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When I was going out in Edinburgh, around 98-01, the busiest nights were definitely the ones where it was just the residents playing. Nights like Pillbox, Apex, Loop, even Lift only booked a big name once in a while. Pure could do it every time but that was because Pure was Pure and people would go regardless of who was on. Lost / Dogma had it cracked too, but generally the place always struck me as a party city that isn't too bothered about big names, even to the extent where if the residents weren't playing then people wouldn't go down as they wouldn't be entirely sure of what to expect. Maybe that's still the case.
There's loads of people we'd love to book but we know they wouldn't fill the place. Need to know your market - what people will pay for, who will pull a crowd. Then you need to balance that with putting on people you actually like.
Seen loads of nights die because they book their heroes and get frustrated when the public don't turn up. Its really sad, but you need to put on a party first and foremost (IMO) and without people you ain't got a party.
Problems we've had is that bar trade is wiping out club trade - late licences, better provision for smokers - there's less incentive to go to a club and pay a load of money and have to queue to have a smoke when there's a bar closer by that plays decent enough music and doesn't charge.
Meh. Reckon Mark's got it right - book smaller names or up and comers and build a night that way. The legends of stadium rock aren't always the best option.
thinking about Speedy-DJ the other night.
just got it, play on words Spee - DJ OR summat like that anyway.
tell him come and play a free party up at my neck of woods. at -5 in the morning.
Had that problem a few years back.
Got skoog in (pre-agaric), always wanted him at our events.
Promoted like mad, as we always used to.
Got a really low turn out, apart from a bunch of japanese who obviously knew who he was, london punters as a whole, all though they had all danced to his tunes as played by other DJ`s, they just didn`t know who skoog was.
Bad crazyness.
London is extra difficult though, and the crowds are super fickle for the biggest names only.
Solitary by nature.
Isolation is the gift.
Does anyone have courage to stand apart any more?
myspace.com/dirtybassgrooves
http://www.myspace.com/dirtybassvoidloss
http://www.subgenius.com
hehe, all on the money mate. Heard edinburgh was the place to be not so long back. My only experiences of clubbing up that way were going to 'rezerection' at the royal highland showground when I was a wee bairn. Although I have an enduring memory of 10k charged up hibbs shouting along to 'toytown' (hixxy and sharkey, you know da score...).
Thems were the days.
We're doing a residents and friends party at our next night. Be interesting to see how many we pull compared to the headliner gigs.
Thats the problem in the UK when promoters hold nights people will only turn up if a big name is playing & don't show their faces when it's an artist they haven't heard of which I think is very closed minded. They seem to think coz it's a big name artist they think he or she is gonna be good even though they probs haven't seen or heard them play. I think the whole Superstar DJ thing has a lot of answer for as the majority of people who only turn up to see the big names play are just sheep with no mind of their own.
All u need is a good ear for music!
tricky one. if u get a reputation for putting on a good party, after a while u get a big regular crowd in each month whoever is playing. if u get on a superstar dj-booking tip, u can pack em in if u get the booking+promo right or u can bomb if it goes wrong. when it goes right tho... awesome
but bombing on a 400quid budget is different to bombing on a 2 grand budget...
end of the day, people will go to what they think will be a good nite. if youve done the groundwork and put on a run of smallish, low-budget, wicked nites with great local/cheap djs, you dont need to go and book mills or dave clarke and risk a crapload of money on a bunch of fickle punters.
i reckon leave the big'uns to the promoters with cash to burn unless ur certain ur on a winner. or got cash to burn.
all about the grass roots maaan ;)
Thats stop No.1 on the road to having a long running event.get a reputation for putting on a good party