In Promoters Corner this month we speak to Simon Aston from Junk Club
Are you from Southampton?
No originally I’m from Bristol – I grew up with the sound of hip hop in the mid late 80’s when Massive Attack and 3D were breaking through and Bristol was right in the thick of it!
How did you get your job at Junk?
I have been friends with the MD for about 15 years and we discussed doing the club almost 10 years ago.
How is the venue doing at the moment – obviously summer can be tough for dance clubs with Ibiza etc but how has Junk been going?
Overall very good, summer is a bit quieter as we there is a large student market in Southampton, however we’ve maintained big line ups over the summer which are attracting people from farther a field.
Do you think the credit crunch has affected your club?
Yes but we have been in growth mode over the last three years so it hasn’t affected us as much as some perhaps.
You run events six nights a week – why don’t you open on Monday?
We have been open seven nights before but mostly we prefer to run six very good nights rather than overstretch with new nights. Occasionally we do hire out for private parties etc.
How long has Junk been running?
Just over three years.
Capacity?
Five hundred and fifty.
What style of music works best for you?
For us its, all about house – tech electro call it what you like, to me its all house – that’s what we offer weekends and that’s what we’re know for.
Best guest you’ve ever booked?
Mr C and his night Superfreq was a massive hit for us, and our first exploration into the deeper underground side of things, Wally Lopez is playing here 30th August and has attracted a lot of interest as he rarely plays in the UK. We also had Roy Ayers playing live in 2006 which was an amazing night and we recorded a great interview with him for the website.
Which artist would you like to book for the club?
I’m not really into the massive djs, I really like the idea of booking people who are making great music – Dubfire I think would be really cool ATM, I would also go and see – Dennis Ferrer and Sebastien leger, there’s loads.
What’s Southampton like at the moment?
There is definitely a scene here. There was a period where there didn’t seem to many youngsters coming through into house but that’s changed now, especially with the increased popularity of techno and electro. There some great bars and the city is becoming more of a clubbing destination than it used to.
You DJ too – Is there ever a conflict of interest – do you ever book yourself for the big nights?
Ha-ha not really. I play as and when it fits, in fact I wouldn’t over-saturate myself here, I am keener to develop the brand and export Junk to other places.
Are you a DJ or promoter?
Like many djs I started putting on parties years ago and gained a reputation as a promoter, but I’m a dj at heart. Luckily at Junk there is a team of people here and I am now able to focus on the development of Junk overall.
Can you see your self always working in music/clubs – what’s you ambitions for the future?
Yes definitely, the ethos behind Junk is to create a global brand with music, tours and potentially more clubs, which will take some years to achieve, so there’s a definite long term plan, but so long as I remain close to the actual music I’ll be happy!
Any promotional tips you’d like to share with other club owners?
Don’t be afraid to take a risk think big and be passionate!!
How did you deal with the smoking ban?
It wasn’t that difficult. Luckily it started in the summer, when the weather was good and we let people out to have a cigarette, so many people actually liked that extra dimension.
You’re playing Pete Tong’s Wonderland night in Ibiza – how did this come about?
Charlie Chester asked us. He came over when Jo Mills played at the club and really liked what we were doing. The gig was great and we’re going back in September for closing – we’re actually coinciding this with a competition to win a weekend away for two people with entry to Wonderland, Space and other nights check website for details on this! www.junkclub.com
August 2008
In Promoters Corner this month we speak to Simon Aston from Junk Club
Are you from Southampton?
No originally I’m from Bristol – I grew up with the sound of hip hop in the mid late 80’s when Massive Attack and 3D were breaking through and Bristol was right in the thick of it!
How did you get your job at Junk?
I have been friends with the MD for about 15 years and we discussed doing the club almost 10 years ago.
How is the venue doing at the moment – obviously summer can be tough for dance clubs with Ibiza etc but how has Junk been going?
Overall very good, summer is a bit quieter as we there is a large student market in Southampton, however we’ve maintained big line ups over the summer which are attracting people from farther a field.
Do you think the credit crunch has affected your club?
Yes but we have been in growth mode over the last three years so it hasn’t affected us as much as some perhaps.
You run events six nights a week – why don’t you open on Monday?
We have been open seven nights before but mostly we prefer to run six very good nights rather than overstretch with new nights. Occasionally we do hire out for private parties etc.
How long has Junk been running?
Just over three years.
Capacity?
Five hundred and fifty.
What style of music works best for you?
For us its, all about house – tech electro call it what you like, to me its all house – that’s what we offer weekends and that’s what we’re know for.
Best guest you’ve ever booked?
Mr C and his night Superfreq was a massive hit for us, and our first exploration into the deeper underground side of things, Wally Lopez is playing here 30th August and has attracted a lot of interest as he rarely plays in the UK. We also had Roy Ayers playing live in 2006 which was an amazing night and we recorded a great interview with him for the website.
Which artist would you like to book for the club?
I’m not really into the massive djs, I really like the idea of booking people who are making great music – Dubfire I think would be really cool ATM, I would also go and see – Dennis Ferrer and Sebastien leger, there’s loads.
What’s Southampton like at the moment?
There is definitely a scene here. There was a period where there didn’t seem to many youngsters coming through into house but that’s changed now, especially with the increased popularity of techno and electro. There some great bars and the city is becoming more of a clubbing destination than it used to.
You DJ too – Is there ever a conflict of interest – do you ever book yourself for the big nights?
Ha-ha not really. I play as and when it fits, in fact I wouldn’t over-saturate myself here, I am keener to develop the brand and export Junk to other places.
Are you a DJ or promoter?
Like many djs I started putting on parties years ago and gained a reputation as a promoter, but I’m a dj at heart. Luckily at Junk there is a team of people here and I am now able to focus on the development of Junk overall.
Can you see your self always working in music/clubs – what’s you ambitions for the future?
Yes definitely, the ethos behind Junk is to create a global brand with music, tours and potentially more clubs, which will take some years to achieve, so there’s a definite long term plan, but so long as I remain close to the actual music I’ll be happy!
Any promotional tips you’d like to share with other club owners?
Don’t be afraid to take a risk think big and be passionate!!
How did you deal with the smoking ban?
It wasn’t that difficult. Luckily it started in the summer, when the weather was good and we let people out to have a cigarette, so many people actually liked that extra dimension.
You’re playing Pete Tong’s Wonderland night in Ibiza – how did this come about?
Charlie Chester asked us. He came over when Jo Mills played at the club and really liked what we were doing. The gig was great and we’re going back in September for closing – we’re actually coinciding this with a competition to win a weekend away for two people with entry to Wonderland, Space and other nights check website for details on this! www.junkclub.com