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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna |
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Hard House Academy Preview: Inside Frantic – Interview with Dickon Laws
Reported by littlemissgenki
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Submitted 18-02-04 00:57
Looking down from Brixton Academy balcony to 4500 clubbers going mental to the world's best hard dance djs under the most incredible lights and production you're ever likely to see, Hard House Academy is an unforgettable defining moment in the lives of most clubbers. Ask anyone about their first Hard House Academy and see their eyes light up: mine was October 2001, I'd been in the country a matter of days and a kiwi I'd met in Nagoya a couple of weeks earlier had recomended it. With Lab4 and Yoji playing I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed – needless to say it completely blew me away and I was hooked! Now Frantic's favourite party is back with one of its hugest line-ups ever. HarderFaster caught up with Frantic promoter Dickon Laws just as the last tickets were selling out...
For those that don’t know you, how long have you worked at Frantic? What did you do before you started working there?
I’ve worked for Frantic for just over a year now. I started as Robyn left and took over the day to day promoting of the parties. I finished working for Slinky about 18 months before that and worked for a financial firm in the city – after a while I realised it wasn’t for me and when the opportunity to work for Frantic arose it’s a chance few would have turned down.
When you were growing up, were you a raver, or a clubber, or both? Have you always been interested in the industry or did you just slide into it, as so many people seem to do?
I was a raver, then a clubber, then a promoter (and attempt to dj every now and then). I didn’t really slide into it as my brother was a regular dj on the acid house circuit way back and so dance music is in my blood. Cheesy but I remember when I was growing up doing my essays for school etc while he was mixing in the back ground. Bless!
What exactly do you do in the Frantic office? Is it fun or stressful?
Myself & Will are the promoters for Frantic. With Will stepping back to concentrate on larger projects I have taken over most of the promoting duties. Day to day in the office I look after ticket sales, make sure we have a presence on most of the web sites and concentrate on building relationships with our core audience and DJs. We work 9-7 Monday to Friday and then most of the weekend as well – like any role there are a lot of stresses, blood, sweat and tears! But standing on the edge of the dance floor on a Saturday night and seeing a packed dance floor with clubbers having the time of their lives more than makes up for it!
In the last 5 years Frantic has evolved from an underground club night into a multinational company promoting 8 different brands (Bliss, Chemistry, Convergence, Hard House Academy, Hardware, Hemisphere, Timeless, Utopia) and dj showcase events featuring the likes of Fergie. Did you prefer Frantic when it was a smaller underground club or now it’s larger, more commercial and successful?
I think the smaller parties definitely have an appeal but I am a sucker for the big events! When I used to go to the Fantazia, World Dance, One Love etc events there was a real sense of occasion to them! People would travel from all over the country to get to them and withstand hours of queuing in the rain, waiting at remote petrol stations for the ‘call’ just to get to the parties! That remains with me today and for events like HHA I get excited as any of the clubbers.
I don’t really see us as commercial or underground. We hover in somewhere in between. As for multinational?! Although we do parties across the world people are under the misconception that there are hundreds of us all working on the events. The truth of it is that it is just myself and Will & Emma Hardware that promote the events with a dedicated and close knit operations team that work with us at the parties. Each country has their own promoters who work from our guidelines and that’s it!
Do you work on any brands in particular, or all of them? Do you prefer one brand over the others?
At the moment I work on all the brands, each with their own flavour. Hardware launched in February and Emma is the face of it. We’re supporting her while she finds her feet. The plan is to let the party grow as in an independent event and be self sufficient; this will come with time.
As for the brands, I love them all but the one that stands out is Hard House Academy. It’s our flagship event and easiest the biggest event Frantic do. The scale of the party means that we have a lot of room to play with the line up and work with other brands. The upcoming Winter Edition has the likes of Vicious Circle, the Dirty DJs and the Thirsty DJs and its always interesting seeing their vision of what the party is going to be!
Can readers expect any new Frantic brands in 2004?
I touched on it above. Hardware kick started in February and we’re really pleased with how it’s going! We’ve had close to 800 people over just 2 events which is excellent considering the size of the venue. The clubbers have supported it from the outset and for us this is very rewarding. It’s been given the nickname ‘Mini Frantic’ and that’s the concept for the party! Other than that we will be working on a HUGE internationally established brand later this year as it makes its first outing in London – that’s all I’m going to say for the time being!
This weekend sees Frantic’s last night at Camden Palace, one of its spiritual homes, yet in one of the latest newsletters you call it ‘a new beginning’! Can you tell us a bit more about Frantic’s plans for the future?
As everyone knows Camden Palace has been our home for the last 5 years. We’re very sad to see it closing but we are going to be using more venues than ever before this year so onwards and upwards! Our new home from March is going to be the sublime Scala venue in Kings Cross. It’s had a massive refit recently and we believe its going to be one of the venues of 2004! We kick start on March 16th with a special edition of Convergence and then we will be there at least once a month from then on!
Is it true you’re moving to SEOne? Why did you choose SEOne over any other London venues?
We’re using SEOne for the first time when we collaborate with the mighty Wildchild on March 20th. Its size means that along with Brixton Academy we have the opportunity to give the clubber a lot more variety for an event. We’re going to be at SEOne about 4 times this year, but not moving permanently there.
Do you have a refurbishment planned for SEOne? Please tell me you’re going to sort out the air con?!
We’ll be working closely with the venue management when we are at SEOne to make sure it’s as comfortable for the clubbers as possible.
What would you say to HF readers who say they’ve been to enough HHAs—been there, done that, got the T-shirt. How would you say this Winter HHA is different? Why should they check it out?
Although the basic formula for each HHA is the same we do try and vary it as much as possible. Each time we change the production in each of the arena and try and make it bigger and better than the one before. For this edition we are using 4 of the UK’s leading production companies and have asked them to put everything they have into them so expect the best! We are also using the pyrotechnics company that the Darkness used on their recent tour and what they can do with their equipment is nothing short of breath taking!
With the branded arenas, state of the art sound and lighting and the best Hard Dance money can buy - its going to be a one hell of a show!
What djs are you looking forward to seeing at HHA? Will you get the chance to get out on the dancefloor at all or spend most of the night trying to keep gurners off the stage?
Gurners off stage! Ha ha ha!
Although when the doors open there is still masses for us to do but I do try and get to see as many of the artists as possible! Who do I want to see? Well there is a certain young prodigy by the name of Ben Stevens headlining for Vicious Circle in the foyer – I think just about anyone that likes the harder end of Hard Dance will get a kick out of seeing Ben – he is an impeccable mixer with some pure filth in his record box!
Steve Hill is back for his first Hard House Academy since moving to Australia – he has a very unique connection with the Hard House Academy crowd and his on stage antics are the stuff of legend!
To be honest I’m looking at the line up as I write this and every artists playing has a big appeal! (We wouldn’t have booked them otherwise).
In my opinion HHA has the best production out of any Frantic party. Do you have any surprises up your sleeve in that department this time around?
There are always lots of surprises in store! We’ve been inspired by the likes of Dance Valley in Holland and the huge IDT Sensation parties in Amsterdam. We want to create an aural and visual feat for all clubbers coming to HHA. We have a very large Dutch contingency that travel from the Netherlands to London just for HHA. They along with the UK & London based clubbers demand the best so that is what we must strive to deliver!
HHA always has beautiful flyers. Who designs them? And how do you come up with a different theme every time?
Our design is done by a close friend of the club who for a long time worked as a promoter for the company. He is self taught and so has no parameters to work too, This enables him to be much more creative. The work starts on the flyers 2 months before it is released. Again it has a basic formula in keeping with the brand i.e. its size and fold, but once its opened all hell can break loose! The designer tries to link the design with the season that the party falls in eg. Winter, Summer, Spring, Autumn with some extra twists!
At the moment a lot of promotions in London are struggling yet Frantic continues to grow. Why do you think this is?
I can’t speak for other promotions but Frantic has stayed successful due to sheer determination as well as blood, sweat and tears! Myself, Will, Emma & Lisa from the Nukleuz dj agency are focused solely on making the Frantic parties the best they can! We will work as hard as is needed to make the parties as successful as possible. We also live, breath, eat & sleep the dance scene so it gives us an in-depth understanding of which djs are doing it at the time. It helps us keep the parties as fresh as possible which is vital to keep moving the scene forward!
Who do you consider to be Frantic’s greatest competitors in London? Nationally? Internationally?
I don’t like using the ‘competitor’ as each party has their own vision and goals which keep all of them unique. Although the movers and shakers in London such as Heat, Antiworld, Tasty & Wildchild broadly appeal to the same audience, by working together instead of against each other we can help build a more prosperous industry.
National Parties that I rate are clubs such as GoodGreef (taking the glamour from funky house and mixing it with hard dance), Sundissential (possibly the maddest party in existence) & TIDY for their desire to put on all encompassing large scale events!
Internationally – no one does it quite like UDC (Dance Valley, Impulz & HQ) and the immense ID&T Sensation Black Edition & White Editions.
Frantic has always had a huge Antipodean following, and is now doing well in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Japan. Have you ever been tempted to take Frantic further afield?
Further a field at the moment would mean places like USA, Russia & China. Although the US is catching up fast they are still more a techno & house driven scene. But places like San Francisco are looking very promising!
Phil Reynolds recently played the first ever Hard Dance event in Moscow a few weeks back and he says it went down well. It will be interesting to see how they develop over the next few years. Frantic might have a place there.
China is still very much an unknown commodity. A few people have recently said to me that there is a craving for hard dance in Beijing so again it will be something worth looking at!
Frantic has recently collaborated with some of the most exciting new promotions in London. Can we expect more of such collaborations in the future? Is there ever going to be a Frantic vs Slinky?
Collaborations definitely seem to be in fashion in hard dance at the moment. It’s good for say, Logic clubbers to get a taste of the ‘Frantic Experience’ and visa versa for our audience. We’ve got another collaboration lined up for March 13th when Caroline Banx hosts the battle between No Limits, Beat Retreat and Liquid Tek and then the big one with our friends at Wildchild on March 20th!
Slinky vs. Frantic would be interesting (especially for me) and its definitely something we would look at!
Supernova (Frantic vs Heat) was one of the best nights of 2002. Can we expect to ever see another?
At the moment there are no plans for another Supernova. Both Heat & Frantic are concentrating on other parties at present. We are good friends with Damien & Anton from Heat so I wouldn’t rule out another collaboration at some point in the future.
Out of all the parties you’ve been involved in, what’s been your favourite and why? What have been the highlights of your time at Frantic so far?
Tough question! I have some excellent memories from literally every party I have been involved with. In terms of maddest it would have to have been our’s & Nukleuz Records’ arena at the Escape into the Park festival in Swansea in August 2003. I was warned before we arrived by Cally & Juice that you haven’t partyed till you’ve partyed with the Welsh! Jesus…they were right. I think I am still recovering now!
As for atmosphere the recent PHILTIME was up there with the best of them. Phil has been the backbone of Frantic for 6 years and to see so many people turn up for what was his last Frantic @ Camden Palace was very humbling!
The one highlight of my time with Frantic has to be the very first HardHouse Academy I did. I was working on the guest list till around 2am and when I walked onto the stage and saw the main arena packed to the rafters with clubbers from all walks of life literally took my breath away. I’ve been to many places and seen some immense sights including the Grand Canyon but that image will stay with me for a very long time!
What aspirations do you have for Frantic in 2004? For you personally?
We have a lot of truly exciting parties already lined up for this year – including heading back to Swansea!! We want to take the parties to the next level and offer some new experiences for the clubbers. Keeping the parties fresh and bringing through a new range of artists is our primary goals for 2004.
For me personally I am driven by a need to make each as good, if not better than the one before! If I can achieve this then I will a happy club promoter!
Promoting can be a very stressful job with long hours and antisocial down times. What do you do to unwind? Is it hard to stay in touch with non-clubbing friends?
It is very hard to keep in touch with non-clubbing friends (as any of my non-clubbing friends will agree when reading this) but were possible we do try and stay in touch. Sleep is the best way for a club promoter to unwind but it’s a rare commodity in itself. I mix as well so chilling out usually involves a few hours bashing out the frustrations in the decks or spending time with my girlfriend!
What djs and producers do you rate at the moment?
Ask me an easy one! Djs would have to be Ben Stevens from Vicious Circle – I can’t say enough about him – technically brilliant and his tune selection is first class! Caroline Banx is another – for me the complete dj package! George E, Shaf De Bass, Shan, A-Star are also ones to watch but to be honest there are far too many to give a deserved mention to.
Producers – that’s a lot tougher! Dom Sweeten seems to be getting better and better with each release. Ilogik has always been one of my favourites for his raw, driving style and some of the Barry Diston productions are very exciting!
If you weren’t a promoter, what would you be doing?
As any promoter will tell you, you get so immersed in the role that it’s very hard to imagine doing anything else! But I would probably be involved in event management or marketing of some kind!
What would your dream night involve? Who would play and where?
Having seen the ID&T Sensation Black & White Edition parties in the Amsterdam Football stadium that would have to be the venue. The first week 40,000 lunatic, bass hungry clubbers as far as the eye can see and then a week later the second edition and another 35,000 clubbers! The line up would be impossible as there’s just too many!
I’ve heard that you’ve actually started djing yourself (well you actually told me yourself a while ago…!!!). What sort of music do you play? Can we expect to see Dickon Laws closing the main room at the next HHA?
Was that in one of those close encounters in the Camden Palace hallways then Miss Tara?! Yeah I ‘just started’ about 7 years ago ha ha. I used to have a residency at a party called Synthetic at the infamous 414 in Brixton which I have very fond memories of. I still play at home but I see it as a conflict of interest to promote and to dj at the same time, although I have been invited to play a few recently which I’m going to do at some point! I stick mainly to chunky hard house and ridiculous acid driven hard trance but I guess that describes a lot of djs at the moment! And as for closing main room at HHA?…..speak to Will about that one!
Finally, what advice would you give to HF readers who want to make it as a Frantic dj? As a promoter?
As a DJ in general and not just for Frantic: don’t be afraid to do your time! The expression ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ is very appropriate. All the main room djs have worked tirelessly to get where they are and unfortunately there are no short cuts. Having genuine talent goes along way but nothing beats hard graft! Going to the clubs you aspire to play at and supporting them is as good a way as any to get your foot in the door!
As a promoter: never say die! I know a lot of promotions who after 6/7 parties call it a day because it's not just working. Ironically in my experience it's usually the 8/9th parties where things really start to happen! If you have the drive and determination to succeed in what you want to do then there is no reason why this can't be achieved!
Thanks to Amy and Anders, Dickon and Phil for the use of their photos.
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Other Features By littlemissgenki:
HeatUK (The DVD) – From The Backyard To South West Four - World Premier Preview: Interview with SnowBall Productions
Paradise City 001 Preview: From free parties in pubs to private jets—interview with Antiworld promoter Enrico Sorbello
Blatantly Brisk: interview with Paul Nineham
Paradise City 001 preview: interview with Mauro Picotto
Never Enough Maria: Interview with the Queen of Hard Dance
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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