SD Union Kicks off 2026 With Danny Byrd, Bensley and Alpha Rhythm

After a momentary pit stop for the holiday season, Union By Bass resumes its standard programming with a star-studded opening gig of 2026, pinned for January 23. San Diego’s largest and longest-running drum & bass party returns to its regular venue, Spin Nightclub, with dance music goliaths Danny Byrd and BENSLEY back in the fold. Slotted into this mix is a bevy of supremely talented DnB producers and the long-awaited San Diego debut of connoisseur of soulful, melodic drum & bass Alpha Rhythm. Tickets to SD Union with Danny Byrd, Bensley, and Alpha Rhythm are available via Ticket Fairy. Act fast, as the Early Bird and Tier One tickets have already sold out!

Bath-based drum & bass titan Danny Byrd heads back to the SD Union setup after a thrilling encounter with Ben Soundscape & Collette Warren in 2024. One of the first signings to legendary label Hospital Records, his distinctive take on DnB carries robust hip-hop and R&B influences throughout his mixes.

Check out the tracks ‘Tonight,’ ‘Superstylin,’ ‘Selecta,’ ‘Golden Ticket‘ and ‘Hot Fuzz‘ for a piping hot taste of his productions. He makes his way to California fresh off a high-octane showcase with Bassbunny Productions on January 16 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Also making a comeback to SD Union is Canadian DnB producer BENSLEY. He’s previously torn through Spin Nightclub’s sound system twice, once in a floor-shaking B2B session with Justin Hawkes and another standout showing billed alongside Delta Heavy. This appearance is all the more exciting as BENSLEY recently teased a new album for 2026 via his social media.

The energy spikes with soulful DnB artist Alpha Rhythm making his SD Union bow. Rising through the scene in 2021, he’s now known for a hair-raising concoction of symphonic textures and stunning atmospheric layers. With releases on Fokuz Recordings and Hospital Records imprints and approval from Degs, London Elektricity, Keeno, and Etherwood, his first steps into the SD Union community are surely not to be missed.

About this gig, Alpha Rhythm wrote on social media, “Super excited to make my San Diego debut in just a few weeks alongside Bensley and Danny Byrd!!!”

DJs/producers Lyjia, PHNX, and Ghost M.D. handle support duties, while SD Union and United By Bass Recordings co-founder MC Ridda and Chemistry MC steer proceedings in Arena 1. Arena 2 is plugged with talent from the Get Weird community, namely techkiii, Don’t Kill Phil, Gudda, and PineappleFlow. Also lodged at the venue are booths featuring live art from mural artist Derty Keven and merchandise from clothing brand Uncommon Being.

We caught up with San Diego-based architect of “face-melting bass and trippy beats” Lyjia, bringing in more than two decades of DJing expertise to SD Union.

Speaking on the local scene and the chance to perform, the DJ and producer expressed, “SD Union has done a lot for the San Diego DnB scene over the years, and I am honored to be playing under their banner. Liquid is one of my favorite styles of DnB, and Danny Byrd is one of my favorite producers, so I’m stoked to be able to contribute and share space with one of the greats!”

When asked about the set’s direction, Lyjia conveyed, “I plan on starting things off with some smooth and silky Liquid DnB. I have a couple of originals I am working on that I dancefloor-tested just last night, so I look forward to working them into my set.”

“Finally, I would like to give a shout-out to my friends and the collectives that have supported me over the years: SanDNB, Vybe Trybe, Triptych, FireTribe, and now SD Union! It’s a competitive scene here, so I am grateful for every opportunity to play out that comes my way,” the artist concluded.

Tickets to SD Union with Danny Byrd, Bensley and Alpha Rhythm at Spin Nightclub, San Diego, California, are up for grabs on Ticket Fairy

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