Party Proactive. The music, the people, the facts!
Reported by Joanna McEwen
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Submitted 02-10-07 22:24
Everybody has a story and Party Proactive is no exception. It all depends on the mystery surrounding it as to how tall that tale will be. In our case, we’re at least all the Hercule Poirot plots if not a few Miss Marple’s too, at least to some, where our music policy is concerned. For those who are involved there is, of course, no mystery whatsoever. The who, the what and the why all flowing like a brilliantly oiled machine, executed with finesse and sublime in its very essence. (Modest too – Ed.) To others though, because the cloak of mystery still wraps the finer musical workings of our beloved party, we thought perhaps now would be a good time for a spot of illumination.
Party Proactive is the creative culmination of a group of people who love dance music; who have lived, breathed and danced to electronic beats for almost half their lives. Paul, Jacob and myself (Joanna) all have a musical history over these years from illegal raves when we were teenagers to going to the first ever Bedrock. We’ve danced the night away to Paul Oakenfold in a warehouse in Devon, hardcore after-parties in Brixton (in both senses of the word!), psy trance parties in the middle of beautiful woodland, hard house UV wonderlands, techno squats, fetish balls, gay discos and glamour house parties. Where there was a good party was where you would find us – either in the middle of the dance floor or behind the decks. What our mothers shook their heads at in sorrow for what they considered our wasted time was in fact the playground where we learnt our craft.
By the mid 90s we had all been bitten by the mixing bug and by the time the century rolled into the early years of its 21st cycle the desire to play quality music for a set had morphed into creating a musical journey and party experience for an entire evening. And that’s really where we’re coming from – to provide people who love dance music as much as we do the space to listen and party to the best quality dance music in all its forms. Because we love it all. Well, the good stuff anyway!
For those who remember, Party Proactive began officially at the infamous parties at The Purple Turtle in Camden, opposite the then Camden Palace and co-hosted by the irrepressible *Ting*. Our focus back then was very much on hard house and hard dance but even so, we took the opportunity to develop the night that *Ting* had built over the years and bring in new sounds. In fact, the first time psy trance was ever played at a Party Proactive event was at the Purple Turtle by Sleepless Andy and the first breaks set was through our now resident, Steelo! At the time I remember someone saying to us “we’re not here to be educated!” but it was never about us forcing our sound upon anyone; just doing things the way that was right for us, having faith that our musical experience meant we knew what would work together and hoping others would be inspired and feel the same.
Still focussing on hard dance but bringing in other musical elements, our beloved Party Proactive began to move around venues. It was 2005’s December party at Fire, where we managed to persuade Billy Nasty, the legendary techno don, to play alongside the Organ Donors and Pete Wardman and Mark Moore, electro pioneer, founder of the ground breaking 80s dance band, S Express, and personal hero, to play alongside Tommy Four Seven and Steelo, that the sound and ethos of Party Proactive began to take on a more solid shape. We had managed to create two contrasting rooms, both with world class DJs and both encompassing different sounds within the room itself, to take everybody on a musical journey. It was massive.
Over the past two years the Party Proactive sound has continued to develop, grow, morph and change. Some of our parties have had a more techno slant in room 1, others psy trance and others hard house; room 2 has taken in electro, electro house, tribal, progressive, breaks, even minimal! If we’re feeling it at the moment when we’re planning the DJ line ups then we’ll do it. Musical segregation is not for us! Our eclectic approach has meant we’ve had some novel mixing companions – Dave Angel with BK and Steve Thomas; Marko Nastic with Eskimo and Ilogik; Andy Farley and Pete Wardman with D.A.V.E. The Drummer; Fafa Monteco with Queen Maxine; Philippe B with Mikki Most and Hannah Holland; Fabrice K with Shane Watcha and Janette Slack.
To some it might look like nonsense. “It’ll never work!”, we often hear people cry. Even Marco Bailey, who played for us at the Antiworld festival, was initially dubious. But then they come, they party, they experience the absolutely incredible atmosphere of a club full of people who are relishing the experience of being taken on a musical journey by DJs who are at the top of their game, and they come to realise that, just like a Dali painting, Party Proactive’s seemingly nonsensical approach does, in fact, make absolute sense. Marco Bailey and Dave Angels’ return for our November 3rd event is testament to that.
Being neither one thing or the other does though, unfortunately, have its downsides – one being the confusion and mystery that for some surrounds the music we play. “I don’t like techno” or, “they’re a techno party, aren’t they?” being two of the main comments we hear. We do play techno if it’s of the danceable variety – none of the monotonous, flat drone that seemed to be the norm in the UK a few years back – but it is, as with the psy trance or progressive or hard house also being played, placed within the greater whole. We want you to be given, from the moment you walk into the club till the last beat at the end, an evening of pure dancing heaven - whether that’s to the latest exclusive tracks of Eskimo or to the international cutting edge sounds of Bryan Cox. Not only that, we want the music to represent the people of London, the UK and the World, not just a small part of it – so that whether you are a feather boa'd hedonist, disco queen, mature music connoisseur or a cool club kid you can be sure you’re at a place which is inclusive and welcoming of everybody.
I can’t say what we’ll be playing in a year’s time and I can’t give you an exact label to what we do now – to do so would be an impossibility because what fits one party will be different the next. What I can say though is that each one will provide you with unpretentious, intelligent, cutting edge, world-class dance music. It might not always be blisteringly hard or we might experiment by placing dub step with drum and bass (!), but one thing is certain - it will always have energy and it will be something creative, original and one helluva Party. Boooooowai!
Photos courtesy of Party Proactive. Not to be reproduced without permission
Well another year and another incredible time for Party Proactive. Over the past several months, Party Proactive has consistently delivered the best events in London and the UK, with a host of international superstars from across the globe and only the very best up and coming talent.
As the doors close on our simply awesome September event, in a time when clubs are struggling and numbers are down, Party Proactive defied the trend once again and delivered another sell-out party at the legendary Turnmills. Not surprising when you consider we have a unique combination of four rooms of only the very best in cutting edge dance music, original décor and a crowd that’s as Colourful and Courageous as they are Ready to Party!
On Saturday 3rd November we will be delivering our final event of 2007 and sadly to say this will be our last event till early 2008 – now that’s one hell of a long time to wait for the next instalment of Party Proactive!
So without further delay we present our Halloween spectacular
KISS KISS : FRIGHT NIGHT!
Saturday 3rd November, Turnmills, London
A Kiss for you, a kiss for me, a party dance or three.
A world of normalcy makes finding space where you are free
just to be, a rare and treasured find - to party is the respite.
So embrace the weird, embrace the wonder this Kiss Kiss : Fright Night!
Region:
London
Music:
Trance. Hard Trance. Psy Trance. Nu NRG. Hi NRG. House. Funky House. Hard House. Tribal House. Techno.
DJ Paulette (Radio FG / Mix Paris)
Bryan Cox (Weapon Records NYC)
Jacob Moss
Steelo Ben Gomori Dan Warb
Two more rooms of the best music hosted by London/s hottest up and coming promotions!
VIP (Open to all) - Hosted by Never Enough Maria
Eduardo Herrera www.myspace.com/djeduardoherrera
Miss Cupcake www.myspace.com/misscupcakedj
Eddie Santos www.myspace.com/djeddiesantos
Gianni Morisco www.myspace.com/dj_giannimoris
From: time4teaon 2nd Oct 2007 22:32.25 nice one guys!!! cant wait for the mnext proactive!!!
just a lil thing though! as PP was origanlly focused on hard house/dance! maybe it would be best to carry on hard stuff in the main room when u have so many other rooms for techno/electro etc.... but still keep the progression u have!!!!
any hows wat do i know...... Good luck proactive. ur a breath of fresh air on the clubbing scene! MMWWWAHH
From: ClappedoutBike.on 2nd Oct 2007 23:53.14 WICKED READ
WELL DONE PRO ACTIVE CREW
BRING ON THE CARNAGE!
From: K8-eon 3rd Oct 2007 00:47.06 Have always thought this would be a good night and I will make it to one soon!
From: Mizz_behavinon 3rd Oct 2007 08:36.18 I love you guys
From: Jacobon 3rd Oct 2007 10:06.19 A great read Joanna. You managed to explain our musical ethos to the T! Bring on the 3rd. x
From: Neatson 3rd Oct 2007 10:27.53 good work Proactive
From: paul jackon 3rd Oct 2007 10:38.37 yep top read indeed!
From: Mariaon 3rd Oct 2007 11:14.11 It's a pleasure to work with you guys!!! Looking forward to one more wicked Never Enough Party Proactive!!! mmmwwwhhhhaaaaaaa Kiss Kiss
From: puzzle-projecton 3rd Oct 2007 13:00.31 Brilliant! What a oparty should be, no nonsense well programmed bliss! Reminds me of a Brixton based promotion by with the same initials PP
From: Hankyon 3rd Oct 2007 18:10.59 best party in town, by a long shot. please book jonty skrufff again!
From: Steve Twiston 4th Oct 2007 12:45.52 Jo - when are you going to write a novel? lol.
keep up the good work.
My only excuse to go to Turnmills these days.
From: ~deleted12163on 4th Oct 2007 21:51.19 Billy Nasty for Resident!
From: *cheeky chick*on 5th Oct 2007 07:46.25 I remember the first event at Fire club and loved it just as much then as i do now. Wouldn't mind seeing Billy Nasty again.
Good to see you both last night! I will try to be at the next PP.
From: jefon 6th Oct 2007 17:27.48 Hey Jo - so glad to see you and Paul rocking it at Turnmills - couldn't have happened to nicer people. The amount of work and effort you and the Proactive crew put into each event is clear and it pays off - always a great party. Looking forward to the next one!
From: Emma Diceyon 6th Oct 2007 21:49.42 Hmm might have to make Proactive my first night out in London after getting back from Ibiza...
From: Danny Gilliganon 12th Oct 2007 21:23.38 Looking forward to it!
From: Joanna McEwenon 13th Oct 2007 00:19.34 just re read what i wrote. man, i love our party lots of love guys x x x
From: rogerbjon 13th Oct 2007 12:44.45 Always top quality music and friendly crowd - hats off to all the crew for giving us such a great party. Long may you continue.
From: *charlie*!on 13th Oct 2007 13:45.22 Booowai indeed Joanna
Bring it on, I've not been out in SO long and am so excited about this. I love Party proactive - best people, best music, best atmosphere WOO HOO.. see you down the front
From: *charlie*!on 13th Oct 2007 13:46.11 P.S Joanna, what are you wearing?
From: anushka007on 15th Oct 2007 16:16.29 Again fantastic line up from you guys I am away that weekend other ways I would have been there. Have fun
From: Disco Divaon 19th Oct 2007 07:58.29 Party Proactive is the best party in town & run by quality promoters. They never fail to impress with line ups they put on, to notch djs from all over the world & all genres, making the event/night brilliant & musically interesting. Long live PP & well done to all involved
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lots of love guys x x x
I am away that weekend other ways I would have been there. Have fun 