Most American ravers know little or no about the scene in the former Eastern Bloc, apart maybe from Berghain and the festivals in Croatia. Drum & bass denizens would doubtless find out about Let It Roll out of Prague and possibly that Czechia is a hub of contemporary neurofunk, however might not understand how huge the scene really is in Czechia and Slovakia. In truth, it’s fairly widespread, with the fashionable creativeness pageant, a great deal of golf equipment and a few of the hottest producers popping out of in every single place from Dresden to Russia. Beats for Love, a pageant based mostly in Ostrava, Czechia on the Polish border, appears to have been one among the most missed by North American punters whereas concurrently turning into one among the greatest festivals on the planet. It’s time mentioned punters take discover.
With pageant followers starting work on planning their summers round now, it’s an excellent time to search for Beats for Love. Conceived in 2013 by pageant director Kamil Rudolf as a option to deliver huge rave names to Central Europe for affordable costs, B4L’s tenth anniversary is ready for early July, 2024. It’s a full week-long pageant set in an previous ironworks with cool, dystopian vibes, in an city and simply accessible space and options enormous lineups, with 2023’s pageant internet hosting almost 500 artists. B4L makes certain they cowl all genres as nicely, that includes everybody from Deadmau5 and Tiësto to A.M.C and the Eatbrain League. There are additionally conference-style boards throughout the week, daytime carnival actions and a fireworks show at the finish that rivals EDC. It’s no surprise it’s now the greatest pageant in Central Europe, with almost 1 / 4 of one million guests at the 2023 fest.
With her profession born out of the burgeoning Czech and Slovak rave scenes of the late 90s and early 00s, DJ Beaty has turn into a fan favourite each in her hometown of Ostrava and all through Europe. Her high-energy home, techno and drum & bass units are often a mustn’t miss for these in the know, and she dances simply as laborious as anybody on the ground. Now engaged on her all-female occasion collection Proppa Rave with childhood bestie and Dnbwear bosslady Mila207, collaborating with membership Fabric in Ostrava on all-female occasions collection “Grls on the Decks” and working with Trident Events in Slovakia, Beaty’s additionally the boots-on-the-ground coordinator and advertising and marketing supervisor for Beats for Love. Getting to know her and her optimistic vibes can also be attending to know B4L, so with the 2024 season approaching, YEDM determined to speak with beaty and get to know them each.
How did you become involved with music?
I’ve cherished music since my childhood. I bear in mind watching Michael Jackson, Queen, Madonna, and so on. from the videotapes my father introduced residence from Germany in the 90’s. I used to be into music from the first heartbeat, I consider, however with digital music I bought into it for the first time due to my pal Mila207. Her father launched her to the first techno celebration at Fabric – Ostrava. After this expertise. We went to this membership all the time for years, and since then we by no means go to (extra pop-oriented) disco golf equipment anymore. Literally after the first celebration I knew I wished to be a DJ. I really like the connection between crowd and DJ. I began going to DJ college and practising (on vinyl at the time) and the relaxation is historical past!
For the Americans who’re simply now listening to about it, are you able to give us a bit historical past on Beats for Love?
Beats for Love is an digital dance music pageant held at the coronary heart of the Industrial National Monument in Ostrava (an precise UNESCO World Heritage Site). It’s surrounded by the ironworks surroundings of the Lower Vítkovice space, so it’s bought a really totally different vibe. This yr we are going to rejoice the tenth anniversary of the pageant and as a result of we’re so well-established now, we’ve been in a position to fill it with loads of excellent music on 15+ levels headlining by the greatest names throughout the world, to not point out a wealthy accompanying program and a great deal of different actions for 4 days. This creates a extremely distinctive ambiance stuffed with enjoyable and enjoyment!
What was the thought behind the pageant and how have you ever seen it develop or change over the years?
The unique thought was to prepare an occasion in an industrial area and the unique thought was to point out digital music to as many individuals as potential, which for us meant “a lot of music for little money,” and join followers from totally different genres in one pageant. Of course, over time, the pageant bought greater, and with that greater names are added, and with that got here a rise in costs, however we’re nonetheless one among the least expensive festivals yr in and yr out in phrases of the worth/efficiency ratio so we really feel our unique mission nonetheless stands.
How have you ever been in a position to get such enormous expertise to come back to the pageant annually?
We’re a group right here at B4L so I believe the finest individual to reply that is George Ramík, our pageant reserving supervisor:
The pageant is increasing yr by yr, not solely in phrases of manufacturing but additionally the composition of the program. Every yr we handle to guide a greater lineup and that is additionally linked with the indisputable fact that the pageant desires to develop. In order for the pageant to be higher, we have to put extra sources into the line-up and we try to deliver individuals a greater program yearly.
I believe the purpose why huge headliners like to come back again to us and wish to play right here is the distinctive atmosphere of the previous manufacturing unit, which isn’t discovered anyplace else in the world. The predominant purpose, in my opinion, is due to our artist care. We go above and past with high-quality artist care and first-class services for the entire week. Agents and managers go to our pageant to see what Beats for Love is all about and they obtained first-class service too, which they enormously respect. I additionally assume it’s our curated picture. Our pageant has a face and we preserve {our relationships} robust. Artists and their brokers already know us from the communication earlier than the pageant and these are the similar individuals they may meet at the venue. We should not only a firm, however a group and a household. The similar individuals have been working collectively on this pageant for a very long time, so the artists know precisely who they’re and they know they’ll all the time rely on us to care for them and current a fantastic pageant.
For you personally, how does the pageant tie in with your individual music profession?
For me this occasion is all the time the spotlight of the yr, not solely as a result of I work on it the entire yr however it’s one among the greatest crowds I get to play to. It additionally helps that it’s in my hood, I get to satisfy all my DJ, producer and trade buddies in one place and I don’t even should journey! I really feel so completely satisfied to be concerned with one among the most vital rave occasions of the yr.
Where would you wish to see the pageant go in the future?*
*I requested our head of promoting, Matyas Ozana, to weigh in on this one:
Our objective is to be at the degree of such giants as Tomorrowland or Glastonbury, that are identified throughout the world. In the meantime, the most vital factor for us is that the pageant nonetheless has so many nice and glad followers, as a result of it’s not potential with out them and primarily we’re doing it for them!
How has it been making an attempt to handle the pageant in addition to doing your individual gigs?
I´m working for Beats for Love as a advertising and marketing supervisor so throughout the week I’m going to work usually and throughout the weekends I’m doing reveals. Sometimes it’s difficult to be at “work” all the time, however when it’s your ardour and you’re keen on what you do, it simply doesn’t really feel like you’re at work.
What is your favourite a part of touring and taking part in so many gigs?
I really like to go to new locations and meet new individuals. I’m doing one or two gigs throughout the week so it’s fairly tiring typically with the distances to venues are very lengthy. After a weekend stuffed with gigs I’m actually drained however as I mentioned, I really like what I achieve this it additionally provides me loads of vitality.
What’s your objective as a musician?
At the second it’s to proceed what I’m doing and attempt to do my finest as a DJ. My objective this yr is to take my DJ abilities to the subsequent degree, which is able to brighten up my efficiency so primarily I’m specializing in DJing proper now. Also I want to begin my very own manufacturing however at the second I’m totally busy with my household, job and initiatives so at the second I’ve bought a reasonably full plate.
Any upcoming initiatives for you or teasers for subsequent yr’s B4L?
This yr Beats for Love will rejoice our tenth anniversary, so the preparations are in full swing. We have so many upgrades to the totally different areas and visuals to make sure the very best music expertise for our #peopleoflove! Last yr at the pageant we began with the new challenge “Talking Beats” which is a convention and a gathering of the organizational group with the individuals from the music enterprise sphere, which was a fantastic success. This yr we want to enhance it, lengthen it to extra days, invite fascinating visitors once more and talk about subjects associated to digital music, psychological well being and different fascinating subjects which are linked to music and the pageant in basic.
There are masses extra Beaty units accessible on her YouTube channel. Click right here to be taught extra about the 2024 Beats for Love fest, updates on the lineup and tickets, that are already on sale.
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