All you need to know about Sheffield’s top music event organisers pt. 1

With Sheffield well and truly putting itself on the map in the last year musically, here is your chance to get acquainted with the people helping to make it happen. Here is the first installment introducing you to Pretty Pretty Good, Nice Like Rice and Front & Back, if you haven’t heard of them already.

Pretty Pretty Good

What kind of music do you predominately book?

“We try to avoid restricting ourselves to any specific genre and also generally to dodge pigeon holing when it comes to music. Having said that, we tend to book artists who play and produce predominantly house and techno. In just our last two or three events our guests have covered the whole spectrum of ambient, jungle, drum and bass, grime, bassline, half-time, breaks and even trance as well as house, techno and disco though.”

How did you guys get started?

“John and I started the night after a drunk conversation which happened about a year and a half ago now. There were loads of artists who we really wanted to see come to Sheffield, but just weren’t being booked, so we thought ‘why don’t we start a night and book them oursleves’. Since then we’ve gone from strength to strength and now the team has expanded to include five or six or us.”

What do you want your nights to say/feel?

“Haha, interesting question. I don’t think we really intend them to ‘say’ anything in particular with our nights. It’s basically just about bringing together all the necessary components so that everyone can have an amazing party. The ‘vibe’ is definitely the most important aspect of this but pinning down what that actually means is hard. I’d summarise it as energy and smiling faces. Maybe the odd bass face too.”

Who would be the act you most want to book in the future?

“There is a list as long as my arm of artists we would really like to bring to Sheffield but there are a few in particular who are right at the top of that list at the moment. The Black Madonna, Omar-S, Henrick Schwarz, Zip, MCDE, Craig Richards, Âme, Ben UFO, Move D and Margaret Dygas are all right up there alongside slightly lesser known names such as Peggy Gou, DJ SO, Beautiful Swimmers, Avalon Emerson, DJ Sotofett and DJ Fett Burger. We’ve got a load of insanely good stuff coming up though, hehe.”

Favourite venue?

“In Sheffield it’s a choice between the intimate confines of The Harley and the immense spectacle of Hope Works Warehouse. The Night Kitchen and Theatre Delicatessen are also fantastic venues. They’re all special in different ways though – we’re lucky to have them!”

Highlight of upcoming events?

“Of the events we’ve currently announced, our Hope Works Courtyard party on 9^th December would have to be the pick! We’ve got three Sheffield debuts; Australia’s Mall Grab, Detroit’s Byron The Aquarius and London’s Ross From Friends (who will be performing a special three person live set). Dan J completes the main room line-up while Al Zanders, Cervo and the PPG residents (Kudan, Yak, Smorsli, Triple Point and Alief) will be holding it down in Little Mesters. As well as Void Air Motion sound from DEM and a live lighting and laser show, we’ll also have live rear-projected visuals from our resident VJ Zaron Mizmeras. It’s going to be a very special night!”

Nice Like Rice

What kind of music do you predominately book?

“Our roots are in house and disco, but as we have changed venues to warehouse spaces techno has started to work quite well at the events. We mostly book DJs we love so it’s whatever we’re in to at the time.”

How did you guys get started?

“Nice Like Rice started at The Harley just under four years ago. It was a small team at first but has grown hugely with a group of around 10-15 willing helpers on the larger events who have varying degrees of involvement. It’s the large amount of hands available which makes them so special –  everyone really helps out with the arts & production side of things so we can turn spaces into party places and back often in under 24 hours.”

What do you want your nights to say/feel?

“They’re always focused on the party, it’s not just about the music. An event is only as strong as its weakest element, so we focus on the music, venue, decor, production and crowd. So we hope that it feels like a good all round party.”

Who would be the act you most want to book in the future?

“There’s many, but I’d say our top goal is Moodymann and Kerri Chandler. Two pioneers of the music we love the most who both have a unique way of performing; Moodymann with his relaxed, effortless and eclectic style of DJing and Kerri with the live element when he uses his keyboard and his legendary status within the deep house scene.”

Favourite venue?

Highlight of upcoming events?

“Just wait to see what we’ve got in store for 2017. In the meantime come to our party with Moxie, Session Victim and Fold on 25th November.”

Lazers on fleek x

Front & Back

What kind of music do you predominately book?

“We really just want to put on acts we rate at an affordable price. We love Hope Works and Night Kitchen etc, but felt there was a gap in the market for the big names at more intimate venues like the Harley. Beyond that, we also want to bring in DJs we ourselves enjoy who haven’t played in the city before. ”

How did you guys get started?

“The four of us met at Hope Works at Randomer and James Ruskin last year, and what started as a drunken idea somehow turned into what it is today.”

What do you want your nights to say/feel?

“At the moment we’re mainly doing nights at The Harley with bigger venues hopefully to come, but we started out with a smaller party with our resident Big Bear and Pretty Pretty Good’s Yak down at the Golden Harvest which allowed us to put our name out there and get noticed.”

Who doesn’t love the Harley?

Who would be the act you most want to book in the future?

“There are too many acts to name just one. Randomer, Blawan, MCDE are just a few that spring to mind.”

Favourite venue?

“In Sheffield we all agree that Hope Works is the undisputed king but we’re blessed with a few really top quality venues in the city like Yellow Arch and TNK too.”

Highlight of upcoming events?

“We’re most excited about Addison Groove who’s definitely the biggest name we’ve booked to date coming up in November.”