A special music event is taking place later this month in honour of Bristol sport and music legend David ‘Syd’ Lawrence. It is being dubbed as possibly the biggest line-up of music acts from across Bristol’s scene, with top names in everything from house, hip-hop and drum and bass to reggae and jazz coming together for one night.
The club night is called Dance 4 Syd and will take place at Lost Horizon on Thursday, February 27, to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
And as well as a night packed with some of the legendary names in Bristol’s music history – from Roni Size and Laid Blak to Daddy G and Ray Mighty, there will also be an exclusive art auction, with work from artists including Rob del Naja.
Bristol street artist Inkie has also created an exclusive t-shirt paying tribute to the sporting legend, with funds raised from the sales going to the MNDA. The black t-shirt is a Bristol take on the famous Nike Air ‘jumpman’ Michael Jordan logo – it has the distinctive silhouette outline of Syd Lawrence in the middle of his bowling action with the word ‘Syd’ on the front and ‘Legend’ on the back.
The former Gloucestershire and England fast bowler was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in June last year. It has been an emotional time since, with Gloucestershire’s current cricketers involving a now wheelchair-bound club president in the celebrations of their trophy success last summer, and Syd playing an integral part in welcoming Kevin Sinfield on his charity run into Bristol last December.
As well as being a Bristol legend for his sporting prowess, Syd was also the proprietor of The Dojo nightclub for 25 years, a club at the heart of Bristol’s music scene.
“Syd has always been passionate about music over the decades, from a jazz dancer to opening the Dojo, which was a key venue as part of Bristol’s nightlife scene for 25 years,” said a spokesperson for the organisers of the event.
Last December, Bristol’s DJ Alliance, a collective of DJs who came together to raise funds for Syd, held a 12-hour livestream broadcast – and now they are holding a live event . The club night at Lost Horizon, which is just off the M32 in St Jude’s, begins at 8pm on Thursday, February 27 and runs until 2pm with the last entry at 1am – for more information on how to attend, click here.
On the bill are Andy Scholes, Ben Daley, Ben Dubuisson, Boogie Cafe, Chez de MIlo, Craig Brown, Daddy G, Dave Harvey, Deli G, DJ Bunjy, DJ Dazee, DJ Cridge, DJ Highart, DJ Lynx, DJ Style, Emario Esposito, Feel The Real, Flynn, Jack Cook, James B, Joe Peng, John Stapleton, Krust, a live set from Laid Blak, Magic, Mike Shawe, Mikee Freedom, Miranda, Nick Harris, Queen B, Rainy But Funky, Ray Mighty, Rob Smith, Rob Worth, Roni Size, Scott Hendy, Swiss Tony, Symon Van Ryn, Syvian, The Floor Technicians and Tim Spencer.