This month in Promoters Corner, Melissa from London’s Egg tells us why it’s good to own the land you club on and the importance of family … aahh!
How long have you worked at Egg? About two years
How did you get the job? I’ve worked in club promotion for about the last 8-9 years now. I started by compiling a light hearted e-newsletter every week called cheekyweasel which was very silly with internet links, funny stories and lots of sarcastic and strange waffle that I was thinking at the time. As part of that I advertised other people’s nights that I rated. From this I ended up having a massive database of readers and lots and lots of useful contacts in the industry. I then started writing reviews and running my own club nights at various venues around London off the back of this.
This was always a hobby but when it dawned on me that I’d been sacked from LITERALLY every advertising and media agency in London (where I worked fulltime daytime job as a PA) because I was skiving off or not turning up to work (or not turning up fit for work. LOL) due to me working as a promoter on the side, and being out all night. I realised it was time to try and make Club Promotion my fulltime job. I knew from experience that unless you work at a venue that is just not a profession that will pay your rent. So I worked at a smaller venue first and then was told about the position at EGG by a contact (thanks Kat!)
What have you brought to the venue? A f**k off sized mailing list..! LOL.
No I really like to think that in this industry which is definitely run by men, with men’s ideas, I’ve given a girl’s prospective on things. So I always pipe-up and stick the ladies’ two pence worth in when ideas are brought to the table on in-house nights.
I also think that other venues are quite “cold” in the way they deal with and promote to their customers online etc. I’ve tried to introduce a more light hearted way of speaking to customers so they feel part of the “EGG family” (this is supposed to be fun after all is it not?) and a pal rather than just a nameless number who pays money into the tills.
With this in mind I also created this whole “I love EGG” malarkey about two weeks into working here, which the customers really seem to like. Again, it’s all part of making them feel part of the family … and that’s what I think EGG is all about and what separates it from other clubs.
What’s it like to work for Laurence? Ha ha! It’s different! It can verge from laughter to tears in a split second, and he definitely keeps us all on toes that for sure! (understatement!) but in all honesty I wouldn’t want to ever work at another club alongside any other team that what I already do. I’m quite a creative person so all the “theme ideas” that Laurence comes up with for the in-house events, I just adore working on SO much…
My imagination gets to run absolute riot with the press releases. I mean, where else could you come into work and to try and get sponsorship from Hello Kitty, or have a meeting to discuss turning the garden into a beach with huge seven foot neon sunglasses, or spend the afternoon making glitter incrusted flamingos?
As I say I think I’d die working for another club – we are so lucky here that Laurence is so creative, open to ideas and feedback and wants to inject some fun into things. He also allows you the freedom to dip into working in other areas, not everyone’s job is set in stone so you really get to do lots of things. I can’t see I’d ever enjoy working as much at another venue – they have such strict guidelines on how things are done and that’s just not how my brain works!
At the end of the day Laurence genuinely knows what he is talking about – he’s been in this industry for so long sometimes you’re best off just shutting up and listening and learning something. He does have me in hysterics on a daily basis though – Laurence is probably one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life… but also one of the scariest …
How come Egg wasn’t demolished with the Cross etc? The joy of EGG is that the whole club was built from rubble and the owner owns the whole thing the building and the land – so it looks like we are here to stay! The Cross etc was owned by others and just leased to the Rileys so when they were told about the demolition they had no say in it. The land and building here have nothing to do with the Cross site which was down the road.
What’s working well at the venue? What’s working well is the “family vibe” I spoke about earlier. We also try not to take ourselves too seriously like most other places do in London, but I think we achieve this without being gimmicky or looking daft. We do have some very, very credible DJs who come here to play – but at the same time we are not a club full of nodding label heads. We always have a theme in the garden for each month and also for each in-house party, and I really think we are beginning to be known for this over London – the décor really is incredible. We had the garden as a full beach for the summer (with palm trees and even sand) and we are about the launch our Autumn theme in the next few weeks too – its going to be like a full log cabin, with open fire, chesterfield couches etc – so look out for that!
We also think our in-house nights are definitely working in the popularity stakes, so I think in the future we’ll be doing most nights ourselves.
Big nights coming up? 25th Oct – The launch of our Autumn themed garden and our “United Nations of House” night with Holic Vs Tilted Disco in the basement
Our Halloween Party “Hollywood Forever” (Come Dressed as your favourite Dead Movie Star!) on Fri 31st. This will be headlined by Spirit Catcher and the garden will be done up like a graveyard as it was last year with gravestones, coffins, ghouls and fog!
Magic Carpet Ride on 8th November (the garden will be decked out like a Beduin tent with sheeshas, cushions, belly dancers etc) Lewis Ryder (space Ibiza resident) is hosting the basement
Enter the Dragon – Nov 22nd with a Chinese theme. The basement will be hosted by the CR2 Album launch with Abigail Bailey & Delicious. We are also pleased to welcome Dominic Eulburg from Germany
If you could book anyone (alive or dead) who would it be? Daft Punk – no doubt about it. I’d like totally do a wee if I could book them. I’d also love Mr Scruff here too.. I just love everything about the guy – the animations, the music. He is the coolest thing since cheese was invented.
Outside of house music – Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin or the Doors would do me nicely thank you!
Melissa Cheeky Weasel October 2008
This month in Promoters Corner, Melissa from London’s Egg tells us why it’s good to own the land you club on and the importance of family … aahh!
How long have you worked at Egg?
About two years
How did you get the job?
I’ve worked in club promotion for about the last 8-9 years now. I started by compiling a light hearted e-newsletter every week called cheekyweasel which was very silly with internet links, funny stories and lots of sarcastic and strange waffle that I was thinking at the time. As part of that I advertised other people’s nights that I rated. From this I ended up having a massive database of readers and lots and lots of useful contacts in the industry. I then started writing reviews and running my own club nights at various venues around London off the back of this.
This was always a hobby but when it dawned on me that I’d been sacked from LITERALLY every advertising and media agency in London (where I worked fulltime daytime job as a PA) because I was skiving off or not turning up to work (or not turning up fit for work. LOL) due to me working as a promoter on the side, and being out all night. I realised it was time to try and make Club Promotion my fulltime job. I knew from experience that unless you work at a venue that is just not a profession that will pay your rent. So I worked at a smaller venue first and then was told about the position at EGG by a contact (thanks Kat!)
What have you brought to the venue?
A f**k off sized mailing list..! LOL.
No I really like to think that in this industry which is definitely run by men, with men’s ideas, I’ve given a girl’s prospective on things. So I always pipe-up and stick the ladies’ two pence worth in when ideas are brought to the table on in-house nights.
I also think that other venues are quite “cold” in the way they deal with and promote to their customers online etc. I’ve tried to introduce a more light hearted way of speaking to customers so they feel part of the “EGG family” (this is supposed to be fun after all is it not?) and a pal rather than just a nameless number who pays money into the tills.
With this in mind I also created this whole “I love EGG” malarkey about two weeks into working here, which the customers really seem to like. Again, it’s all part of making them feel part of the family … and that’s what I think EGG is all about and what separates it from other clubs.
What’s it like to work for Laurence?
Ha ha! It’s different! It can verge from laughter to tears in a split second, and he definitely keeps us all on toes that for sure! (understatement!) but in all honesty I wouldn’t want to ever work at another club alongside any other team that what I already do. I’m quite a creative person so all the “theme ideas” that Laurence comes up with for the in-house events, I just adore working on SO much…
My imagination gets to run absolute riot with the press releases. I mean, where else could you come into work and to try and get sponsorship from Hello Kitty, or have a meeting to discuss turning the garden into a beach with huge seven foot neon sunglasses, or spend the afternoon making glitter incrusted flamingos?
As I say I think I’d die working for another club – we are so lucky here that Laurence is so creative, open to ideas and feedback and wants to inject some fun into things. He also allows you the freedom to dip into working in other areas, not everyone’s job is set in stone so you really get to do lots of things. I can’t see I’d ever enjoy working as much at another venue – they have such strict guidelines on how things are done and that’s just not how my brain works!
At the end of the day Laurence genuinely knows what he is talking about – he’s been in this industry for so long sometimes you’re best off just shutting up and listening and learning something. He does have me in hysterics on a daily basis though – Laurence is probably one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life… but also one of the scariest …
How come Egg wasn’t demolished with the Cross etc?
The joy of EGG is that the whole club was built from rubble and the owner owns the whole thing the building and the land – so it looks like we are here to stay! The Cross etc was owned by others and just leased to the Rileys so when they were told about the demolition they had no say in it. The land and building here have nothing to do with the Cross site which was down the road.
What’s working well at the venue?
What’s working well is the “family vibe” I spoke about earlier. We also try not to take ourselves too seriously like most other places do in London, but I think we achieve this without being gimmicky or looking daft. We do have some very, very credible DJs who come here to play – but at the same time we are not a club full of nodding label heads. We always have a theme in the garden for each month and also for each in-house party, and I really think we are beginning to be known for this over London – the décor really is incredible. We had the garden as a full beach for the summer (with palm trees and even sand) and we are about the launch our Autumn theme in the next few weeks too – its going to be like a full log cabin, with open fire, chesterfield couches etc – so look out for that!
We also think our in-house nights are definitely working in the popularity stakes, so I think in the future we’ll be doing most nights ourselves.
Big nights coming up?
25th Oct – The launch of our Autumn themed garden and our “United Nations of House” night with Holic Vs Tilted Disco in the basement
Our Halloween Party “Hollywood Forever” (Come Dressed as your favourite Dead Movie Star!) on Fri 31st. This will be headlined by Spirit Catcher and the garden will be done up like a graveyard as it was last year with gravestones, coffins, ghouls and fog!
Magic Carpet Ride on 8th November (the garden will be decked out like a Beduin tent with sheeshas, cushions, belly dancers etc) Lewis Ryder (space Ibiza resident) is hosting the basement
Enter the Dragon – Nov 22nd with a Chinese theme. The basement will be hosted by the CR2 Album launch with Abigail Bailey & Delicious. We are also pleased to welcome Dominic Eulburg from Germany
If you could book anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?
Daft Punk – no doubt about it. I’d like totally do a wee if I could book them. I’d also love Mr Scruff here too.. I just love everything about the guy – the animations, the music. He is the coolest thing since cheese was invented.
Outside of house music – Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin or the Doors would do me nicely thank you!