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Inside Heat: Interview with Damian Gelle
Reported by Sharon B
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Submitted 09-07-03 16:06
On a sunny Saturday afternoon back in the summer of 2001, Damian Gelle alongside of Anton Marmot revolutionised weekend clubbing by throwing the first Heat party in a back garden in Walthamstow. As numbers grew rapidly the party moved to The Rock and then onto Turnmills with Londoners taking to Saturday afternoon clubbing like ducks to water. After its very successful first birthday party, Heat soon became one of the biggest and best hard dance events in the capital, and New Years Eve 2002 saw them rock Brixton Academy to the hilt. With Damian having just returned from the Ibizan Heat holiday and the recent Running of the Bulls in Spain Sharon B went along to find out more about Heat’s achievements and its plans for the future.
Marc French and Damian Gelle
Sharon B: What was the original impetus behind Heat? Why did you start up your event - was it to fill a gap in the market, bring forward new talent, fresh sounds or did you just want to throw a party?
Damian Gelle: Anton & I had spent all summer renovating a house in East London and it only seemed appropriate we finish the job off with a wild celebration, but I wouldn’t say we just threw a party. There were ‘Heat’ signs which included the symbol. We also had security on the door which collected people’s email addresses as they entered. Other than this, it was pretty poorly organised affair compared to today’s events. Marc French designed the first flyer but ironically didn’t play that one. Back then day parties were working with Solid Sunday every week. It made sense to put something on the Saturday and give clubbers that extra day to recover. As far as the music was concerned - to me it was the new Rock ‘n’ Roll.
SB: From its beginnings in a small back garden to selling out the Brixton Academy for New Years Eve 2002 Heat has gone from strength to strength in such a small period of time - what do you attribute your level of success to and how do you keep your event fresh so that it keeps moving forward?
DG: From day one we’ve always tried to throw parties with special touches. I always wanted to throw events people talked about forever - almost like great movies. Our first venture after the backyard was at the luxurious Rock. There are not many hard dance venues that have a waterfall inside! At the time it was second to none. With a quality venue, top DJs, the right promotion - you can throw a party on a Monday morning.
Ibizan Heat
SB: You have just returned from a very successful Ibizan Heat trip and the recent "Running of the Bulls" adventure in Spain - what was the impetus that led you to choose clubbing holidays and what future plans, if any, do you have for other trips abroad?
DG: We’ve got a very open-minded crowd and I knew they would be attracted to a clubbing holiday abroad. We had over 220 clubbers on the tour and I think it was a real eye-opener for a lot of them - including myself. Next year is going to be massive. I’ve got people already wanting to book. I haven’t really had the time to organise any other clubbing holidays with such a busy year ahead.
SB: Ian M. returning to Turnmills is quite a coup - how do you feel the event is going to go?
DG: It’s going to go off big time! BK has never played one of our events at Turnmills, and it’s been two years since Ian M was there with the legendary Trade. Spencer and Marc will build the night for an explosive finale. I’ve had people phoning me who haven’t been clubbing in ages.
SB: The Lisa Pin-Up event and the up-coming Ian M event have seen Heat return to Turnmills, the club most people associate with Heat events. What is it about Turnmills that makes it so unique for Heat, what does it offer in terms of putting on an event that other clubs don’t?
DG: When we left the Rock we wanted something no one else had. I found the multi-room layout exciting because it allows a promoter to experiment with different musical styles. The history behind the club is amazing too. To see world greats like Tiesto, Carl Cox, Judge Jules and Tall Paul there on a weekly basis just blows my mind. There are plenty of other venues I like and still use from time to time, but it was about having an identity.
K90 at The Coronet
SB: Heat is always noted for its choice of music policy in the rooms that it holds, from funky house to trance to hard house there seems to be something for everyone. Was this a conscious choice by heat events to have such a wide spectrum of choice and not just focus on the hard dance scene? What benefits do you feel this gives to your events?
DG: It gives variety and creates options. I think that’s important. If people listen to the same style constantly it eventually lessens their experience. I think the scene is experiencing this now. Call it the ‘law of diminishing returns’. If dance music is the new Rock ‘n’ Roll then I want to listen to different bands. Sure, I enjoy Hard Dance - but that’s not going to stop me from going to a completely different kind of party. Our events try to embrace other styles. I think clubbers are becoming a lot more open minded about other music styles. On August 16 we’re throwing our first event without a Hard Dance arena. We’ve got the biggest and most luxurious boat on the Thames with one of the members of New Order playing on the decks.
SB: You recently held a competition for someone to play a set at Turnmills prior to the Lisa Pin-Up night - a brilliant opportunity for any up-coming DJ - how important is supporting up-coming talent to your event and where do you go to look/find fresh sounds and talent?
DG: The idea behind the competition was to give a novice DJ the chance to play behind the same decks where Tony De Vit belted out his legendary 12-hour set. We’ve done this competition several times not only to support new talent but also discover them. It’s how I met Daegal Brain who now plays for us on a regular basis. I rarely play anyone from a demo. I would much rather see them play and how they respond in front of people. Often you hear about a new DJ and his name just won’t go away. That’s when I start asking questions and investigating further.
Heat NYE at the Academy Flyer
SB: The Heat flyers and events have always had an air of originality about them and are always brilliantly produced - Reservoir Gods, Usual Suspects, Evolution, Back 2 Front etc. Where do you look for inspiration? Do you create the line-up first or do you decide the style of the event first and then choose the line-up?
DG: Marc French does the artwork for our flyers. Sometimes the line-up comes before the concept, other times an idea can spawn flyers for loads of different events. For instance, Anton wanted to do a party called ‘Evolution’, I came up with the idea of the event ‘starting in the past, finishing in the future’ and Marc came up with the progressive design. This all happened over a pub lunch - fifteen minutes and two pints later we had a flyer that sold out Camden Palace. Our ideas come from the film industry, music industry, posters in tube stations, wacky conversations, etc, it doesn’t really matter, the bottom line is would I want to go to that party? If the answer is no, then we throw it in the bin and start again.
SB: What’s your most memorable Heat event to date and why does it hold such special importance to you?
DG: Obviously when people tell you your party will be unsuccessful and you prove them wrong - these events hold a special place. So many people said we couldn’t do a Saturday afternoon or pull off Brixton Academy on New Year’s Eve but obviously clubbers out there wanted it to happen. For me it’s always been about vibe so I don’t care what size your party is. I threw a beach party at the Freedom Club in Soho in the middle of winter once - that was pretty good. Also we repeated the backyard party as like an annual event but more organised. It was so good it was almost surreal until the police and Environmental Health rang us the next day.
SB: If you weren’t in club promotions what do you think you would be doing career-wise? Do you think you would still be drawn to the music industry or would you go in another direction completely?
DG: I worked as a journalist in Australia before coming over here some ten years ago. I guess my other passion before there was any interest in clubbing - was the film-industry. For four years I tried my hand at scriptwriting. In that time I had two short films made. A treatment I wrote nearly three years ago is still waiting for the green light to be made into a feature. It’s a fiercely competitive industry.
Heat at The Rock
SB: Do you have a favourite tune? The kind that gets your hands in the air and has you screaming "Come on!” whenever you hear it played out?
DG: There’s too many to mention here. I started clubbing to Parker & Clind ‘Generator’. More recently, last year’s BK and Dave Randall’s ‘Ascension’ was outstanding. There’s about another three hundred tracks in between those two. I’ve got to admit that these days I don’t run into the DJ booth to enquire about a record as often as I used to.
SB: Clubbing is pretty much 24/7 and noted as an industry that never sleeps - how do you manage to unwind, if ever, and what keeps you grounded in such a fast paced environment?
DG: I’ve got a great girlfriend that kicks my arse. The job is 24/7. The behind the scenes can be very tiring. The reward is a party everybody talks about.
SB: How important is it to you to listen to clubbers opinions/feed-back? Do you try and accommodate clubbers wishes when putting on your event? Do you pay much attention to hard dance websites such as HarderFaster in terms of feedback and ideas?
DG: Absolutely! I do a lot of talking but I also do a lot of listening. You’ve got to listen to the right people and gauge what is the next best move that supports the club. I get a lot of advice from people who are a lot older than me and have nothing to do with this industry.
SB: What is your opinion of smaller promotions? Obviously you yourself started off with small beginnings and must have excellent advice and experience for any new promoters - what would be your best advice to anyone thinking of starting up a promotion?
DG: I think the smaller parties are the backbone of the scene. When clubland is at its strongest there was always loads of good little smaller parties. My advice to any promoter is to first ask yourself what it is you want to achieve. Then ask yourself what it is you are prepared to sacrifice. Don’t get me wrong, I love this industry and all the characters in it, but it’s hard work. Always start small, find your direction then build the foundation.
Heat at the Camden Palace
SB: The hard dance scene has seen a large influx of female DJ’s over the last 12 months or so. What is your opinion on female DJ’s on the circuit? Do you feel, like so many critics, that women are getting an easier ride than up-coming male DJ’s, that doors are being opened to them simply because they are women?
DG: I think that’s bullshit. If I book a female DJ that is not established like Lisa Lashes, Anne Savage, Lisa Pinup - is that going to bring more people into my club? I doubt it. So why would I book someone because of their gender? It’s obvious certain DJs are pushed by different engines and they gain more exposure. I don’t think there is an easy ride in this industry for any DJ.
SB: Heat started off as a Saturday afternoon clubbing experience, any plans to go back to that formula or is it just night events that you have planned from now on?
DG: A lot of people have asked me why I dumped the Saturday afternoon brand. Well I didn’t. Once we got a night residency at Turnmills I didn’t want to keep doing the day party there as well. I also wanted a venue with an outdoor area and something that hasn’t been done before. I’ve been searching London for pretty much a year since our last day party to find such a place. You’ll be pleased to know I’ve finally secured it and it’s one of London’s finest clubs. We’re looking at September to throw the first party. Watch this space!
SB: Where would you like to see Heat events in 12 months time? What do you hope to accomplish and in which direction do you want to head?
DG: I’d like to see the Heat Vinyl label producing frequently, we’ve got five tracks ready to go but hardly had any time to concentrate on this area. I’d like to see strength in our different rooms, whether it be Hard Dance, House or Trance. This is beginning to happen now with high profile DJs from these genres approaching us wanting to play.
Marc French at Heat NYE
SB: If you had the world’s resources at your feet what would be your ideal Heat event - where would you hold it and who would be in your line-up?
DG: The venue would be either Space, Privelege or Amnesia in Ibiza. Also Carvo on Mykonos is overwhelming. I’ve chosen outside of the UK because nothing beats clubbing in warm weather. I’m off to Global Gathering this month, I think their line-up looks superb. In a perfect world wish I could have seen De Vit bang it out. Unfortunately, this was well before my time.
SB: There are a lot of people that say that the hard dance scene is diminishing at the moment with the market being saturated by too many nights putting on the same or similar line-ups/events. How do you try to distinguish yourself from the other large nights in London and what would you say to people who feel that the scene is dying?
DG: To me it’s continually evolving. As a promoter I don’t tell the scene what to do, it’s the other way around. At the moment, clubs not performing are being relegated and so are the promoters. It’s a bit like the hard house boom when it got real popular, then all this really bad music came out that sounded like it had fallen off a hoover production line. The scene cannot sustain the growth so it retracts. We don’t want to go the same route that other clubs have gone. If there is less of something around it should really become more valuable. Unfortunately that’s not the case at the moment.
SB: After Ibizan Heat and the Running of the Bulls in Spain it can be safe to say that Heat is going International - any plans for it to go Global? Considering you yourself are from Australia will there be a Heat Down Under in the near future?
DG: There’s been loads of talk about this one but to be honest I’d find it hard to hand it over to anyone. It would also piss me off if I couldn’t be at the party. There’s nothing worse than being on the other side of the world while your event is on. It’s happened to me twice and twice I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been over there two years in a row to try sort something out; maybe 2004 will see Heat downunder.
With thanks to Damian for his time.
With thanks to Tom, Shaezel and Duracell Bunny for the use of their photos 
The next Heat event is on Saturday 12th May at Turnmills. For full details click here.
Relevant Links
Heat UK
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Other Features By Sharon B:
What's it all about? Alfie! - Getting Technikal with Alf Bamford
Heat UK presents....SW4!!! - Interview with Damian Gelle
Interview with TWIST promoter Steve Darragh
Interview with Innovate Resident Nick Sentience
Interview with Ferry Corsten
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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