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If there's any problem with dubstep, it's the promoters...

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 12:59 pm
by elementalism
...not the producers or the DJs.

In my opinion, it's little start-up promoters who get themselves a venue with a shitty soundsystem and then try and book a big name to pull in the crowd. Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings, but if your feelings are hurt then I was talking to you!

That is the only thing that I think can kill dubstep. Shitty promotions pull in people who aren't really interested in good sound, but who can easily recognise the big names and will spend money on the door. You probably know the sort of nights I'm talking about - people are more interested in finding MDMA than actually listening to the music. I'm not one of those people who is particularly bothered about gurners at DMZ, because at the end of the day they're not affecting the direction that DMZ is heading in. Mala and them man built the reputation and let the night speak for itself after that - little to no promotion needed and you only need to watch the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Birthday videos to see how many people come out to the dances!

Big up the people who have been doing it from day, and all of the up and coming promotions that are pushing boundaries. Promoters - Start promoting. Stop relying on a next person's reputation to do the footwork that you can't be arsed to do!

:arrow: :arrow:

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:02 pm
by plastician
With all due respect the promoters you are speaking of will not be reading this forum.

They will have not even attended a dubstep night before

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:09 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
promoters are pivotal to the continued commercial success of the genre

I guess you were talking to me in a sense as My first event didn't have any names...just people i love

I then realised you need a name to not lose shitloads of money..

obviously i would never book anyone i didn't like though...

my favourite event i ever did had a great balance of sounds and names

I had plastician & kromestar namewise but both excellent and emalkay & king cannibal to mix it up a little and support for a local artist in shiverz

what exactly are you suggesting people should do to be right in your eyes?

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:10 pm
by surface_tension
[quote="Plastician"]With all due respect the promoters you are speaking of will not be reading this forum.

They will have not even attended a dubstep night before[/quote

lol this.

There are certain producers/DJ's who don't show up for gigs as well, and they are equally as waste tbh. No names. And that's not directed at anyone in this thread btw. AFAIK you guys show for gigs :P

Re: If there's any problem with dubstep, it's the promoters.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:17 pm
by seckle
Elementalism wrote:shitty soundsystem and then try and book a big name to pull in the crowd.
i've been saying that for years. this is how dnb got watered down, because a good majority of the promoters, didn't give a fuck about the sound. its also venue owners as well, as they give the green light to parties, and 90% of the time, they don't give a fuck about sound quality or music quality, and instead concentrate on ice cubes and lemon wedges, before trying to come correct and give the punters a proper nightclub experience.

self powered speakers on stands, is not a soundsystem. its a wedding/birthday party PA.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:26 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
some people just don't have a lot of cash but want to represent...

ultimately if this train of thought is followed it becomes very elitist

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:35 pm
by surface_tension
I don't buy the sound system argument. Real music sounds good on a pair of headphones. If you need 30,000 watts to get the point, there's something wrong with the tune to begin with. Re-enforced bass adds a lot, don't get me wrong... but pure power of the sound system itself, and nothing more isn't a way to gauge a night. If the crowd are pricks, for instance, no system on the planet will make up for that. Or if the staff are getting rough with the crowd and shit... etc.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:35 pm
by seckle
at the end of the day, this music is designed for sub bass, and if you're coming up short on sound, just to bring in big dj X to your party, that's not helping your reputation as a promoter, and its certainly not helping the dj whatsoever. sure, the argument that 60% of the people don't care about sound quality on a friday night and just want to get drunk with their friends is valid in some ways, but why would you want to throw a good party, instead of the best party anyone in your town has seen?

its like sitting down at a restaurant with your lady, and ordering tap water, instead of bottled water. what? you think your girlfriends not noticing that you're a cheap ass? treat her right...spend some money.....in the same vein....treat the punters right..spend some time and money.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:36 pm
by capo ultra
Jesus. Fuck off man!

There is no problem with Dubstep! Dubstep does not exist.


Go listen to music

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:38 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
[quote="Surface_Tension"]Real music sounds good on a pair of headphones.[quote]

amen

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:41 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
seckle wrote:at the end of the day, this music is designed for sub bass, and if you're coming up short on sound, just to bring in big dj X to your party, that's not helping your reputation as a promoter, and its certainly not helping the dj whatsoever. sure, the argument that 60% of the people don't care about sound quality on a friday night and just want to get drunk with their friends is valid in some ways, but why would you want to throw a good party, instead of the best party anyone in your town has seen?

its like sitting down at a restaurant with your lady, and ordering tap water, instead of bottled water. what? you think your girlfriends not noticing that you're a cheap ass? treat her right...spend some money.....in the same vein....treat the punters right..spend some time and money.
sometimes there aren't a lot of options financially & working full time means not a lot of time either...

The venue has all the power anyway...i know of a night where the venue said they'd get in extra sound and didn't...

i also to be frank know of many famous producers that make tunes i like that don't really use the whole low end....only people like mala, distance, loefah etc really benefit from ridiculous subs

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:46 pm
by seckle
Piston wrote:only people like mala, distance, loefah etc really benefit from ridiculous subs
but this is the critical point. are we trying to cut corners with ridiculous sub, just to ram out parties with midrange sub? do you want to shake the walls or just shake some cups?

the minute promoters start settling for anything is the road to midrangestep.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:48 pm
by elementalism
I wasn't talking to you, Piston! It's not really about what's right or wrong in my eyes, I'm just a person behind a screen who some of you might have seen out and about. I'm just voicing my opinion!

Nothing wrong with booking a big name. Chances are that person is 'big' because they play decent sets and have earnt their stripes already. But the problem comes when that DJs reputation becomes the sole attraction.

The venue isn't important. Plastic People is a dark box room with some pillars and a DJ booth. Exodus DMZ is in a community centre in Chapeltown. Surface Tension, you say that music sounds good through headphones - yeah maybe, but I don't go to silent discos. At the end of the day, you might think your system is the baddest thing in the world when you're warming up before your night - but put a couple hundred people in the way and it won't sound anywhere near as good. Don't be stupid.

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:51 pm
by addc182
Surface_Tension wrote:I don't buy the sound system argument. Real music sounds good on a pair of headphones.
on a pair of standard iPod buds or on a pair of HD-25s?

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:51 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
seckle wrote:
Piston wrote: the minute promoters start settling for anything is the road to midrangestep.
but but but

why does it being midrange make it bad?

Boxcutter is probably my favourite producer labeled as dubstep but i doubt he needs the lowest of the low system...

i'm no expert either but don't producers also sometimes make tunes just for a system?

is this in your opinion how it should be?

someone like fanu sounds fucking amazing but due to not peaking snares to sound perfect through a club system it tends to be i would say too good for a rig

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:53 pm
by Pistonsbeneath
addc182 wrote:
Surface_Tension wrote:I don't buy the sound system argument. Real music sounds good on a pair of headphones.
on a pair of standard iPod buds or on a pair of HD-25s?
i listen to pretty much all my music now on my ipod through a pair of denons

i love music and have playlists of wildly varying styles but like was said good music is good music

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 2:07 pm
by whineo
I didnt truely get hooked dubstep until I heard it on a proper system

a crisp system with an engineer behind the controls All night

going to DMZ and seeing Mala and Youngsta wandering to different parts of the dancefloor to check how its sounding

people saying 'I feel like im going to my first Rave all over again'

if you dont buy the sound system argument its because you can't really argue against it in a discussion about Dubstep

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 2:15 pm
by seckle
Whineo wrote:I didnt truely get hooked dubstep until I heard it on a proper system

a crisp system with an engineer behind the controls All night

going to DMZ and seeing Mala and Youngsta wandering to different parts of the dancefloor to check how its sounding

people saying 'I feel like im going to my first Rave all over again'

if you dont buy the sound system argument its because you can't really argue against it in a discussion about Dubstep
this!

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 2:32 pm
by abs
Whineo wrote:a crisp system with an engineer behind the controls All night
this is needed, if anyone ever went to retox free parties in devon when Rexy was still in the country you'll know!! you'll dun know!!

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 2:35 pm
by Pada
seckle wrote:
its like sitting down at a restaurant with your lady, and ordering tap water, instead of bottled water. what? you think your girlfriends not noticing that you're a cheap ass? treat her right...spend some money.....in the same vein....treat the punters right..spend some time and money.
erm.... anyone who think bottled water is any better than tap water is a jackass. There is company called Harogate Spa water... where they get there bottled water from is just over the road from where the public water is from.

I was in France on a school trip and my friend where like "errr don't drink the tap water in France!" but if they got given french water in a bottle is automatically good?







Any way... sound systems. The point about Exodus DMZ being in a community center is a good one! Its basically the sound system and the Djs that make that night good! (as well as atmosphere) A dubstep night HAS to have a good sound system IMO it is AS important as good DJs, in fact I would rather see some local DJs on Iration Steppas than see big names on a shitty soundsystem/pa system.