Last summer the ‘stealth clubbing’ craze exploded; an almost revolutionary move away from brightly lit nights promoted by big, brash super-venues to subtle, secret and totally unpredictable parties operated on a need-to-know-only basis.
Not very secret then; certainly when you consider the level of coverage generated, the number of related Facebook posts from over-excited clubbers, and the hoards of people banging on non-descript warehouse doors all over the country.
The relentless hype has become a problem. Just ask Freddie Fortune, co-promoter of Underground Rebel Bingo (alongside James Flame.) One of the UK’s original stealth nights, Rebel Bingo starts off in the much the same vein as that crazy OAP, number-matching past-time but soon descends into raucous, hedonistic party action. Regulated as it is by codes, passwords and last-minute directions, the gathering is getting too popular now, and Fortune is ready to act:
“It’s got to be about controlled expansion” he suggests. “We love doing what we do but we don’t want it to become too formulaic. We like to appear somewhere, vanish and then re-emerge somewhere completely different; it keeps things fresh, keeps the clubbers on their toes and makes for a successful party.”
There’s something to be said, too, for minimal organisation. Last year’s huge recessionary dip seems finally to be having the kind of Tsunami-like effect on British leisure-led businesses that was long predicted by financial soothsayers. Just think of clubs Plastic People, Fabric, Matter, T Bar and SeOne. Maybe, then, it’s useful to have a flexible approach to promoting that lets you roll with the economic punches.
“Our approach to club nights does have its advantages,” agrees Fortune. “We don’t put pressure on ourselves to run nights every week. We do them when, where and how we want, depending on what’s going on at the time. Sure, there’s the totally illegal bingo theme but everything else, including the music, is changeable. It works.”
Indeed, Rebel Bingo’s musical theme continues to evolve depending on the taste of its clued-up audience. Classic dance anthems, rock grinds and electro-blasts are staple diet, but there’s always something new. Says Fortune: “Dubstep is the thing right now; a lot of the people that attend our parties are into those dark, bassy sounds, and so we oblige.”
The Bingo ‘players’ have recently made a decision to cut back on events but then, hypocritically, intend to expand into new areas. “It sounds strange but there’s method in the madness” Fortune laughs. “Off the back of the press and hype last summer we were getting overrun with enquiries; we started to put on more and more Bingo nights in London and soon it felt like we were running a proper weekly club night. We didn’t like it – it was a ball-ache. To be honest, it felt like we were starting to market the night and that was never Rebel Bingo’s intention. Things were getting a little too stale and on-the-radar.”
Fortune continues: “We’ve therefore started to hang back from activity in London but, at the same time, explore new areas. We’re currently moving into Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and Nottingham. And in July we’ll take our secret clubbing recipe to New York. The intention in those cities will be the same – to turn up one place, vanish for a bit, return… generally mix it up…. We can balance stealth with expansion.”
The other ‘stealth’ promoters wrapped up in last year’s media frenzy are also doing well. The Greco-Roman Soundsystem, for example, an exclusive DJ battle and music showcase run by well-established DJs including Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, has secret, word-of-mouth events scheduled up to the end of the year; not to mention a bunch of more visible summer festival appearances. And still the big UK cities continue to throw one-off, thoroughly old-skool ‘warehouse’ parties in empty industrial, commercial and even residential spaces. How significant it is that Eric Prydz’ residency at Matter London will now be diverting to a secret summer rave following the super-club’s closure?
“It’s a definite sign of the times” Fortune offers. “Recession is biting and the rise of sites like Facebook has allowed everyone to promote and put on nights. The traditional venues are getting buried by too much information; you need to change the game to stand out. I think that’s why stealth nights and warehouse parties are proving so popular. I live in Dalston [East London] and every night there’s an old industrial building crammed full of revellers. Just like the old days!”
Having an adaptable music policy like Rebel Bingo helps, but then stealth nights seem to be attracting the kind of niche audience that rewards promoters with steady and loyal custom. “Bigger clubs have to mass-market and that makes it harder to tailor messages to individuals” Fortune concludes. “That personal connection with people is important right now; they’re spending their time and money more cautiously these days. Stealth clubbing is refreshingly different – you get that amazing feeling of discovering something new. Who wouldn’t like the idea of stumbling along a deserted alleyway into some hidden, all-night and absolutely life-changing party? That’s gotta be good right?”
Fortune favours the brave in more ways than one...
Check www.rebelbingo.com and www.myspace.com/grecoromanmusic for more information.
