With Psychedelic Trance constantly growing in Brazil, it is not difficult to observe an explosion of organizers wanting to make their name on the Brazilian trance circuit, but at the same time that the number of events grows, we see a large number of crews with great potential emerging without planning that end up getting into debt and often getting into big trouble.
To help you avoid this type of situation, we will give you 11 valuable tips.
How to throw a rave: Organizing a successful rave requires meticulous planning, from choosing a venue to creating a lineup and promoting it effectively. A solid budget, skilled staff and artistic interventions are essential to creating a memorable experience for the audience.
The following material is just a suggestion. It is advisable to take some courses and seek more information before investing any money in an event. Now, let’s get to it, the first tip is not a tip, it is a reflection…
Why do you want to have a party?
Sometimes we really want to throw a party, but before you decide, consider other issues. You will invest money, time (at least 3 months), patience, a team, and you will face criticism and many unexpected events. Remember that throwing an event is a high-risk investment. If you still want to go ahead, check out the following tips.
Have money
You wouldn't believe how many people try to start a party and don't have investment capital. If you don't have money to invest and don't have an investor, don't even try to start an event. There's a 95% chance of it going wrong. Don't count on a doorman or a ticket; try to start your event with at least 70% paid and have cash in hand to deal with any unforeseen events.
Planning
In the first part of the planning, you or your Crew must decide what type of event you will hold: open air, indoor, specific to one genre or even with all of them. Define how many people you want at your party. I recommend holding small events at first to learn what to do in different situations. After that, you need to analyze the audience you want to reach.
Find the date
One of the hardest things to achieve in the Psychedelic Trance community is a date that doesn't conflict with other parties, especially in cities like São Paulo and Belo Horizonte.
Budget
This is where things start to get hot, setting a budget seems easy when you're thinking about what a party is…
But now you will realize that this is not quite the case. Set a maximum amount that the event will cost and divide it between these essential items:
- Location
- Team (Cleaning lady, Security, Doorman, Bar, Sound and Staff)
- Decoration
- Line Up (DJ's)
- Artistic interventions
- Advertising (Ideally, 1/3 of the value of your event should be invested in advertising, but each case is different)
- Logistics
- Team Feeding
- Extra Expenses (Be prepared, they will come up)
This is just a suggestion, each event requires a different type of management.
Location
At this point, we have already decided on several aspects of the event: date, budget, but what about the location? If you already have a location in mind, book it immediately. But if you don't have a location yet and no idea where to hold it, this is one of the hardest parts. Finding a location in some regions is very difficult, and when you go to rent it and say it's for an electronic music event, many doors will be closed to you. Be prepared and always check the necessary documentation for each city to hold the event. Because of these difficulties, many crews choose well-known places that, in turn, become saturated. Don't forget that going to a good party in a new place is great. When choosing a location, always try to think about access and preferably choose places that the public can get to with Waze/GoogleMaps.
Line – up
This will define the direction of your event. Today, with so many parties and so many line-ups full of attractions, what will set you apart? Remember that regardless of the number of Headlines, the sequence must have a “Story”. It’s not just about putting each DJ on at any time. When you’re making your line-up, listen to all the DJs you want to play, use and abuse psychedelic and create a logical sequence of DJs respecting their style and BPM progression.
Disclosure
Understand that it’s no use just creating an event on social media with a cool name, putting up a lineup and an entrance fee that will make your event a hit. Consider the amount of planning you’ve done to get this far (I told you it wasn’t a joke), you won’t mess up on the promotion, right? Remember: Facebook isn’t the only way to promote yourself; word of mouth is still very effective; specialized sites like Psychedelic can also be a great alternative. Remember, just like you, there will be other events looking for the same audience as yours. This is the time to sell yourself. Keep in mind that the lineup can make a difference, but it’s not everything.
Artistic interventions
Please, when you are going to hold an event, remember that TRANCE IS ART AND CULTURE. Try to include some intervention, invent one or hire one, but include it. It is cool and creates an experience. Anything can be an intervention, but the cool thing is if you can include interventions during the event, related to your theme, this will make your audience have a complete experience at your event.
During the Event
If you plan on going to your party to have fun, drink, etc., forget it. This is the day you will work the most. On this day, you need to be in good health and as sober as possible. Remember that you are responsible for everything that happens there, and you don't want any situation to get out of hand. Keeping a cool head is essential. Don't forget about feeding your employees. I recommend hiring a cook and providing food; it will be much cheaper. (Include this in your initial planning)
Post Event
Forgotten by many Crews, the post-event is essential. You must continue reporting and keeping event attendees informed. At this time, the Crew must remain calm and be prepared for all types of criticism. After all, you work with the public, and it is not easy to provide a pleasant experience for everyone. But know how to receive negative criticism with respect and positive criticism with an open heart. If you have done a campaign to help an NGO, now is the time to show that you are true to your word and keep your promise. Post videos and photos; this will give the public more confidence in the Crew, which will certainly have an impact on your next edition.
Professional Training: Event Organizer
Remember that event planning is a complex activity that requires specific knowledge and skills. To stand out and avoid problems, consider investing in training as an Event Planner. Specialized courses are available to teach you how to plan and organize all the steps and actions related to public and private events, from conception to pre-event, trans-event and post-event. This training can make all the difference in the success of your event and in building a solid career in this field.
We hope these 11 valuable tips will help you plan and execute a successful Psy Trance event. Remember that continuous review and improvement are essential to ensure the success of your venture.
We wish you every success in your journey as a Psy Trance event organizer!