Saturday 11th April will mark a major milestone for Shangri-La, as the Welsh electronic institution celebrates 15 years by taking over DEPOT for an all-day spectacular.
Headlining will be none other than Patrick Topping, the Newcastle-born DJ/producer and Trick label boss whose sets have become essential viewing across the world’s biggest festivals and most revered clubs.
Shangri-La was the brainchild of Nick Saunders and James Cromwell; at the time, two Cardiff Met students who set up the first club night in April 2011 whilst studying for their degrees. Starting at what was then GLAM Nightclub on Greyfriars Road in Cardiff city centre, Nick and James hosted monthly events on Wednesday evenings – by targeting the mid-week slots, they opened the door to huge artists and big-name talent who would usually have been unavailable at weekend plays.
As one of the first bookings Nick and James ever made, it’s fitting that Patrick Topping returns for Shangri La’s 15th anniversary. Since then, the brand has gone from strength to strength, with open-air shows at Cardiff Castle and, more recently, at its new home at DEPOT – the 2,100-capacity event space in Cardiff that Nick also founded.
Over the years, Shangri-La has welcomed some of the biggest names in electronic music, from artists at breakthrough moments to those returning at the peak of their careers, including Duke Dumont, Michael Bibi, Jamie Jones, Josh Baker, Chris Stussy, Eric Prydz, Fisher, and many more.
Over the last decade, Topping has carved out a reputation as both a relentlessly consistent performer and a genuine scene builder; with Trick now a globally recognised label and event series and Topping himself earning accolades including DJ Mag’s Best British DJ in 2022.
Meanwhile, Nick Saunders has gone on to establish DEPOT – both the Warehouse venue and the events group responsible for delivering live shows at Cardiff Castle, Blackweir, and Tiger Yard. James Cromwell, who continues to work closely with Saunders, is now based in Spain, running events across multiple venues and, more recently, producing live shows at Marbella Arena, welcoming acts such as Faithless, Pawsa, Chris Stussy, Two Door Cinema Club and more.
Presale tickets will be available from 10th February at 10am
