Key Highlights
- Drum and bass legend Roni Size performed a subterranean set 1,375 feet (419 metres) below ground in North Wales’ Cwmorthin Slate Mine.
- Organized alongside G-Shock and Go Below Underground Adventures, the extreme event served as an acoustic experiment and the launch for the GDG-B100 Mudman watch.
- Attendees completed a grueling two-hour descent involving abseiling, zip-lining, and wading through waist-deep water to reach the performance chamber.
Roni Size Takes Drum and Bass to Unprecedented Depths
Ditching traditional nightlife settings, electronic music pioneer and Mercury Prize winner Roni Size took the underground music scene literally by hosting a performance 1,375 feet (419 metres) beneath the surface in North Wales. Staged inside the historic chambers of the Cwmorthin Slate Mine, the performance brought a tight-knit audience deep into the earth for what is being hailed as an attempt at the world’s deepest underground rave.
The 56-year-old Bristol-born DJ treated the environment not just as a visual backdrop, but as an active element of the music. Adapting his track selection to mirror the rugged Welsh weather, Roni Size viewed the subterranean session as dynamic and collaborative. The artist explained his deep-rooted philosophy prior to making the trek:
“Back in Bristol, we’d put on a party wherever we could, and some of the sounds came from what we called happy accidents – playing a track at the wrong speed, hearing something that sounds new but still works.”
“Raves could take place in some crazy and unexpected places, on someone’s front lawn, down in tunnels, but what I’ve always done is play to the environment and the crowd.”
“By the time we’re 1,375 feet underground, everyone there will already have shared an adventure.”
“And how much more could you reflect the environment than by pumping a set into the mountain, hearing the sound travelling through the slate, rock and mud, and bringing it back into the mix?”
“It’s the most underground of underground raves ever.”
Advertisement
Acoustic Science and Extreme Subterranean Logistics
The ambitious initiative doubled as a technical and scientific venture organized in partnership with watch brand G-Shock to commemorate the release of its GDG-B100 Mudman timepiece. Audio engineers transformed the mine into an instrument using vibration transducers to drive the music directly into the rock. Simultaneously, specialized geophones and hydrophones recorded how acoustic waves traveled through slate, subterranean water reservoirs, and mud. These captured resonance profiles were subsequently funneled straight back into the audio feed, infusing the drum and bass performance with the natural reverberations of Snowdonia.
Executing an event within an abandoned industrial mine—active until 1997—demanded an immense logistical undertaking coordinated by specialists from Go Below Underground Adventures over a six-week timeline. Without vehicular access or mechanical lifts, crews spent three days manually hauling lighting rigs, recording equipment, and sound systems on their backs through pitch-black caverns to build the makeshift stage.
The Treacherous Journey to Cwmorthin Slate Mine
Reaching the performance area required attendees, including five ballot winners selected through a competitive public draw, to navigate an arduous two-hour route. Equipped with protective helmets, headlamps, and harnesses, ravers tackled a demanding obstacle course that included wading through waist-deep water, crossing deep chasms, abseiling down a 30-metre drop, and navigating underground zip lines. Due to the high-risk terrain, strict sobriety and constant protective gear were maintained throughout.
The physical exertion gave way to an extraordinary atmosphere once the group reached the cavern. DJ Nav handled opening duties, priming the chamber before Roni Size initiated his headlining set with an introductory rendition of the Welsh national anthem reverberating off the slate walls.
Why This Matters
The Cwmorthin Slate Mine event demonstrates the shifting boundaries of live performance and experiential brand activations. By moving past conventional festival environments into extreme subterranean terrain, organizers illustrated how modern audio engineering can leverage geological spaces as acoustic elements. Furthermore, successfully executing an event of this scale in an abandoned heritage site highlights how extreme adventure logistics and live entertainment can merge without leaving a permanent footprint in delicate historical spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Roni Size’s underground rave take place?
The rave took place 1,375 feet (419 metres) below ground within the Cwmorthin Slate Mine, a historic abandoned slate mining site located in the mountainous region of North Wales.
How were the natural acoustics of the mine incorporated into the set?
The team utilized vibration transducers to push sound waves directly into the slate, while hydrophones and geophones captured the vibrations moving through water, mud, and rock. These natural feedback signals were then mixed directly back into Roni Size’s live audio output.
What were the requirements for attendees to reach the stage?
Attendees had to undergo a rigorous two-hour journey guided by Go Below Underground Adventures. The route demanded strict safety equipment, navigating waist-deep water, traversing underground chasms, strapping onto a zip line, and abseiling down a 30-metre vertical descent.
