Clash of The Titans — Heat and Frantic go head-to-head for Supernova
Reported by benz
/
Submitted 04-05-06 14:11
It’s not often you get two rivals working together for the greater good in the dance music scene. Polysexual and Sundissential going two’s up on a rave? Godskitchen and Gatecrasher putting aside any differences for a damn good party? Fabric and Turnmills designing a big underground tunnel so that clubbers could frolic freely between their two clubs? OK so it does happen sometimes, and there aren’t really that many big rivalries these days . . . but a 4500 capacity joint event between Heat and Frantic is definitely something that has taken people by surprise. Things haven’t always been exactly rosy between these two. . . .
It’s an exciting prospect — the long-standing might of Frantic and their huge Hard House Academy events combined with the continually evolving, multi-faceted entity that is Heat and their involvement in such massive projects as South West Four. The expertise, resources and determination of the two parties involved are set to make for the most memorable hard dance event of the year, and will ensure that no expense is spared in making this an event that isn’t going to be just another Hard House Academy or HeatUK event. The two are working in unison to make something that is even greater than the sum of their parts — a true hard dance synergy! So, Will Frantic and Damian Heat — when and why did you kiss and make up then?
So, once bitter enemies and now partners in crime . . . what happened? When did you both become so soft?
Will: Lol! You love to exaggerate in pursuit of a story don’t you Mr Gomori! We have actually been working together on and off for 5 years, but as with any partnership we drifted apart to work on other projects only to realise it was more fun working together!
Damian: It didn’t happen overnight. This happened over the course of many years of competing for the same clubbers, DJs and venues. It was as competitive as any price war you could possibly imagine. I’m primarily referring to 2003 here more than any other year. HeatUK was trying to establish itself as an alternative night to the Frantic juggernaut. Looking back now you realise that competition is a great thing. Clubbers were spoilt for choice as we both tried to put on different and better events. Eventually, after many years in the trenches I personally took a step back and truly appreciated the experience. It would have been so much easier to just give up and pack it in like a lot of new clubs do after their first 2 years. Instead I became more intrigued with my competitor and a lot more respectful.
When did you first cross paths? Be honest, what did you think of each other?
Will: I actually knew Damian as a clubber at Frantic and other events. I don’t think I had an ‘opinion’ as such, I just thought Damian was a good laugh. When he started Heat I was aware that there was something special about his ability to draw people to his party!
Damian: I can only remember brief introductions and speaking to Will in the foyer at The Fridge around 2000–2001 when he held a New Year’s Day party up against Fevah’s Match Made In Heaven. This is when I first got into clubbing . . . I didn’t even know who Fevah were and it was well before our backyard soirée. He seemed very focused, very determined and very businesslike!
Damian, Frantic is several years Heat’s senior . . . do you remember your first visit to Frantic when you came to England?
Damian: Frantic at The Rocket in 1999. It was about as raw as you could get, an unbelievable experience. I was living in a shared house with Anton (fellow promoter of HeatUK) — 6 bedrooms with 15–20 backpackers and bodies literally everywhere! The weekends were all about clubbing. We still reminisce and laugh at photos of this event which are all kept hidden away under lock and key!
What have been your proudest achievements over the years? There must be so many to choose from . . .
Will: I have 3 things I’m very proud of:
*Selling out the first HHA. At the time no one thought a hard house event was worthy of the UK’s biggest club space, and to be honest I was very, very nervous!
*Setting up Timeless, Chemistry etc and other sister brands to Frantic, as at the time it was not the done thing to run more than one brand.
*Working with Slammin Vinyl. Whether it was our massive Hardcore Heaven vs Frantic event at SEOne or Tranzmission, it’s always great fun to work with all the Slammin’ Team and with very little fuss and even less exposure they have become an amazing party making machine!
Damian: In order…South West Four, Carl Cox at Brixton Academy, HeatNYE, Ibizan Heat, 24 Hours In Amsterdam, The Rock, my resident Ian Betts being booked to play Cream at Amnesia and Dance Valley . . . there have been loads of highlights and too many to mention. The greatest victories have been the difficult events which have been turned around or the events people have said could not be done.
What do you admire about your opposite number?
Will: His determination and work ethic. Damian is always, always on the sell. He never tires of encouraging people to come to his events and loves the life of clubs, which is always inspiring.
Damian
Damian: Will has an amazing drive to make events succeed. His goals are long term and he is able to articulate and sell his vision to others. His knowledge of rave culture, marketing and consumer choice is truly astounding. It’s no surprise he’s been at the top of his game for so many years. He works extremely hard but I believe it has been his strategies and ability to adapt and change tactics which make him such a formidable force in clubland.
OK enough backslapping, let’s get down to the good stuff. When and how did the decision to host Supernova together come about?
Will: Damian and I have been talking about it on and off for 2 years! As SW4 was taking off and I was busy doing more rave events it was always hard to find the time to do the extensive planning required. However towards the end of 2005 we got together and chose the date and went to work producing what we think is the most innovative and exciting line up in world-wide hard house!
Damian: We’ve spoken about the event for several years. I was looking through old flyers one day and found the original from the event we did together at The Fridge four years ago which Will named as ‘Supernova’. The title sounds epic so we decided to honour the original event and do everything on an even bigger scale than the first party. The line-up is colossal and the venue three times the size of the first party, with The Fridge being the afterparty!
How does the division of labour work when two big promotions go head-to-head like this? Who does what?
Damian: We started by brainstorming with hundreds of emails back and forth until we had an event on paper which we thought would capture the imagination of the rave public. This event is very ‘rave’ compared to my last event at the Academy with Carl Cox. You can see elements from both clubs in the line-up and artwork. I take the lead from Will on the promotion, after all he’s sold out the Academy more times than Jack Nicklaus has won majors. I really enjoy the experience of working with Will and it’s been our fastest selling event to date, so we must be doing something right together.
Will: Funnily enough we share the majority of the roles. The key job for an Academy gig is selling the merits of the party to the clubbing and raving public and that’s something Damian and I have relished! We meet regularly and work on new ways to get across how excited we are about the DJs and live PAs and of course the jaw dropping sound, lighting, digital visual mixing and the décor!
Which sets on the line-up have been causing a stir since it was released?
Damian: From my side everywhere I go people are talking about the main room line-up. No expense has been spared and the match ups there will truly deliver.
Will: People are thrilled by the peak time set for Greg Brookman’s PA! He is definitely the most talked about PA in 2006!
There is a lot of hype about Whitby vs Alex Kidd. Almost without any comment Whitby has become the star we always knew he was, with widespread acclaim for his sets at key hard house events like the Weekender, Goodgreef and Tranzaction. Alex Kidd is simply unmissable!
The Lab4 Live & Xtreme will be a complete and utter showstopper! With the 12ft Cyberstein Robot singing, a live guitarist and a full drum kit, this will blow all 4500 minds and then some!
Don’t miss the Dutch uberdjs Fausto vs Tommy Pulse! This is going to burn!
And who can miss Ms Cage in the main arena, Tidy Boys and Andy Farley playing the classic hard house that made them our heroes and K90 doing his first ever live visual set!
Hardcore is making an appearance at a Frantic event for the first time since last August (Frantic vs Hardcore Heaven). How come?
Will: There has never been a hardcore gig at the Academy and after a brilliant working relationship with Freeformation this last 6 months it just had to be done! Anyone who witnessed Hardcore Heaven at Tranzmission will know how exciting Hardcore can now get! See you down the front!
Will
On an individual note, what do both Heat and Frantic have up their sleeves for the rest of the year?
Will: Frantic — we are working on what we expect to be our most memorable party ever, which is the scintillating 9th Birthday Party on Bank Holiday Sunday 27th August at the Renaissance Rave Rooms in Vauxhall. This is going to be significantly different from any Frantic to date as we add all the ingredients we have always wanted to put into the mix!
We are doing Frantic vs Storm at the Emporium in the Midlands on June17th and then we have a big Southern and Northern event planned with Slammin for the Autumn. All this is about breaking the boredom of the old fashioned and irrelevant line ups we see many others still putting out. 2006 is about the new stars, the Whitbys and Kutskis and not the old breed!
We are also working on a secret project for later in the year that we hope will continue the journey of hard house back to being the most vital music in the UK dance scene.
Damian: Our next event is the annual Ibizan Heat tour which commences June 18. We’ve already sold 300+ flights for this and every year there are more brands us for this amazing week in the sun. After this we will be doing Evolution’s 3rd Birthday at The Fridge on August 26 after South West Four.
How do you feel the hard dance scene has changed this year, for good or for bad?
Will: It’s definitely on the up! Finally our message that the old djs have let down the music, the scene and the clubbers by playing techno, psy trance and other nonsense is making an impact. We don’t want to see djs looking bored behind the decks! And we definitely don’t want bored clubbers. We are excited beyond words about the new djs like Alex Kidd, Whitby, Cally Gage, Brookman and many more!
Damian: The times are a changin’. There is a real uncertainty in the air with all things hard. Years ago I once did 3 three events in one month and one of those was in another country! You can’t do that now and I wouldn’t want to even try. The hard dance world has suffered from saturation. On a positive note it is the first time new stars have penetrated main room line-ups like never before. Artists like Technikal, Alex Kidd, Whitby, Brookman have all broken through and established themselves as main room headline stars.
Which djs and producers are really exciting you at the moment? Who have you got your eye on?
Will: It’s all about Digital Kid, Brookman and Technikal . . .
Damian: I saw Lee Osborne smash The Fridge on New Years Day, it was pretty impressive. Producers . . . Technikal is still the measuring stick and you can’t look past MDA & Spherical. Also watch out for Ashley James.
And finally, Supernova falls on a Bank Holiday weekend and marks the start of the Summer party calendar. What will you be doing to relax after the knackering Brixton Academy session?
Will: Going to the Office! Lol!
Actually I’m going to go to Slammin Vinyl’s Hardstock in Brum on the Sun! This is going to be BAD!
Damian: I’m going straight to The Fridge for the afterparty and ordering a JD and coke. Then that afternoon I’ve got PUSH, my new Sunday session at The White House. No rest for the wicked!
HeatUK & Frantic present Supernova
|
|
On:
|
Saturday 27th May 2006
|
|
At:
|
Brixton Academy [map]
|
|
From:
|
2000-0600
|
|
Cost:
|
Limited Early Bird Tickets £15+BF ON SALE NOW
Saver Tickets £18+BF
Standard Tickets £23+BF
|
|
Website:
|
www.franticdsi.com
|
|
Ticket Info:
|
VERY Limited £15+BF Early Bird Tickets on sale Monday 6th March.
We expect all Early Bird Tickets to sell out within 7 days!
Standard Tickets £23+BF
Call Ticketweb on 08700 600 100
or book online at...
|
|
Buy Online:
|
Click here to buy tickets
|
|
More:
|
After nearly 4 years since their last joint event, Heat and Frantic are teaming up for ONE NIGHT ONLY! This isn’t just big – this is SUPERNOVA!
The two biggest and most respected Hard House and Trance promotions in the country are teaming up for the party to end all parties. This is the stuff dreams are made of! Over the last 5 years Heat and Frantic have changed the way London parties. They have staged immensely successful festivals, broken new venues, new DJs, new Live Acts, new trends, and have travelled half the known universe to put on parties that you will still be telling your grandchildren about in 50 years time!
Now we have joined together to create the ultimate Hard House, Trance and Hardcore Gathering! With 4500 Clubbers, 50 DJs and Live PAs and 4 sensational arenas this is the be all and end all of superior Hard clubbing!
This is the biggest head-to-head club battle London has ever seen. It’s the official kick-off to Summer 2006, and it’s taking place on a Bank Holiday – meaning you can party twice as hard!
|
|
Flyer:
|
 - 
|
|
|
| |
![[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!](/images/mainbanner_top1.gif)
