Superstar Burnley DJ ready to storm the Fortress at Beat-Herder Festival

Ask anybody who has been to Beat-Herder and they will tell you Sunday is a special day.

As the wildness of the weekend dissipates, a swirling second wind blows across Dockber Farm bringing renewed vigour to the serene surroundings.

For 22-year-old Matty Robinson the Sunday at this year's festival will mark one of the highlights of what has already been an incredible rise to DJ prominence.

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The former Unity College pupil takes over the legendary Fortress from 1-30 – 3pm and is readying himself for a set which he believes could be the biggest of his life.

"I'm well excited. I really think this could be the biggest gig I've ever done. I've been out playing in Ibiza and there were DJs over there saying they have been trying to get on at Beat-Herder for 12 years. It's without doubt one of the biggest dance music festival in the UK. I've done big gigs in Ibiza but there's something special about Beat-Herder, especially with it being so local."

The Fortress is a truly formidable structure.

Constructed from corrugated steel it stands 60ft tall with fire-breathing ramparts dominating a skyline underneath which ravers dance the hours away come wind, rain or shine.

Matty played the Hotel California stage at the festival two years ago but admitted the Fortress was going to be a step up.

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"I actually missed the application deadline for last year's festival. Hotel California was nice and and intimate but when I heard it was going to be an 'Old Skool' lineup in the Fortress on the Sunday, I wanted to be on that. When they replied to be in March to say my application was accepted they actually gave me the option of Hotel California or the Fortress.

"It's going to be good. I've been working on a few things. There's going to be a couple of rarer tracks in there but on the whole I'm going to be playing the hits. I want it to be packed out and I want it to be banging. It's going to be massive."

It's already been quite the year for Matty who is still celebrating a 2:1 BA Honours degree in Electronic Music Production and DJ Practice from the School of Sound Recording in Manchester.

He made the headlines last year after triumphing over 119 DJ rivals to be crowned the Decks Factor champion in Ibiza. Off the back of that, he has just finished a week-long series of gigs on the White Isle off and has now even been offered a residency over there.

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"Ibiza was special. I played esParadis, Zoo Project and Itaca and I've now been offered a residency through 'Slip Back In Time presents Old Skool Ibiza' which is incredible.

"I wasn't really expecting my 2:1. I've always been good at the practical side of things but my writing has always let me down. If my writing had been a bit better I probably would have got a first but I'm really happy with a solid 2:1.

"It's been a busy couple of years but I can't wait to see what else is on the horizon."

Ribble Valley's Beat-Herder Festival take places from July 12th until July 14th.

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