Flux
What's been the most fun party you've done outside of your usual club? Without a doubt our boat party at Dimensions Festival in Croatia this Summer. We were helped by the fact it took place on the first day of the festival, so the energy was high from the start, but none of us were prepared for the complete mayhem that ensued as the afternoon wore on, and I think we were pretty lucky it didn’t sink. It was the standout highlight for us of an amazing festival.
What lessons did you learn early on? We learnt many lessons in our first year throwing parties, but perhaps the most important one was realising that parties are not made by simply putting on quality line-ups. It’s just as important to focus on building an atmosphere and a core crowd, and in many ways focusing on the small details and little tailored features are what crowds really appreciate.
Have there been any examples of when it's been especially hard work to get the party out there? In Leeds, where a large proportion of our target crowd are students, we are inevitably slightly at the mercy of the student loan instalment cycle. At certain times of year, when many of these loans have all but evaporated, in can be hard to get an event out there and get the ball rolling, but we have always tried to respect this and keep our ticket prices as low as is feasible.
Is there a particular DJ or promoter that you'd recommend always having with you? We interviewed Ralph Lawson as part of our ‘DJ Diner’ series a few months ago, and I think we’d be pretty pleased to have his Japanese culinary wizardry at our disposal for our da-to-day lunches in the office, or anywhere else for that matter!
How do you differ your sets when playing outside than in the club? Day time sets are my favourite. It’s a great opportunity to spin more eclectic music, rather than underground and club orientated music and whip out a few classics. Carrie Lucas’s ‘Dance with You’ is somewhat of a Flux anthem now after summer.
Have you ever had experiences where the party may not have gone as well as it could have due to unforeseeable circumstances? We recently had Todd Terje cancel a gig with just 2 days notice due to his wife going into premature labour. However, after a mad scramble speaking to the agents we work with most regularly, we managed to draft in two great replacements and the event was ultimately a resounding success. Just another example of why it’s good to have the agents on your side!
What's been the most outrageous thing you've seen? Without going into excessive detail, a wrong turn on the way to find the toilets in Berghain resulted in us witnessing a lot of skin and leather in various compromising positions that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forget!
What are some of the experiences that make it worth it? At the risk of sounding a bit cheesy, looking out at a sea of euphoric faces during a particularly magical moment of a night you put together is about as rewarding as it gets. The fact of the matter is that it’s the DJ that creates those moments, carefully manoeuvring the crowd to a climax, but it’s a great feeling to think we had a small part in bringing all these people together.
And any experiences that don't? Inevitably, and as with any job, from time to time you have to deal with difficult people who are evidently in the industry for the wrong reasons. Although such experiences are pretty frustrating, it’s really par for the course in working life, and those frustrations are completely eclipsed by the rewarding experiences mentioned above.
Troublevision
What's been the most fun party you've done outside of your usual club? The boat parties we've done at Stop Making Sense in Croatia have always been epic. Usually manned solely by our residents, there have been some seriously rowdy moments. On deck sit-downs, men over board, Prosecco flying… They're always ones to look forward to.
What lessons did you learn early on? Only book artists you’re genuinely into and don't lend yourself to trends to much. It’s a much harder job when your promoting an event your heart’s not really into. And trends change. You don't want to be left high and dry when they inevitably do.
Have there been any examples of when it's been especially hard work to get the party out there? No event is straightforward. Over the years I’ve put on line-ups for parties I’d expect to be sure-fire sell outs, and for one reason of another it just hasn't happened. It’s essential to be up to date with online social networks and how they function. Websites like Facebook, for example, change their functionality almost weekly, so a tactic that works for one event may well not apply for the next.
Have you ever had experiences where the party may not have gone as well as it could have due to unforeseeable circumstances? Nope, thankfully not! Other than the weather, but guess you just have to take that as part of the game.
What are some of the experiences that make it worth it? It’s always that feeling at the peak of a night when your standing at the back watching the party go off that genuinely makes all the stress worth while. I can’t imagine I’ll ever get bored of that, and it certainly trumps the feeling when a party doesn't go so well!
And any experiences that don't? I suppose putting together a lineup that your personally 100 percent behind, and it just not having the appeal that you thought it would can be pretty disheartening. But generally the positives out weigh the negatives each and every!
Just Jack
What's been the most fun party you've done outside of your usual club? There have been some amazing parties over the years that stick with me. We used to run after parties in a grubby little pub called the Old Fox Inn (nicknamed the ‘crackfox’) after our Motion events. These were wild, although they became a victim of their own success. We had to stop doing them when it became so busy that one morning we couldn't even get in to DJ! Other notable parties from last summer were our party at Barbarellas for Garden festival in Croatia, and hosting the Space Terrace for We Love... Both venues were a dream come true for us. Amazing sound and vibe all night long!
What lessons did you learn early on? Bunting makes a bland ting fun ting.
Is there a particular DJ or promoter that you'd recommend always having with you? I’m a bit biased really, but I have to say it is an honour to work with Tom Rio. He is a phenomenal and very versatile DJ. He always knows just how to play it. He can warm it up just right for anyone and tear the roof off it at the end of the night. Plus he knows how to put up a bit of bunting!
How do you differ your sets when playing outside that in the club? I think being a resident at Just Jack has made me more adaptable. Warming up and following a diverse selection of house DJs means you have to be able to adapt your style and think on your feet. With regards to records which have worked really well at a specific time, a couple spring to mind from the closing set at our Just Jack party at Garden festival in Croatia last summer. I was playing in an open-air club and the sun had just risen. The place was still going nuts, and I opened with Joe Montana’s ‘The Ship.'
That was a very special moment I wont forget in a while.
What's been the most outrageous thing you've seen? Oh god, I’ve definitely seen some sights over the years. A personal highlight from last summer was going backstage after our set at Space to find my friend soaking wet (for some reason he had just had a shower with all his clothes on), crouching on a table and leading a group of people in some sort of mystical chanting. I took one look, closed the door and left them too it.
What are some of the experiences that make it worth it? I have met some amazing people, and great friends through this line of work! Oh, and getting to play in some of the worlds best clubs isn’t too shabby!
And any experiences that don't? Nope! It’s definitely worth it!
Real Nice Presents
What's been the most fun party you've done outside of your usual club? We don’t usually stick to any one space for our parties. One of my personal favourites would have to be when we took over a car park at the heart of Notting Hill Carnival for a party during the daytime, and followed it up with a big after party in a nearby club. We were pretty lucky with the weather, and naturally everyone is up for having a good time at Carnival!
What lessons did you learn early on? Plan everything down to the finest detail, as often problems out of our control can crop up in this industry. You just need to be quick thinking to get through it. On one occasion we had the wrong mixer for Aeroplane at one of our parties, which led to a frantic cab ride across London to collect the correct one for him to play his set!
Have there been any examples of when it's been especially hard work to get the party out there? In the early days it was definitely more of a challenge as we were a little wet behind the ears, and we were still in the process of building a name for ourselves.
Is there a particular DJ or promoter that you'd recommend always having with you? Having our whole team is crucial to our parties being a success, as we work as a unit. As far as DJs go, all of our residents know how to rock a party in their own right. As well as being great DJs, we’re lucky to have some really talented producers in our crew, like Benedict Jackson, Croz, Krywald and Cashback.
How do you differ your sets when playing outside that in the club? It really depends on time of day, the rest of the line up and the vibe of the party. Obviously if we were playing a summertime terrace party with a big disco line up, we wouldn't play a tear-out techno set! I think a lot of the time it’s just about reading what is going on. As there are two of us we can talk and make decisions about what would be best to play at that moment if it’s a tough gig.
Have you ever had experiences where the party may not have gone as well as it could have due to unforeseeable circumstances? Bad weather is never ideal for getting people in the mood and can be a bit of a party killer. You never know with the British winter. I’ve played at parties where the headliner couldn’t make it due to the snow!
What's been the most outrageous thing you've seen? You see quite a lot of outrageous and adventurous outfits at our parties! There tends to be a bit of an ‘anything goes’ festival vibe. Check it out for yourself on Dec 13th at Loft Studios at our next party!
What are some of the experiences that make it worth it? Booking DJs we really like before they are well known and then seeing them blow up to become big names is always a good feeling. For example Hot Since 82 and Finnebassen. Festival season is great fun, as we host and play at a lot of different festivals over the summer. These are often the inspiration for a lot of our parties for the remainder of the year.
And any experiences that don't? To be honest we love the job, the music, and the people that come to the parties, but sometimes if you’re a bit tired, having to stay up till 5 or 6am ‘till the party ends can be challenging to say the least!