The Hydra marked 30 years of the DJ-Kicks mix series with a 30-artist night at Drumsheds, led by a Moderat DJ set and 15 back-to-back pairings.
The Hydra marked 30 years of DJ-Kicks, the mix series of the Berlin label !K7, with a 30-artist night at Drumsheds in Meridian Water on Friday 5 December 2025. Moderat played a DJ set.
DJ-Kicks began in 1993 as mixes of techno and house made for listening at home. C.J. Bolland compiled the first release in 1995, and Carl Craig the second in 1996.
The series soon widened from DJs to producers, remixers and bands. The 1996 volume by Kruder & Dorfmeister became one of its best-known albums, and recent mixes came from Honey Dijon, Quantic and Logic1000.
The Hydra built the night around 15 back-to-back sets, pairing artists from across the series. DJ Koze played with Moodymann, Carl Craig with Actress, and Theo Parrish with CARISTA.
Moderat, the Berlin trio formed by Apparat and Modeselektor, played as DJs rather than live. Kelly Lee Owens joined rRoxymore, Mala joined Kode9, and Gerd Janson joined Erol Alkan.
Kruder & Dorfmeister, Job Jobse with Saoirse, and DJ Storm with Tim Reaper completed the bill.