Your ultimate guide to the Blackness Block Party Weekender

One of Dundee’s biggest celebrations of underground music is coming this weekend as CANVAS transforms its Blackness venue into a three-day festival of disco, house, jazz and everything in between.

Running from Friday 17 July until Sunday 19 July, the Blackness Block Party Weekender will bring together legendary DJs, acclaimed musicians and some of Dundee’s most exciting local talent for a packed programme of live performances, daytime parties and late-night sessions.

Whether you’re planning to spend the entire weekend there or just heading along for one day, here’s everything you need to know.

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Friday 17 July

Greg Wilson & Dicky Trisco

8:00pm – 1:00am

The weekend begins with a true icon of British club culture as Greg Wilson headlines Friday night.

Widely recognised as one of the pioneers of the UK’s electro-funk movement during the early 1980s, Wilson helped shape modern dance music through his groundbreaking DJ sets and legendary residencies at Manchester’s Haçienda and Legend. In 1983 he became the first DJ to demonstrate live beat-mixing on British television, while today he continues to perform around the world using his distinctive vintage Revox reel-to-reel tape machine.

Joining him is Dicky Trisco, a familiar face to CANVAS audiences and a long-time collaborator of Greg Wilson. The pair have worked together for many years through the influential Reading Rooms nights and on releases across Disco Deviance, Ruff Edits and several other respected disco labels, making for a perfect opening night pairing.

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Saturday 18 July

Day Moves

12:00pm onwards

Saturday begins with one of Dundee’s most exciting modern music communities.

Day Moves has quickly established itself as the city’s home for daytime dancing, bringing together underground electronic music, welcoming crowds and carefully curated line-ups featuring respected artists from across Scotland and beyond.

If you’re looking for laid-back summer party vibes before the evening ramps up, this is the perfect place to start.

DJ Harri & Dicky Trisco

Evening until 1:00am

As night falls, one of Scotland’s true dance music legends takes over.

DJ Harri has become synonymous with Glasgow’s world-famous Sub Club, where alongside Domenic Cappello he co-founded Subculture in 1994. More than three decades later, it remains the longest-running weekly house music residency anywhere in the world.

Known for his impeccable mixing and deep musical knowledge, Harri’s influence on Scotland’s underground electronic music scene is impossible to overstate.

Joining him once again will be Dicky Trisco, ensuring Saturday evening delivers another outstanding combination of disco and house.

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Sunday 19 July

12:00pm – 8:00pm

The closing day offers something a little different, blending jazz, soul, world music and live performance.

Headlining Sunday’s programme is Rebecca Vasmant, the Scottish Music Award-winning DJ, producer and curator whose unique sound has earned widespread acclaim across the UK.

A resident at Glasgow’s legendary Sub Club and presenter on BBC Radio Scotland, Vasmant has become one of the country’s leading figures in the modern jazz and electronic crossover scene. As well as her celebrated DJ sets, she’s also an accomplished composer and bandleader, recently leading a 25-piece ensemble through her latest project, Who We Are, Becoming.

Joining Rebecca are respected record collector DJ DLove, a familiar name to fans of the Reading Rooms and many other Scottish club nights, alongside rising local selector Wee Beastie.

Sunday will also feature the debut live performance from Mt.Isla, a brand-new experimental jazz-funk fusion group made up of several well-known faces from Dundee’s live music scene.

Le Freak Records Pop-Up

Throughout the day

Music lovers can also browse a special Le Freak Records pop-up on Sunday, offering the opportunity to pick up vinyl while enjoying the weekend’s closing celebrations.

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Tickets

Both full weekend passes and individual day tickets are available now via Resident Advisor.

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Timings

Friday: 8:00pm – 1:00am

Saturday: 12:00pm – 1:00am

Sunday: 12:00pm – 8:00pm

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So if you’re a lifelong house music fan, a jazz enthusiast or simply looking to discover something new, the Blackness Block Party Weekender promises three days of outstanding music in one of Dundee’s most unique creative spaces, bringing together internationally respected artists alongside the very best of the city’s thriving local scene.