07/09/2026
This Saturday at The Globe! Reggae, Dub, Jungle, World Music, Electronic and more - all on vinyl!
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Saturday 12th September
VG++ Special with DJ Old Rat (Steve Barker - On The Wire)
For our first VG++ Special we are excited to be joined by Steve Barker, aka DJ Old Rat, from the legendary radio show 'On The Wire'
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Steve Barker aka DJ Old Rat
Steve Barker, also known as DJ Old Rat (DJ Lao Lao Shu), is a legendary British music journalist, broadcaster and DJ. He is best known as the creator and host of On the Wire, the UK's longest-running continuous alternative and underground music radio show. Also he writes the monthly dub/reggae column for The Wire magazine.
After a promising start in journalism, interviewing Jimi Hendrix and Yoko Ono in the same week, his ambitions receded only to be recruited to Radio Blackburn in 1978 to work on the music review show RPM. In 1980 RPM begat Spinoff which in 1984 mutated into On the Wire, now the longest running continuous underground music show on UK radio - and Steve recently celebrated his 40th continuous year with BBC Radio Lancashire.
On the Wire was an early champion of new musical genres such as hip hop, House and Techno, many bands and performers who were to become musical legends passed through the show including U2, REM, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Eno, Joy Division, Burning Spear and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Of late On the Wire has taken a more relaxed view of the music scene and is as likely to play pre-war hillbilly, gospel or country blues as much as experimental electronica or dub.
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DJ Old Rat will be joined by Red Kite (The Lift Global Music Club) and Howell (VG++)
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