DNB Rising: Chase & Status Under the K-Bridge + Driven AM Afterparty

Words / Photos: by Joanna Oremland

The Rise of Drum & Bass

Drum & bass has come a long way in the last few years. It’s been amazing to see the sound move from underground rooms to global stages. The producer/DJ duo Chase & Status have been part of that rise since the start.

I first saw them in 2011 on their No More Idols Tour in Washington, DC — a packed club with a few hundred ravers. Fourteen years later, it’s apparent that both Chase & Status and drum & bass have reached new heights.

Brooklyn was rumbling last weekend — not from trains, but from bass rolling beneath the K-Bridge. You could feel it before you saw the crowd. Thousands came from across the East Coast for drum & bass. Under the skyline, the mix of old-school heads, new fans, UK transplants, and NYC locals. Concrete pillars, flashing lasers, and echoing bass made the night come alive.

Chase & Status came in heavy from the start. Their set played like a timeline of the sound — from jungle breaks to high-energy DNB. Every transition was tight, every drop on point. They shouted out the OG junglists holding it down. Tracks like “Baddadan” and “Selecta” got huge reactions, while deeper cuts reminded the old school raver why they’re still on top. The visuals matched the sound — strobes, lasers, and projections lighting the space. You could close your eyes and picture an East London warehouse in the late ’90s — except this was Brooklyn, 2025, under a bridge. It’s been a long road for drum & bass in America, but this night showed how far it’s come.

The people under that bridge came to dance — DC heads, Philly junglists, NYC OGs, and new ravers too. Every classic break or vocal drop got a cheer. When Shy FX played “Roll The Dice” (feat. Stamina MC & Lily Allen), the crowd went off. Big respect to The Bowery Presents, the staff, and the production crew. And props to Mary Droppinz, Shy FX, G Jones, and Taiki Nulight for crushing their sets too.

If the K-Bridge show was a statement, the Driven AM party was an OG celebration. Driven AM has supported the NYC DNB community for years, and The Attic was the perfect space — dark, close, and most importantly – full of bass! The Stateside Series doubled as the afterparty with Human, Render One, myself (Joanna O.), and Agent 137. It wasn’t about names or hype, just music and people. Old friends, new faces, and a shared love for the sound.