centre of it.
Andrew Batchelor (AB): Hi Andrew, I wanted to start by knowing a bit about your background and how you got started in visual production and VJing?
Andrew Morgan (AM): So I studied animation in Edinburgh. Mostly hand drawn stuff there. But decided to move to London to get more work. I always loved large dance events, DJ and music culture growing up. So I decided to smash out my savings on a couple of old projectors and hooked them up to my laptop at some big sweaty parties right across Hackney. The perfect place to practice as it’s full of warehouses and spaces to do that kind of event.
AB: You’ve worked with some huge names like Faithless, Jean-Michel Jarre and at major events like Edinburgh Hogmanay - what have been some of the standout moments in your career so far?
AM: So a real full circle moment for me was designing a show for Jean Michel Jarre, located at the Dead Sea. It was hot and sandy, next to a huge tabletop mountain called The Masada.
We set up camp there for 10 days and did custom edits to animations and graphics we’d made beforehand. It was a real sense of wow as I’d watched his gigs as a kid, especially his Houston show where the whole city centre became part of the performance.
I’ve also worked with bands like Placebo and Pet Shop Boys, but my first real gig was for Amy McDonald. Faithless were always on my hi-fi as a teen, so when I got the chance to make visuals for them, it was a massive moment.
The big shows are great, but the underground scene has always been where I’ve honed my craft. That’s how I ended up working with John Legend and the guys who helped shape dubstep - Skream, Benga and Artwork through their Magnetic Man project.
AB: What does your role actually involve when it comes to creating visuals for live performances, and how does that process work from idea to execution?
AM: This might seem like an odd story, but my mum used to teach keep fit classes at home, so dancing was always around me. My process is kind of like asking what my body wants to do in response to a track.
Sometimes I’ll even film myself doing strange dance movements, then layer graphics and visuals on top of that footage, following the motion before removing the original video.
AB: You’re now working on the closing party at DDE - what can people expect from the visuals on the night, especially with the 360 setup at LIVEHOUSE?
AM: I’ve got a hard drive full of animations from the last 20 years, so those will definitely be involved. I’ll also be reworking visuals from bigger shows to make them unique for DDE, alongside completely new material. On the night, I’ll be mixing everything live, triggering visuals at exactly the right moment to match the music.
AB: It’s interesting that you reached out to get involved with DDE - what was it about the event that made you want to be part of it?
AM: DDE take dance seriously and so do I. I want to get locked in and fully into the music when I go out. Putting on something at this scale takes real determination, and it’s attracting talent and crowds from across Scotland now. It’s growing fast, so it made sense to be part of it.
AB: You’ve worked on international stages like the San Siro Stadium - how does bringing that experience back to a local event in the Dundee area feel?
AM:My journey has taken me to some huge stages, but I still need a place to experiment and develop ideas.
That starts locally.
Dundee already has international connections, and with things like potential ferry links to Europe, it could become a major city break destination. There’s great nightlife here, great venues, and loads going on. It feels natural to bring that experience back and try new material with a crowd that’s ready for it.
AB: How do you see the role of visuals evolving in live music and DJ performances, especially with technology advancing so quickly?
AM: There are lots of directions it can go, but I personally avoid using AI in my work. I like the idea that the audience knows the visuals were handcrafted by someone who really cares about the detail. For me, it’s about creating video art that’s dedicated to rhythm.
AB: Finally, what’s next for you after DDE - are there any upcoming projects or ambitions you’re particularly excited about?
AM: I’m working on new visuals for local promoters, including an event called Connect at CANVAS. It’s all about creating a safe and welcoming space for people to enjoy music, and I’ll be testing new projection materials and custom visuals.
I’m also working with Grammy-nominated Timo Maas, who’s coming to Dundee to promote his new music community app.
Longer term, I’d love to do more local projects. There’s less pressure and more room to have fun with it. I’m also keen to collaborate with other artists, so if anyone has visuals or artwork they’d like to share, I’d love to incorporate it into future shows.
Dundee Dance Event is coming back for its biggest outing yet and Andrew’s role in the closing party feels like a natural fit.
His journey through underground scenes and global stages has been built on understanding what makes a crowd move, and DDE is all about that shared energy.
With a 360 setup at LIVEHOUSE, his visuals are set to surround the audience completely, turning the space into something far more immersive than a typical club night.
For Andrew, this is not just another booking - it is a chance to bring years of work into a setting that reflects everything he enjoys about dance culture.
The mix of reworked visuals from major shows alongside brand new material means the set will feel both familiar and completely unique to Dundee.
It is about creating moments that feel spontaneous, where sound and visuals hit at exactly the right time.
DDE itself has grown into something bigger with each edition, drawing in talent and crowds from across Scotland.
That growth is part of what attracted Andrew in the first place, recognising an event that takes music seriously and delivers it on a large scale.
His involvement in the closing party places him right at the heart of one of the event’s most anticipated moments.
Dundee Dance Event takes place on 3 May, with the closing party and Rave Cave bringing things to a huge finale at LIVEHOUSE. Tickets are available now - you can buy yours for the closing party and Rave Cave here.
