Gentleman’s Dub Club.
9-piece British Dub band Gentleman’s Dub Club originate from Leeds, UK. The band formed in 2006 and ever since they have been making a name for themselves in the Dubstep scene. The band’s sound is described as a mashup of Ska, 2 tone, Dub and reggae fusion, resulting in music for the dance floor favoured among the Dub scene.
Over the past 7 years the band have toured extensively, supporting artists such as The Streets and Roots Manuva. The band have also appeared at top festivals including Glastonbury, Bestival and Latitude, as well as Outlook festival in Croatia, regarded as the biggest bass-music festival in the world.
Recently I spent an evening on the set of their music video for new release ‘Riot’, which is available to buy from 20/05/2013. The theme was riot, hence the title. And so, dressed in my best riot gear, I hit the set for plenty of angry mob walking, raving in a whole lot of smoke and looking classy while drinking Red Stripe (other choices are available, though this is the best one for getting into riot mode).
The setting for the video is an old abandoned warehouse in Hackney Wick, London. It still has plenty of its original features including the toilets, which in truth weren’t the worst I’ve experienced. It was the perfect secluded location for filming a music video.
Outside the warehouse some cast members were drafted in to do special shots involving fire. Naturally, we had to stand well back – safety first and all that.
After a while we were all told to move to the street just outside the gates of the warehouse. We had to walk forward as a mob down the street while looking angry. Luckily the location was perfect because of its seclusion. Barely anyone drove or walked past during the entire time of filming, making it perfect for the angry mob scene.
Later on that night, Gentleman’s Dub Club was played through the speakers and danced enveloped in smoke produced by flares and fire. The surreal highlight of the shoot was watching some of the cast, who were dressed in official riot police uniform, doing some extreme hardcore raving to Dubstep music. It’s probably something I won’t ever see again in my lifetime.
The dancing riot police were a surreal sight to say the least.
Hoods up and Red Stripe cans in hand, we danced encased in smoke.
People dance towards the fire, creating some striking shots.
We stood round the fire to keep warm and watch break dancers do their thing.
Promotional picture for the new release ‘Riot’.
After the smoke had faded, we stood round the roaring fire watching break dancers and stuntmen somersault over the fire. On the whole the evening was chilled and not too dissimilar from a house party in the summer, with the exception of being filmed occasionally!
Have you been to a Gentleman’s Dub Club gig? If so, why not share your thoughts on the band below?
Views of Eye 
L. Marie
May 9, 2013
I have not had the pleasure, but how cool that you were on set! Awesome!
Tom Twinkletoes Jones
May 14, 2013
woooo long live GDB! Was great to be one of your ‘breakdancers’ on set (and cool to see my pic again :P), roll on June 1st will see you at the Globe!!
viewsofeye
May 15, 2013
Are you the guy who hung from the lamp post in the ‘angry mob’ scene?! If so, cool stunt!