UK house music sensation Nero swings through town April 17

By Logan Broyles | Downtown News

Billed as the U.K.’s premier house music group, British-born producers and DJs Daniel Stephens and Joe Ray form the eclectic brain trust that is Nero. Their music can best be described as a mix of dubstep and drum and bass, or, as they like to call it, “epic rave rock 4-step.”

Nero will next be in San Diego on April 17 at 4th & B, where they will be working their epic rave rock for a DJ set.

During live shows, the two mix masters sit atop a custom built booth consisting of old amps, retro TV’s and ghetto blasters, with an arcade machine as the centerpiece that ties it all together. Alana Watson, who adds a pop singer vibe to their music, often joins them on stage for larger shows.

Stephens and Ray grew up in London and first got into the music scene ten years ago, when they were seventeen years old. Their “Requiem” EP dropped in the U.K. in 2004 to massive critical acclaim, and they have slowly been working their way through the underground dubstep and house music scene ever since.

Last August saw them release their first full-length studio album, “Welcome Reality,” which debuted at number one in the U.K. pop charts, thanks to its hit singles “Innocence,” “Promises” and “Me and You,” which was their first single in the U.S.

In all, the group has released six singles and one studio album, and they said they aim to release their second album sometime later this year.

They also made a name for themselves last year, when they performed live on BBC radio with the Philharmonic Orchestra backing them up. While their popularity has been steadily on the rise and they’ve begun playing sold-out shows in front of massive arenas, the group does not worry about changing their style to please the masses.

“We wrote our first drum and bass track when we were seventeen. It was always something we did for fun as a hobby, so becoming popular wasn’t our first and foremost aim,” they said. “I guess we just write the music we want to make and try to separate ourselves from any scene buzz and hype. We don’t want to feel pressured into writing any particular type of music.”

The duo have played at all the major music festivals in the U.K., including Glastonbury and Bestival, and are making their way across the Atlantic for their second U.S. tour in the last four months, after hitting up venues in December 2011.

This month, the duo embarks on their headlining “Second Reality” tour across the U.S., including an appearance at the Coachella music festival and the stop at 4th & B the following week.

The tour is not all they have on their plates; this spring Nero will also begin DJ residencies at Surrender and XS Nightclubs at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev.

With nominations for the BBC’s Sound of 2011, Music Week’s Top 15 and the 2010 Beatport Award for Best Dubstep Act and Best Dubstep Track for “Act Like You Know,” Nero’s euphoric electronic music is taking off and raising the bar for quality dub step.

For the April 17 show, tickets range from $39.25 (general admission) to $59 (box seats). Doors are at 8 p.m., with the DJ set is at 9 p.m. 4th & B is located at 345 B St. For more information and tickets, visit 4thandbevents.com or call 619-231-4343.