Iconic US dance music pioneer headlining UK festival 36 years after band member was shot
Iconic US dance music pioneer headlining UK festival 36 years after band member was shot
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AN ICONIC dance music pioneer has been announced to be headlining a UK festival this summer. Moodymann, whose real name is Kenny Dixon Jr, will be playing his first London open air set in three years, which comes after GALA Festival revealed its 2025 lineup.
![[Moodymann at the Tribeca Festival premiere of Desire: The Carl Craig Story.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/moodymann-attends-desire-carl-craig-967501099.jpg?strip=all&w=640)
The independent London festival is returning to Peckham Rye this coming May, with it set to run from May 23 until May 25. The weekend will be bass-heavy and filled with club-centric and soulful music. The stellar line-up includes many fan-favourite names in the world of dance music such as Floating Points, Ben UFO, Cost 2 Coast, Avalon Emerson, Caribou, Bradley Zero, and of course, Moodymann.
![[Black and white illustration of Moodyman.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000004035762.jpg?strip=all&w=674)
Moodymann's festival stint at GALA comes more than three decades since his band mate was killed in a shooting. Back in the late 80s, Moodymann used the name Mr. House, and was partnered with the rapper Kevin Bailey, who performed under the K-Stone, and the duo's the producer was Kahlil Oden, known as K9.
![[Moodymann DJing at the MOCA Gala.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000967501214.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The group were offered a joint record deal, but two days before the deal was signed, Kahlil was killed in a shooting. The producer was killed in Detroit, and the label pulled the deal amid fears of violence. K-Stone told MixMag: "He was actually killed two days before we were supposed to sign it.
![[GALA festival lineup, 23-25 May 2025.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000967501670.jpg?strip=all&w=650)
"Even though it wasn’t any fault of ours, the label declined the deal because they didn’t want to get involved in any violence, they was thinking it was gonna be some violent street group.". Talking about the late producer, K-Stone said: "We loved his production because he always used the funkiest old records.
![[Young adults dancing at a concert.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/overjoyed-happy-young-people-dancing-967503306.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
