INPUT OFF BCN 2026 pres Marco Faraone & guests

Marco Faraone

Tuscany-born but now based in Barcelona, Faraone grew up with a DJ father and folk singing grandfather so was always bound to end up in music. After early forays into hip hop and drum & bass, it was techno that stole his love and soon saw him becoming a resident at Florence’s globally-renowned Tenax club. His regular sets saw him graduate from ‘crafty up-and-comer’ to one of modern techno’s most recognised and respected names with sets at Fabric, Panorama Bar, DC10 and many more of the world's most famous clubs.
 
 Marco Faraone had a sensational season at Amnesia in 2022. His blistering sets on the iconic Terrace and famous Main Room showed the diversity of his sound. As he lay down explosive sets across the house and techno spectrum he proved why he is one of the hottest names in the game. Now he's unleashed the power of his much-respected UNCAGE imprint and announced UNCAGE Events. Each one will find him playing the headline slot with a key label associate to make for fully immersive party experiences at the best clubs on the planet. 
 
 His dexterity in the booth and ability to play big and powerful or more deep and nuanced left an indelible mark on all who heard him. His stylish productions make just as strong an impression: they have come thick and fast in the last few years with more than 40 original tracks, two full lengths and countless 12"s. Testament to the diversity of his sound is the range of different labels he has released on, from techno favourites like Rekids and Drumcode to the iconic house of Defected. His own UNCAGE is now at the heart of the underground thanks to a steady stream of music from the legendary likes of Radio Slave, Mark Broom and Donato Dozzy next to new school talents such as Flug, Anfisa Letyago and Marcal. 
 His famously creative and relentless output continues at the end of 2022 with a track on Alan Fitzpatrick's We Are The Brave, a remix of The Advent on his own UNCAGE label and new music on Drumcode and Filth On Acid. The new year brings a remix for Eats Everything on EI8HT and a track for the Rekids 50th release anniversary compilation as well as much more besides. All this proves that Marco Faraone very much embodies the sound of contemporary techno.

Sidney Charles

His take on house music is known amongst fans as The Sidney Sound: it’s one built on heavy low ends, the immediate impact of chunky drums, cavernous low frequencies and hard hitting rhythms that connect directly with your body. Both as a DJ and a producer, Sidney favours rough, dirty sounds that defined the old school pioneers, but all with a modern, full and punchy approach. His signature tunes like ‘House Lessons’ and ‘Warehouse Romance’ established this early on, and since then the artist has homed in on ever more irresistible rhythms on key labels like Truesoul, Hot Creations and Saved. HIs upfront, dark, hard hitting take on house is about physicality and making your body move. He wants to get you jacked up on the dance floor and keep you there. He does so with a mixing technique drawn from his long standing love of hip hop and battle DJs: beat matching, subtle scratching and tight, quick, energetic mixes that move things along at a pace. His love of direct rhythms stems back to a A Tribe Called Quest’s seminal Low End Theory album, which was the first in hip hop to really focus on the power of the drums and placement of them in the mix. After initially being a hip hop DJ who peaked with a warm up set for the legendary Xzibit, house music really turned Sidney’s ear: he’d grown up with it all round him as his mother was a music journalist with Strictly Rhythm promos arriving on a regular basis, but only later did he grow to appreciate its more immediate sense of energy and drive, coupled with the funk he loved from hip hop. Over the years, he has played DC10 Circo Loco numerous times, Mute Beach in Argentina to 10,000 people with Hot Since 82, held a Do Not Sleep residency at Vista Club in 2015 and was resident of Tribal Sessions Sankeys at its peak in Manchester and Ibiza. His music, too, has achieved some real highs such as ‘Ruff Line’ making number 2 in Beatport’s chart, ‘All Night Long’ on Hot Creations being number 1 on Beatport, being RA’s most charted artist in 2013 and being nominated twice for Best Producer and Newcomer in the Ibiza DJs Awards These days based in the laidback and sunny climate of Portugal, where he has time to surf, relax and more room to think about his work than in the hustle and bustle of Berlin, he is continuing to mature as an artist. His current release ‘Rush’ ft. Liz Cass on DFTD is doing great on digital & streaming stores, as well as the start of his own label, Heavy House Society, whose name says it all: it will be a label that deals in heavy, forward looking, rhythm orientated house music. With a background as an A&R at Avotre a few years ago, Sidney will bring those skills to the new label as his love of unearthing hot new talents continues. Charles is at home in a small and sweaty club like Circo Loco at DC10 in Ibiza, but also Italy’s largest open air warehouse, Social Music City, in Milan, as well as plenty in between. This year he heads back to South America, where they love his booty-shaking bottom ends, as well as to big gigs like Creamfields. For those who really like to feel house music in their chest, then, there is no one better than Sidney Charles

Easttown

Dutch DJ & Producer Easttown is one of the fastest-rising talents in the global house music scene. Based in Amsterdam, his sound blends infectious disco elements with a 90’s house vibe, creating a unique style that’s been catching attention across the globe. His tracks have found their way into the playlists of DJs like Seth Troxler, Folamour, Joseph Capriati, ANOTR, Dennis Cruz, and Jamie Jones, with his music regularly gracing the stages of iconic events like Circoloco, Music On and No Art. In 2024, Easttown made his mark with multiple (vinyl) EP releases on respected labels such as Cécille, Folamour’s House of Love, and Franky Rizardo’s LTF label. These releases helped establish him in the international scene. Known for his high-energy DJ sets, Easttown has played at renowned venues and festivals, including Strafwerk Festival, Music On x Loveland, Ants, Shelter, Thuishaven (Amsterdam), Badaboum (Paris), Tunnel (Barcelona) and Elysia (Basel). Now, in 2025, Easttown is taking things to the next level. He started the year by releasing his single ‘Circus’ on Cécille. Shortly after, his EPs on Müse (Dennis Cruz) and Jamie Jones his Hot Creations label followed. All tracks received support from top names in the scene and reached high positions on the Beatport charts. Keep an eye out — because he is just getting started.

Lola Palmer