ULTRASONIC III Announcement – MECHANISM

“Way back when in the deepest darkest 90’s, there was a kid called John, and John had a dream to play loud music to lots of people, in big loud rooms. He used to sniff around Constant Force and Galaxy records hunting for bargains, and building up the courage to ask people to play gigs whenever he could. Sometimes people would say yes. This is how Action Jack sprung onto the scene with a whole lot of ambition, and a small modicum of talent. Mainly specialising in House music, Action Jack also had a penchant for Hardcore and Happy Hardcore, playing at numerous venues and events ranging from The Source, The Ministry, Heaven, Daegar Bar, The Gathering, and waaaay to many Living Room parties. In early 2001 he played his last set under this name at Hybrid, and toddled off to Sydney for a couple of years, retiring the name forever……………
Or so he thought! RDU Hauswerk’s John Ussher is incredibly excited to be joining the lineup for Ultra Sonic III, once again under his original DJ moniker, Action Jack. Expect a selection of legendary Happy Hardcore and Hardcore that will throw you straight back to those heady times of the mid – 90’s.”

After watching people go crazy to all styles of electronic music at a rave in 1995, Aragorn knew that he wanted in on the crowd peaking action. From his early days playing underground raves to peak time sets at gigs featuring international acts such as Sasha, Nick Warren, Steve Lawler and many others, Aragorn has maintained a constant theme. Whether it’s Progressive Trance or House, the formula is simple, take the crowd on a journey and make them feel as good as he possibly can. Over the past 25 years, Aragorn has been a DJ, a festival promoter and a club owner and has built his reputation on bringing crowds together and giving them a peak time experience they won’t soon forget. Playing a style, he describes as Big Room House you can expect tunes with lush vocals, big drops and huge basslines, mixed in a way that leaves you hanging for what’s coming next.

Aptly named; Basalt is the result of a unique blend of elements and circumstances.
Born in the aftermath of a literal volcano, a young Ax rose from the ash within the belly of a dormant beast, donned; ‘Te Whakaraupō’ [known commonly as Lyttelton Harbour]. A rare place in a strange time, one man possessed the specific brand of neurodivergence needed in order to thrive in this environment. Basic bitches didn’t stand a chance…
Fostered by a long-thriving Ōtautahi scene and strapped with an arsenal of vinyl plates sure to knock more than your socks off, this jockey can’t be machine washed. Whether it be almost opening for Djrum, or actually supporting Breakage – the accolades speak numbers – and those numbers are:
03-328-8082 [not actual phone number]
Basalt is the result of years of refinement and the product is hard as hell

Enter the realm of Bellsy: disk fairy of bass and breaks. Host of live radio shows ‘Ctrl+T’ and ‘The Green Room’ on RDU.

Drawing inspiration from a childhood surrounded by reggae, dub, and jungle, Bellsy curates vibes that weave deep earthy stomps with spacey realm explorations. Their sets comprise blends of local and international dance music, influenced by Aotearoa’s underground music producers as well as diverse sounds from around the globe.

Using music as an expression of their mind, body and spirit, Bellsy encourages you to free yourself from conformity to experience sounds with the intention of finding your own groove.

ཐི༏ཋྀ

Crybaby ran the legendary Guerrilla System Raves all over the port hills and Christchurch which mashed together underground genres as fast as he mixed.
Rapidly evolving from house to techno, jungle to drums n bass, hardcore to the ultimate parody of dance music…..Gabba….go on try to dance to that silly nonsense!
Those times were about breaking down barriers, coming together, connecting, building an infamous Christchurch rave community with a kickin’ soundtrack.
And what to expect from Crybaby? Ultrasonic III will see a mix of fast paced old school classics and banging hardcore blimey anthems as he breaks out his box of crusty 12Inch vinyl slabs.. locked away since ’95… now free, free again. Lord have mercy! Expect it when you least expect it. A guerrilla system.

Having cut his teeth at early Chch raves in the 90’s both on the decks and behind the scenes. Dexta enjoyed spinning a record or three up until 2005 when he conciously hung up his headphones to pursue a career in event production. Targeting specifically NZ or Electronic music he is still immersed in the scene today. It all started one night in cathedral square, innocently over pink champagne, shaping a lifetime. Returning for a mix, dusting off some early 2 step / garage / breaks wax, I cant wait to see everyone!!!!

Dman is a name that pulses with pure happy hardcore energy. With a relentless drive to keep the BPM high and the vocals and vibes even higher, Dman has carved out a reputation as one of the cheesiest hardcore Djs around. Armed with a bottle of Mountain Dew you can expect Dman to drop infectious classic anthems taking you on an adrenaline-fueled journey through ecstasy and nostalgia.

A respected name in Drum and Bass, Dtour has promoted and supported many of the music’s pioneers and heavyweight internationals, helping to cement the local scene’s global reputation. For Dtour, it’s not just about dropping bangers—it’s about telling stories through sound. Dtour’s sets are journeys through the evolution of DnB—touching on jungle roots, techstep grit, and future-forward minimalism. Never one to chase trends, he stays grounded in authenticity while always pushing the boundaries of sound.

Fueled by a passion for jungle, footwork, and hardcore, dwullwud blends breakbeats, jazzy notes, and ravey stabs. Drawing influence from classic hardcore, Chicago footwork, and jungle expect a mix of sounds and vibes. RIP DJ Rashad

New Zealand’s “Godfather of House” Greg Churchill is a rarity – someone labelled a legend who actually is.

In a career that started in 1989, Greg has both defined – and redefined – the art of DJing, performing alongside the heavyweights of house and techno, racked up UK chart hits, hosted radio shows on GeorgeFM, BFM, Radio Hauraki & RDU (Chch), run and owned four independent record labels, played all the major New Zealand summer festivals, featured in a host of dance music publications including DJ Mag & Mizmag, at the same time writing and reviewing for the likes of Real Groove, Rip It Up & Pavement magazines, and all the while bagging a load of music industry awards along the way.

In addition to his solo endeavours, Greg was also one half of the infamous and legendary electro house duo Aural Trash, alongside Angela Fisken.
Their collaboration coincided with their hugely popular radio show on GeorgeFM airing from 2003 to 2014.

If it’s worth doing, Greg’s done it – and done it right.

James Meharry, aka Pylon is the original Junglist of Ōtautahi. Beginning his journey through breakbeat in the early 1990’s, Pylon preferred dropping tough beats over seeking the pleasures of a full dance floor. And this commitment became the precursor to fuel a dark, heavy and industrial appetite for breakbeat, jungle and drum&bass that Christchurch quickly became synonimous for. Pylonz or PZ for short, worked with co-conspirators OB1 as T.K.O Productions and at the same time Joe Mosus (NFM) as Scientific. This had him leading the scene as a DJ, remix producer, label boss and promoter across multiple genres for the next 2 decades. PZ remains a committed underground force through his work with RDU and in his own vinyl music project – James In Real Life.

Her sets, a dynamic reflection of her Tūhoe and Ngāti Raukawa heritage, blend techno, club, amapiano, garage, juke, footmahi and bass. With a focus on high-energy rhythms,

INFORDIN’s performances are not just music but an immersive storytelling experience. Her dedication to showcasing diverse sonic landscapes underscores her commitment to inclusivity and cultural expression within the underground music community.

Ko Ngāi Tūhoe rāua ko Ngāti Raukawa ōku Iwi. she/her

Jay Luv is no stranger to the Aotearoa underground music scene. An Ōtautahi (Christchurch) native, who’s been making waves since his breakout in 2022!
Notable accolades include, his slot on the Big Fresh Collective stage takeover at Twisted Frequency ’23 as well as being a part of Twisted Frequency ‘24, followed by his expansion into the promotion circuit under his club initiative LuvHub. Which showcases local and international talent with a focus on Electro and Footwork. He’s also landed international support slots alongside heavyweights like DJ Assault, Denham Audio, Mani Festo, and DJ Swisha. And his recent trip to Seoul, South Korea saw him playing on major pirate/livestream radios Visla.fm & Seoul Community Radio.
Jay’s sets and productions blend electro and breaks, devising the space in between. Distorted bass lines, sharp drums and plenty of zaps. Operating within the 135-160 BPM range.

Kate McAnergney began her DJ journey during her misspent youth as part of the 1990s chch/otautahi rave scene. As DJ K8 she played in the chill-out zone at numerous key 90s raves and festivals. She also spent 3 years at the helm of the weekly radio show “Rotate your State” on RDU, blending ambient music and electronica into soundscapes layered with found sounds and scratchy records foraged from op shops, plus the odd drum n bass track played at 33rpm! Fast forward 2 decades and Kate’s passion for collecting vinyl (especially in the fabled 7” format) never waned, so in 2019 she finally bought her own decks and began dreaming of DJing seriously again. As Shanita Vice, Kate regularly plays around her current hometown of Geelong, Australia and has a passion for sharing tunes that get people’s hearts smiling and bodies moving. For her set at Ultrasonic III K8 will be digging up some early 90s warehouse dance party classics.

Alan King, aka King Al is one of only a few DJs that can truely own the title of professional. Having held residencies in over 35 clubs in Christchurch over 30 years, there are few that can claim being more of an institution than this DJ. Al joined Chch legends Greg Churchill & Martin Jay at the iconic Worcester Bar in 1992. King Al also ran NZ longest running House music show on RDU – The Rhythmzone for 13 years prior to the 2011 earthquake. He has headlined alongside endless internationals and been at the top echelon of all major raves and festival lineups, since they were invented. His endless passion for music has seen him produce over 700 remixes and special edits, many of which are exclusive for him to use in his mixes… he has a way with mixing that can only be seen to be heard… and heard to be seen. Noteworthy: Played at Ultrasonic 1, smashed a dirty rave-inspired Electro set at RDU’s Heads In The Cloud last year, and rocked out a dope set at Electric Avenue this year!

Lana Del Rave blends the dark romance of underground rave culture with the high-energy pulse of bass-heavy footwork and jungle. Known for weaving haunting melodies into rapid-fire rhythms, Mrs Del Rave crafts and casts sets that are as cinematic as they are feral. Loud and lush soundscapes collide with breakbeats built for sweat-soaked dance floors. Her selections dive deep into the roots of UK jungle while flirting with futuristic bass creating a sound both nostalgic and futuristic.

DJ Lush is a pioneering female DJ and renowned for her distinctive vinyl mixing style embracing multiple genres. She has played a key role in the 90s dance rave culture both locally and internationally, breaking barriers as one of the era’s few female DJs. With over 25 years of industry experience, she has held esteemed residencies at top clubs in the UK and Australia, showcasing her unique mixing style and passionate embrace of multiple genres. From the soulful depths of underground house, hip hop and trance, through to the pulsating phat hard house and thunderous and fast beats of hardcore and DnB. Her close ties to RDU radio through hosting ‘The Generator Show’ and involvement in shaping aspiring DJs at her ‘Down under DJ school’ in the 90’s highlights her commitment to having pushed boundaries in the ever-evolving world of dance music.

A no fuss DJ and 3 times Olympic Vodka Martini Champion, Martin Jay is addicted to the way music connects people and makes for better days. One of our eldest veterans on the decks, Martin has spent time as staff and on show at RDU over 30 years, currently smashing all the classics on ‘The Hustle HiFi’ show saturdays. Since the early days of clubs, fields & warehouses, he’s devoted his life to mastering the ways of the night and the art of the dance floor. Get ready to boogie cause Martin Jay has what you need.

He did some techno in the past, now he has to do some more….😆

🛠️ Mr Steel // Techstep Revivalist & Sound Engineer of Tomorrow
Forged in the echo chamber of the mid-’90s, Mr Steel channels the blistering power of industrial techstep into a sound that’s both nostalgic and defiantly forward-thinking. Inspired by the fractured rhythms and sci-fi atmospheres of that golden era, his sets are metallic odysseys—where grinding basslines, razor-sharp breaks, and dystopian textures converge in a darkly cinematic experience.

Every performance is a reactor core of sonic energy, engineered with surgical precision. Mr Steel welds together raw analogue aggression and futuristic finesse, resurrecting the spirit of pioneers like Ed Rush & Trace while pushing into the unknown.

Whether he’s excavating relics from vinyl archives or sculpting bass-heavy visions of tomorrow, Mr Steel doesn’t just play music—he constructs realities. Step into the chamber. The future is steel.

Matt O’Brien started DJ’ing in the late 1980’s doing a dub show and a reggae show on RDU. He then got a job at Echo Records and started ordering imported vinyl through Echo and soon became the biggest source for cutting edge early nineties dance vinyl in Christchurch. As Dj Slipmat he then started the ‘90’s RDU dance radio show Programme 3, and in ’92 began organising parties together with Damon Mangos (D-Lock) and later James Meharry (Pylon) building the infamous ’90’s Christchurch Rave scene. Matt began his career on the decks playing hip hop, early rave, 90’s house and happy hardcore. He later moved to the name DJ OB1developing a huge audience of admirers for his uplifting sets of progressive, big room and hard trance. So expect an classic set full of OB1 energy and vibes!

James Meharry, aka Pylon is the original Junglist of Ōtautahi. Beginning his journey through breakbeat in the early 1990’s, Pylon preferred dropping tough beats over seeking the pleasures of a full dance floor. And this commitment became the precursor to fuel a dark, heavy and industrial appetite for breakbeat, jungle and drum&bass that Christchurch quickly became synonimous for. Pylonz or PZ for short, worked with co-conspirators OB1 as T.K.O Productions and at the same time Joe Mosus (NFM) as Scientific. This had him leading the scene as a DJ, remix producer, label boss and promoter across multiple genres for the next 2 decades. PZ remains a committed underground force through his work with RDU and in his own vinyl music project – James In Real Life.

From wide-eyed raver to vinyl junkie, record store rat to promoter and club owner — the journey’s been anything but straight. Somewhere along the line, life threw a curveball (hello, insurance?), but the fire never went out. Named in a haze of teenage Doors obsession, Pyre was born to light it up. Now, a little older, a little greyer, but still burning to be back behind the decks. Catch the spark. See you at Ultrasonic.

Matt O’Brien started DJ’ing in the late 1980’s doing a dub show and a reggae show on RDU. He then got a job at Echo Records and started ordering imported vinyl through Echo and soon became the biggest source for cutting edge early nineties dance vinyl in Christchurch. As Dj Slipmat he then started the ‘90’s RDU dance radio show Programme 3, and in ’92 began organising parties together with Damon Mangos (D-Lock) and later James Meharry (Pylon) building the infamous ’90’s Christchurch Rave scene. Matt began his career on the decks playing hip hop, early rave, 90’s house and happy hardcore. He later moved to the name DJ OB1developing a huge audience of admirers for his uplifting sets of progressive, big room and hard trance. So expect an classic set full of OB1 energy and vibes!

Solidstate emerged in the early 90’s playing dark trance then hard core and jungle. State then took his seat at the drum and bass table playing along side the many internationals visiting our shores including Tech itch, dom and Roland , dj SS and the queens of drum and bass Kemistry and Storm to name a few . Not one to follow the herd state leads you on a journey of his own design, State will be playing some of his own tracks as well as a selection from the 90’s to today.

Fulton Hobbs aka Stealth, started deejaying/practising in 1989 in Sydney inspired by a friend who was resident at Lunacy, Metroplis. A few years later after residing in NZ, he discovered the new sound of ‘rave’ and unofficially became the first promoter to put one together, appropriately named ‘Evolution’. He went on to produce several more over the next 5 years such as Playmo, Bonkers, and Duplokit as well as having a hand in Alpha Nexus in 1995. The scene ended for him in 96’ when he returned to Australia but he went on to do 8 years of radio with a hip hop / beats show called ‘Ice Cream Truck Radio’ and a music history show going back to the 1950’s called ‘Broken Heart Road’. He professes to be in it for… the trip, so get ready for one as we welcome back the one called Stealth.

Tali is a multi award winning musician, hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand. She is known internationally for her groundbreaking achievements in the Electronic music scene, most notably within Drum & Bass as a vocalist and freestyle MC.
However, Tali’s love of Electronic music has seen her work with a variety of producers, DJs, and live musicians across many genres, from Techno and House, to Downtempo, 140, and even within Ambient music spaces.
Tali is sought after for her conscious, positive lyrics, soaring, soulful voice and her ability to connect with her audience, from huge festival crowds to small intimate club shows. Anyone that has seen Tali live, can testify to her electrifying and energetic performance, and yet, Tali can easily switch from this to a more introspective, intimate delivery when required.
In her 25 year career, Tali has released eight studio albums, two EPs and countless singles and collaborations. Her LP ‘Love & MIgration’ earned her ‘Best Electronic Artist’ at the New Zealand Music Awards in 2019, and her most recent release – her self produced album ‘Future Dwellers’ was nominated for the same award in 2022.
Tali’s latest self produced release ‘Resistance’ is a culmination of over a years work, featuring elements of Drum n Bass, Jungle, and Melodic Techno – and featuring stunning vocal work from both Tali and guests.
Tali consistently performs around New Zealand at all major festivals including Rhythm & Vines, Rhythm & Alps, Northern Bass, Shipwrecked, Splore and AUM, and has performed internationally at Festivals such as Fusion Festival (Germany), Glastonbury (UK), EXIT festival (Serbia), Sziget Festival (Budapest), WMC (Miami) Sun & Bass festival (Sardinia), and and most recently Hospitality On The Beach (Croatia), Locus Festival (Bali) and LIquicity Festival (The Netherlands).
Tali has previously toured North America, Hawaii and Canada, and performed in countries as varied as Mexico, Japan, Costa RIca, Fiji and Azerbaijan.
While Tali is most usually seen performing with DJ Chiccoreli, she is also a classically trained pianist and singer, and as well as working with her own live band, she has performed live with several of New Zealand’s most prestigious orchestras including the Auckland Philharmonic, (Synthony In The Domain 2024) The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (Otautahi Proud 2020) and The Wellington Symphony Orchestra. (With Strings Attached 2012). As well as being a musician, Tali is also a composer for fi lm and television, a music mentor, music consultant, inspirational speaker and published author.