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Outlook Festival launch party at Fort Amherst in Chatham ahead of last Fort Punta Christo event

14:30, 31 May 2019

updated: 20:39, 02 June 2019

At first glance an 18th century hilltop fort and a sub genre of reggae seem worlds apart.

But one DJ is hoping to unite them this summer.

Jackson Greenstreet is one third of Electromagnetic Sounds, the company behind an Outlook Festival launch party which is coming to Fort Amherst in Chatham.

Pula in Croatia (11506144)
Pula in Croatia (11506144)

The dub-enthused day and night is billed as "the ultimate celebration of sound system culture" and will take place on Saturday, August 3 with sets from the likes of Brother Culture, Rod Azlan, Killa P and Bukkha, plus a headline set to be announced soon.

It's unlikely many of those names will ring any bells with the usual crowd who pass through the gates of the Napoleonic stronghold but the choice of location makes complete sense when you consider the event it precedes.

For 12 years Outlook has welcomed revellers to picturesque Croatia and for the past decade it has called Fort Punta Christo home.

The abandoned ruins of the 150-year-old citadel overlooking the breathtaking Bay of Pula a stark contrast to the remnants rising high above Chatham.

The upper casement at Fort Amherst. Picture: Chris Davey. (11506135)
The upper casement at Fort Amherst. Picture: Chris Davey. (11506135)

But with a £1.8 million regeneration project under way 27-year-old Mr Greenstreet is hoping the party will grow and grow — there's room for 500 this year but in future that could quadruple, he says.

This summer is also Outlook's last at Fort Punta Christo and Mr Greenstreet thinks Fort Amherst could help the famous venue's legacy live on a little closer to home.

Admittedly, there is some way to go before it reaches the heady heights of its illustrious cousin — Outlook will welcome 15,000 festivalgoers and more than 300 artists between September 4 and 8.

The launch party is being held in August (11505741)
The launch party is being held in August (11505741)

He said: "This is a great event for Medway. There was a similar launch party five or six years ago but never anything at the fort.

"The renovation work will be done within the next year and from then on this has the potential to expand massively."

Jackson Greenstreet who is behind the launch event (11506615)
Jackson Greenstreet who is behind the launch event (11506615)

Mr Greenstreet will be performing at Outlook under stage name Jack Dub.

He added: "When I went there two years ago it changed my whole perspective about music and how I make it. It also made me realise how we're short of anything in Kent to represent the kind of music we like.

"The scene here seems to be very cliquey and one sided. We wanted to make a party that broke down those barriers where you find acts performing next to each other who wouldn't usually be on the same bill. The crowd have always understood that at our events and bought into it.

"Outlook has inspired us for a long time so to find out it was leaving the fort meant that in our eyes the only way we could honour it was to do our launch party right."

The event runs from 2pm to 10.30pm with a VIP after party moving underground into the fort's warren-like tunnels and continuing until the small hours of the morning.

For more click here.

For more ideas on days out and things to do in Kent, head to our What's On section.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway

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