Gareth Chubb is a name that may be easily recognised around Manchester. This guy has a crucial role behind the scenes of some of the city’s most popular venues and we wanted to know about the background of such an influential figure. We managed to chase Gareth down and in between his massively busy role as Promotions Manager for Trof, he told us more about how he climbed up the music promotions ladder…

1) At DMM, we’re curious to know your background. Tell us how you started out and got into the music/events industry?

I initially wanted to be a music journalist and did Journalism & English at uni, where I put on some events in our Student Union and that’s where I got the bug. After I finished uni, I started working for the Warehouse Project when they first started out at Boddingtons. I progressed from being a flyerer to running my own team, and it was while working for them that I started my first proper night, Micron, with some friends. That would go on to be a monthly event at Joshua Brooks for 5 years. While doing Micron, I spoke to Jon, the General Manager, to give me a full time job as Bookings & Promotions Manager there, a completely new role. We both persuaded the owner that this would be a good idea, and I’d like to think it was. A few months ago Trof (whose venues include Gorilla, Deaf Institute and Albert Hall) got in touch and now I’m working for them!

2) What were the main things you learnt as you were gathering experience and going up the ‘ranks’?

I learnt that it’s best never to fall out with people if possible as you’ll probably end up working with them in some form or another one day. Too many people are far too vocal with their opinions, especially on social networks.

3) We want to know your thoughts on the Manchester music and venue scene; what sets it apart from other cities?

Manchester has always been a really important city worldwide, especially in regards to dance music. The Hacienda, Sankeys Soap and Warehouse Project are massive names. What I’ve always enjoyed in Manchester is the scene and how promoters all help each other out where possible instead of the rivalry you might find in other cities.

4) How was it running Joshua Brooks? There’s been some big names over the past few months, from Benga to Seb Leger, and the student nights are very popular. Tell us a bit more about the big bookings and the key to bringing in students week after week with so much healthy competition around.

I loved Joshua Brooks. Maybe apart from Legends, it was always my favourite venue in Manchester. I’m very proud of what the rest of the team and I achieved, especially winning the Manchester Evening News ‘Best Venue’ award and being nominated as ‘Best Small Club’ in DJ Mag twice! As the venue got more well known it became easier to secure bigger names. We had to take risks with bookings because of course they are expensive, but knowing they will sell out the venue it was ok. We could never make much profit on nights like that but it did the reputation of the venue the world of good. Juicy is the reason why we got such a great student following. I’ll always remember the day Alex rang me the day after I started the job saying he wanted to move and I knew then it would be our flagship night.

5) What do you look for when a new night, brand or promoter approaches you to run a night?

Something that sounds different. People who think outside the box and not just want to put on a residents night for a “wicked new deep house night”. Promoters should have something about them. It’s also extremely important they are prepared to invest money in the night and spend a lot of money on promotion, initially at least.

6) You’ve recently become the Promotions Manager for Trof… How’s the role going? Managing various venues with different characteristics, we bet that’s a challenge! Can you reveal any upcoming plans for any of them?

It’s very exciting and relentless. When I feel I’ve caught up with my e-mails, I might do something else for 10 minutes and I’ve got another load sitting in my inbox, ha! Each venue is quite different really, but all of them share Trof chracteristics. I’m busy putting the calendar together for Gorilla and Deaf mainly at the moment and working on the in-house Gorilla Club events. We’ve already had Pirupa on, got Butch next and the next one after that is looking like a HUGE name! Think one of the biggest in the world – that’s all your getting. Also busy working on the in-house nights I inherited at Deaf. I went down to Goo last night which encompasses Britpop, indie, alternative, shoegaze, grunge, rock and all other manner of guitar music. I’d like to DJ at it in the future – any excuse to play Pavement and My Bloody Valentine!

Quick Fire Round

1) Main music taste? Personal tastes: rock/metal/punk and hip-hop. What I know the most about: electronic, especially house/techno.

2) Guilty pleasure listening? S Club 7 ‘Love Ain’t Gonna Wait For You’.

3) One of the best band/artist/DJs you’ve seen? Guns N’ Roses, of course.

4) Mad festival memory/experience? Glastonbury 2011 involved lots of weeing.

5) 5 words to describe yourself. I’ll. Let. Others. Answer. That.

Easter weekend was so huge, we’ve only just recovered. Catching up this weekend,  Kurt-Lee, SpamellaB and James have tried to capture the highlights in one article, so you can relive your Easter with DMM!

EASTER SATURDAY

Bitch Presents Will Gold & Kryder @ Venus Manchester

Bitch commenced with Reworked Robot, kicking off the night and getting the crowd rowdy for another sold-out Bitch night at Venus. As always, he warmed the crowd up well, and when B3ast took to the decks at 12, the atmosphere was already buzzing. Keeping the bar high, the B3ast trio of Lempo, Pedro and Russo had the club’s hands up in the air, improving their performances every time we see them.

We spoke to Will Gold prior to playing his debut Bitch set and tried to describe the passion and enthusiasm that make Venus unique. Dropping ‘Sweet Harmony’, his collaboration with Bitch resident Reworked Robot, proved to be a huge crowd pleaser, the Venus faithful bouncing to every beat. Will said how shocked he was at how much a small club could make such a huge impact on a DJ.

Next up was this months headline act and Bitch favourite, Kryder. The man behind the visor received a huge reception from the crowd, playing an explosive, progressive house set, dropping his newest tracks ‘Vyper’ and ‘Scorpio’ alongside releases from Alesso, the Swedish House Mafia and other huge names in the prog-house scene. A little bit of variety from the DJ we know to play heavy, filthy bass-lines but cool to see that whatever he plays, it goes down well.

As a huge favourite of the Bitch regulars, a fair amount of the crowd got involved in slightly different and quirky ways, bringing Kryder masks and Bitch sunglasses, ready for the huge drops, purely to show their love for the Manchester DJ, returning after travelling the world on tour.

As always, the Bitch residents kept the party going past 6am, wrapping up another cracking, sell-out event. Expect more of the same for Michael Woods next month!

Words by @KurtLee_DMM - Photos by Oh My Gosht Photography

EASTER SUNDAY

Cassini Boat Party / Sound Control

As the aftermath of the hangovers from the night before were only just subsiding, by 3pm it was time to get back on it all over again for round two of the Easter Weekend. James and I headed down to Sound Control to meet the rest of the Cassini boat party crew then ventured over to Dukes 92 where the sun was shining and the Dry Barge boat was waiting for us to jump on board.

We weren’t sure what to expect as we stepped down into the spacious area, complete with a DJ area and decks plus a fully-stocked bar and outside undercover smoking area. A crowd of about 50 were all smiling from ear to ear as the boat set sail down the canal and the music kicked in, a great 3 hours set of tech house.

Seeing the delights of Manchester on such a gorgeous day by boat, with drinks flowing and a fun, chilled atmosphere, we couldn’t have wanted anything else to soothe our heads and get us in the party mood for another heavy night later. While some were dancing around others were enjoying the views, chatting with their mates and getting the drinks in, everyone was having a great time and the novelty of partying on a boat definitely added to the experience.

By 7pm we returned to our starting point, the boat anchored up and we all got off slightly merrier and keen for the party to continue back at Sound Control, where the likes of Gemma Furbank, Hew Williams, Epic Noise Guy, Kreso and loads more were to treat party-goers to hours’ more of tech house sounds. We headed home to freshen up, grab some food to keep us going, back to Sound Control for a couple of hours before heading to our next party; Jaymo & Andy George over at Underdog / Black Dog Ballroom.

Words by @SpamellaB

Underdog Presents Moda Black’s Jaymo & Andy George @ Black Dog Ballroom

James and I hit one of our favourite venues, Black Dog Ballroom, for a few chilled drinks before heading down to its basement area, Underdog, where Radio One In New DJs We Trust pioneers and the names behind Moda Black, Jaymo & Andy George, were to perform a live set. Being huge fans of the label and hyped for their Moda Black Vol. II compilation, the guys filled the underground space with their recognisable deep bass/house sounds which gradually had the dance floor moving and progressing from the shuffle/two-step!

We must mention Underdog’s fantastic Funktion One sound system which really added to the experience and allowed us to enjoy and appreciate the music even more; more clubs and venues should certainly invest in this. Both Jaymo and Andy George are not only insanely talented at what they do, but both were incredibly friendly and approachable, happy to talk to fans who came up to their booth and get photos taken with them. We caught them for a quick chat about being in Manchester and the anticipation of the new compilation; both lads were buzzing and could not be more excited for their next release.

We had to cut the night short so could catch the second half of Pirupa‘s set at Gorilla so we said goodbye to the guys and promoter of the night, Keiran Sharples, and agreed that we had to return to this New Wakefield venue in the near future.

Words by @SpamellaB

Gorilla & mute! Present Pirupa

To conclude our evening of madness, SpamellaB and I mooched around the corner to Gorilla to catch the second half of Pirupa’s set. A name we talked about a lot throughout 2012 but one we had yet to see in person, we were intrigued to see and hear how he would perform. Arriving to a packed club, the bass-heavy, minimal tech was pounding out of the speakers to a captive audience of drunken revellers, lost in their own worlds of simple but addictive beats.

As our first trip to the new(ish) venue, we commented on how impressed we both were with the distinctive, “under-the-arches” / “somewhere between a club and a live-performance stage” room. The high ceilings provide for a different (but welcomed) sound, in comparison to the usually low, basement rooms that we are more familiar with across town. The relatively large stage proved to be a focal point which had more in comparison with the smaller rooms at the Warehouse Project than most clubs, whilst keeping the slightly more intimate club vibes we know and love.

A huge shame we couldn’t see Thick As Thieves, Bump and the mute! DJs as there were just too many acts this weekend but we’re all really looking forward to the next opportunity to seeing them live in our awesome city of Manchester.

Words by @dmm_james.

Warehouse Project Presents Alesso & Friends

After an already amazing weekend, we decided to end it with a bang at The Warehouse Project. Heading to room 2 to check out local lad Nick Coulson, dropping some bombers including a massive mix of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’ to a huge crowd. Up next was Otto Knows, who needs no introduction with his huge success in the charts with ‘Million Voices’ and generally being huge  in the dance scene.

The WHP crowd was in the palm of his hand as he dropped some big house hits. It was great to meet Otto after his set, complimenting him on his performance, to which he explained how much he enjoyed playing his first ever set in the UK with such an awesome crowd reaction.

Next up was the hugely talented DMM favourite, Alesso. From start to finish, he went all out in his set, showing his enthusiasm and passion for the music throughout. His own track, Years, sent the crowd into a state of euphoria as part of one of the biggest and best sets I have ever seen. Hugely popular within the Victoria Warehouse venue this Easter Sunday.

Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano finished off this already amazing night with a B2B set to the more hardcore ravers who were partying until the end. This was another huge WHP night and with DMM going to virtually all the gigs last year,  the Summer will feel empty without a regular gig down in Trafford Park. We cannot wait for the finished renovations to room 1 and to see who the WHP team will be brining to Manchester from September.

Words by @KurtLee_DMM

This Easter weekend, Manchester will be spoilt for choice as the city’s venues really push the boat out, offering some of the biggest names and treating us to some of the most hyped nights of the year so far. With so much going on, it would be impossible to cover everything, so we’ve picked out some of the highlights and ones you’ll most likely catch us at on Easter Sunday!

CASSINI ALL-DAY PARTY

Following the success of the Cassini Podcast series, the guys behind the brand will be hosting a very special debut event to Manchester ahead of the official launch in Leeds on May 5th. A 10 hour event from 2pm – 12am, Cassini promises to make Easter Sunday at Sound Control a very messy one and only for those with stamina!

Not only that but Cassini will be running a boat party on the day from 4-7pm running alongside the main event, setting sail from the waters of Dukes 92 in Castlefield and arriving at its destination of Sound Control later. Tickets are in high demand so if you don’t want to miss out on this party on the water, get them quick!

Who can we expect to be providing the music for this all-day event? Resident DJs, Hew Williams and Epic Noise Guy, will be playing plenty of techno/house/ electronica sounds throughout the day and into the night, on land and on water. They’ll be joined by Gemma Furbank, Kreso, 3 Deep and Twenty12, while Paul Matthews, Nemmz, Low Perspective and Deluxxe will be representing Dispute Records Showcase.

If you’ve been partying too hard and need a bit of a break, fear not as there’ll be a full chill-out area complete with large bean bags provided, try not to fall asleep though!

We’re anticipating the whole Easter weekend will be a manically messy one, especially with ridiculous drink offers, so for those who want to continue the party and make the most of a Monday off, Cassini’s all-day event looks set to be an awesome alternative.

Ticket Information:
£5 adv or £6 OTD – Entrance to Cassini @ Sound Control
£15 – BOAT PARTY AND ALL DAY EVENT ACCESS
Tickets can be bought from: Sound Control website, Skiddle, Gaffs – Fallowfield, Picadilly Records, Eastern Bloc, Dr Hermans, Sound Base.

Check out the Facebook Event page and get attending!

Get a taste of what to expect and check out the Cassini Podcast on Soundcloud:

GORILLA & MUTE! PRESENT: PIRUPA / EXHiBiT / Thick As Thieves / Tom Mallas

Gorilla is a venue DMM have heard so much about, drooled over the food photos on their Instagram, had a few cheeky drinks during the day but, shamefully, haven’t had chance to experience a full-on rave there.

This is going to change though when we’ll be attending a very special night on Easter Sunday, when the Whitworth Street venue, together with mute!, will play host to a very special event in collaboration with some of Manchester’s best club nights.

Pirupa, a talented Italian DJ/producer with releases on major dance record labels Defected, Noir Music, Size Records and Desolat to name but a few, will be headlining the exciting night. What this guy has accomplished in three years is incredible and he is definitely one to watch on the house music scene. As huge fans of Defected in particular and tracks such as, ‘Party Non Stop’ and ‘Sweet Devil’, we are really looking forward to experiencing a live set, especially after hearing his performance at Ultra Festival!

Supporting Pirupa on the night will be Manchester-based promoters EXHiBiT, Thick As Thieves, mute! DJs and Tom Mallas, founder of regular Joshua Brooks night, Bump. These guys have all been on DMM’s radar over the past few months and we are well aware just how popular these nights are and how hard they work to provide house, techno and dance lovers with their raving fix. Watch out for the Manchester Music Live team, who’ll be streaming the night live right from Gorilla, plus there’ll be some exciting prizes up for grabs!

With such a varied line-up bringing together this fusion of music under one roof from 10pm – 4am, we’re expecting it to be a massive night at Gorilla and will no doubt be starting a standard #DMMRave at some point – we’ll be right at the front!

Ticket info:
£10 adv, MOTD – Gorilla (no BF), Menikmati – Afflecks (no BF), Gaffs
Online: Ticketline, Skiddle, TicketText, RA

Check out the Facebook Event page and get involved!

WAREHOUSE PROJECT PRESENTS: Alesso & Friends

The Easter weekend would not be the same without the brief return of The Warehouse Project to relieve those withdrawal symptoms. Taking place in rooms 2 and 3 only, this will be the last chance to check out the Victoria Warehouse venue until the brand returns at the end of the year. With the likes of Skreamizm, Ostgut Ton and Kaluki presenting some of the biggest names in house, techno and electro, the 4-night appearance of WHP will culminate on Easter Sunday with Alesso & Friends.

Full line-up:

ALESSO
OTTO KNOWS
SUNNERY JAMES &
RYAN MARCIANO
STYLE OF EYE
+ MORE TBC
21:00 – 05:00

Be warned that the night is SOLD OUT so only those with a ticket will be the lucky ones!

One of the many good things about the Easter Weekend, other than an excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate, is having the Friday and the Monday off, meaning more reason to make the most of all the parties going on around Manchester. With so much going on, we’ve done a roundup of just some of the highlights across the 3 days, starting with Good Friday…

Thick As Thieves 1st Birthday @ Bassment w/ Homework, Jay Shepheard, Thick As Thieves & Friends

Thick As Thieves was born from humble beginnings with an aim to do things slightly differently from the rest, with a strong focus on the music, crowd and venue. Hosting parties across seven venues around Manchester, three of which are brand new, Thick As Thieves have brought a mass of DJs to the city, from Jay Shepheard to Mic Newman, most recently hosting a battle between WOLF Music and Futureboogie. These guys are firmly putting their stamp on the thriving music and club night scene and their 1st birthday will be no different.

Celebrating everything from the past 12 months, Bassment will play host to an all-day party from 3pm, showcasing the likes of Homework and Jay Shepheard for what looks set to be a massive event for the brand. Up in the Graffiti Terrace will be Just30 and Thick As Thieves & Friends, where ravers will be treated to 16 DJs over 8 hours, meaning plenty of variation and a chance to catch the different sounds from Manchesters’ offerings.

With a BBQ and plenty of surprises on the day, ‘The Flow’ will also have a merchandise stall on the day offering their new range of Tees in the converted Paint Shop; we all like something a bit different and an opportunity to buy some memorabilia of the event!

Get a taste for what’s to come and check out this special birthday mix from Quixano (Zutech):

Ticket info:
£8 Early Birds **SOLD OUT**
£10 Advance – First Release
£12 Advance – Second Release

Get your tickets online from: RA / Skiddle / Ticket Arena / Party For The People

£10 Physicals available, please call or text for drop off or collect from:
Piccadilly Records – Oldham Street – City Centre
Eastern Block – Stevensons Square – City Centre
Gaffs – Fallowfield

Warehouse Project: Ostgust Ton Presents Ben Klock + More

The Easter Weekend would not be the same without the brief return of the Warehouse Project to relieve those withdrawal symptoms, providing a fix before it hits Manchester properly for 12 weeks in September.

Good Friday at the Warehouse Project sees the culmination of some of the biggest names in house & techno, making the Victoria Warehouse the ideal place for all the tech-heads out there! Playing host to the likes of Ben Klock, Marcel Dettmann, Steffi, Nick Hoppner and WHP favourite Scuba, who will be playing a rare DJ set under his SCB guise, Good Friday promises to be a stormer of a night.

Full line-up:

ROOM 2
BEN KLOCK
MARCEL DETTMANN
ANSWER CODE REQUEST & VERY SPECIAL GUEST
SCUBA / SCB

ROOM 3
STEFFI
NICK HOPPNER
BARKER & BAUMECKER — LIVE
RYAN ELLIOT

Tickets:
£18.50 Adv. : 21:00 – 05:00
Get your tickets from Ticket Arena.

So, the team behind The Warehouse Project at Victoria Warehouse have done it again. The ridiculously popular quartet of Seth Troxler, Lee Curtiss, Shaun Reeves, and Ryan Crosson will be taking over the Trafford venue to create a distinctive, memorable clubbing experience. Using “innovative production concepts and cutting-edge technology”, inspired by the Mayan calendar, (think end of the world, armageddon predictions of late 2012), the house music collective have turned this on it’s head, treating it as a new beginning in the club world.

“Visionquest Thirteen is a chance for the boys and I to go back to what we do best: playing and hanging out together the way we used to and coming up with new ideas. The twist on doing these 13 special events is that we will be pushing the level of production and music up further than we had originally imagined.”
Lee Curtiss, Visionquest. 

THIRTEEN, hits Manchester on Saturday 27th April and will be the only opportunity to see all four members playing together, joined by Tale of Us, Dinky and Laura Jones.

 

Tickets are in high demand, so much so only 4 are available per person! Get yours now here: https://www.ticketarena.co.uk/events/Visionquest-Thir/