For most of us, heading to a club on a Saturday night is a pretty thought-free process: see what's on, make sure at least one friend wants to go, have a few drinks at home and hop on the bus. Festivals are nearly as easy once you've stocked up on baby wipes and dry shampoo. We willingly overlook, or glaringly ignore, the multiple machinations and nighttime networks that put these events into motion. Our pleasure is someone else's business.
Sometimes, though, it's good to peer behind the curtains of clubland and take a peek at how our hedonism actually happens. DJs don't appear behind the decks from nowhere and acts don't happen to be on festival stages in foreign lands just like that. Hosting a massive European festival, or being responsible for 52 nights of entertainment a year at one of the most respected nightclubs in the world isn't easy.
In the interest of shining a light on those who help make our nights in the dark what they are, THUMP spoke to a selection of the country's less remarked upon clubland commandeers.
How did you first get involved in your current role?
Judy Griffith (Saturday programmer at fabric): Back in the day I worked for Strictly Rhythm records and was looking for a new challenge. My mate was programming the Saturday night schedules at the time and she called me up to say they were looking for an assistant for her, and for the programmer that did Fridays, and begged me to come for an interview. I went, fell in love with the team and their ethos. I was offered the job within 24 hours. For the last fourteen years I've been programming Saturday nights. Fabric is like my teenager now and I give it all my love and passion. Which is probably why I'm single.
Andy Blackett (Saturday programmer at fabric): I took a place on a business studies course at university but kept deferring and spent three summers in Ibiza, working with everyone from Cream to Dave Pearce. On return I took a event management course and started promoting my own night and running nights for other people. Eventually I wound up running Ministry of Sound's student night as part of a work placement. When it became busier than their weekends I was offered a permanent job. After seven years there I hopped over to fabric to work on programming with Judy.
Rob Star (Director of Eastern Electrics): When I started Eastern Electrics in 2008 it was a warehouse party held three times a year at the Great Suffolk Street arches. That grew into a festival. I've always booked the acts and programmed the stages but we work alongside labels and other club nights to ensure that it isn't just my musical tastes being represented.
Dave Harvey (Director of Love Saves The Day, programmer of Garden Festival Croatia, and one half of the Futureboogie DJ duo and label): I've been booking DJs since my late teens but moved into festival programming when we got given a stage at Glastonbury about 7 years ago. We went to our boss with a proposal, possible line up and a budget. He laughed, slashed the budget by 50% and asked us what we could do with it. With help from friends and DJs we knew, we managed it. Soon after that I got asked to start handling the bookings for Garden festival in Croatia and it's grown from there really, programming stages for Big Chill, Secret Garden Party, Glade, all sorts really. Now we've got our own festival in Bristol plus something new in the pipeline abroad for next year.
Tom Carpenter (Director of Gottwood festival): I guess I fell into it really. I was on holiday in Berlin with friends and just decided there and then to start a festival. As soon as I got back home I started booking acts and it suddenly got to the point of no return. The idea became a reality very quickly!
Sean Brosnan (Director Material music company A&R and compiler of Future Disco and other compilations): I've been involved in dance music since working in a record shop when I was 16. I ended up at Azuli Records for four years before starting my own label.
What're the best and worst aspects of the job?
Judy Griffiths: The best is being able to see the results of your work on a Saturday night. There's nothing like it and that's what keeps you going. People have no idea what it takes to make a weekly night happen: it's not just picking some DJs and throwing them together. The lack of sleep might be the worst aspect. It's a full on job and after a heavy weekend you've got to be able to get your head ready for a long working week. I think I get about three weekends off a year..
Andy Blackett: We get to witness the fruits of our labour every weekend, and when it's all gone right the positive energy you carry forward is a reward in itself. I don't think many other jobs can offer that. Still, there's sleep deprivation, stress, nail-biting, being on call 24/7, working every weekend, DJs missing flights. We also deal with more pressure than ever to operate in a climate where venues are being thought of as facilitators of crime. Licensing clamp downs mean London is at serious risk of losing its status as being one of the world's leading cities for nightlife.
Rob Star: It's always great to stand on the main stage while the headline DJ plays with all my friends and my team around me, knowing we've put on a great event. One of the hardest things about the job is trying to fund such a large event with very limited resources, it's a difficult business to make work financially and if you don't have lots of capital behind you it can be quite stressful at times.
The Garden Festival in 2014 (photo by Khris Cowley)
Dave Harvey: The highlight is getting to put on some of my favourite artists and DJs at some of the best events in the world. You have to pinch yourself sometimes. Usually when it's 3am in Barbarellas. It's hard not being able to include all your mates in every event. Difficult agents can be a pain too. We're not asking your artists to come and clean the toilets, we're asking them to come and do what they love at great parties!
Tom Carpenter: The actual festival is always great. Seeing your hard work pay off through the enjoyment of others. I also just love the process of booking the artists and forming the line up. The admin, though...that's the worst part.
Sean Brosnan: The best thing is the variety that comes with it. We've got the freedom to come up with ideas and make them happen instantly. Not many other jobs allow for that. The beauty of music is it that it's chaotic, the bad thing about music is that it's chaotic.
Gottwood in full flow (photo via Gottwood)
What have you learnt that you can pass on to the next generation?
Judy Griffiths: Don't programme by numbers. Don't rely on hype. Book the artists and DJs you believe in.
Andy Blackett: Don't think the job is one big party. It isn't. If you can't handle long and anti-social hours don't start. Never get above your station because an ego is the worst thing anyone can have and it'll lead to people not wanting to deal with you. And for potential bookers and promoters: don't get sucked into bidding wars. Know your budgets and know to walk away from a deal unless you want to be crying into your cornflakes the morning after the gig.
Rob Star: You've got to live and breathe it. Start small and organically. Stay true to what you're doing and stick by what you believe in.
Fabric back in the day. (Photo via fabric)
Dave Harvey: Try and get some sleep between events!
Tom Carpenter: We've stuck to an underground music policy to keeping the festival small and the crowd amazing. That seems to have worked.
Sean Brosnon: Always try and be yourself. Trust yourself and do something different.
The Sean Bronson compiled Future Disco Vol. 8: Nighttime Networks is out next week. Head here for more info.
The Garden Festival in 2014 (photo by Khris Cowley)
Gottwood in full flow (photo via Gottwood)
Fabric back in the day. (Photo via fabric)