Having bid an emotional farewell to their longstanding event series back in 2015, the team behind Southport Weekender has announced its return with a one-day festival on Saturday 10th June at London’s Finsbury Park. Hailed as ‘the world’s friendliest party’ and one of the UK’s most musically diverse, Southport Weekender’s London debut symbolises thirty years in the making – and offers a line-up produced with love, care and an unrivalled wealth of event experience. Dan Prince checks in with the main man, the legendary Alex Lowes…
Alex a huge welcome back to DMCWORLD. Loved looking at your adventures in Australia on Facebook, I don’t know what must have been scarier…climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge or booking the Ibiza Melon Bomb crew for your forthcoming festival in London…they are mental! How are you young man?
I’m very well thank you Dan, very refreshed and three months off the drink, which is probably about to stop…
Well there is nothing like taking people by surprise and you most certainly have with your brand new festival on June 10th in Finsbury Park. You started your beloved Weekender all those years ago with the strong ethos of always wanting to present more of the cutting edge Soul music that was around at the time, always booking boundary pushing DJs whilst staying true to your black music heritage. What is the idea behind the festival?
Thank you very much, I’m very humbled. The whole idea came at the right time being our 30th year. We’ve got some great plans, we keep cutting down the boundaries, moving forward as well as having an eye on the past. We’re going to have at least 8 arenas at the event, which is going to have that same Southport feel put into a one-day event right in the heart of London in a beautiful park.
You brought one of dance music’s finest ever events to a close two years ago due to “rising costs and expectations”. Surely artist costs have risen since then and with the amount of incredible events now on every week around the world, people’s expectations will be even higher now with you entering the ballpark again?
I totally agree with that, naturally it was a worry but a lot of the fears went away when we put the tickets on sale, in just 4 days without even announcing the venue or DJs, 6,000 people bought tickets, it took me by surprise! The Southport Weekender events have been alone for a couple of years and have been sadly missed, and the fact that festivals have become the new club for a lot of people, it’s just the right thing to do. It’s obviously going to be a lot bigger this year in terms of numbers which is very exciting. The way it’s going, it looks like it’s going to be a solid sell out, a rebirth of the Southport Weekender in a different format.
So let’s get down to it! The world’s friendliest party returning with a fucking humungous line up. Who were the first names on your wish list that you were happy tick off and why?
Well, you’ve got to say Kerri Chandler, honestly I love all forms of music and to me it’s about getting the balance of all musical genres within our field. Obviously we couldn’t get everyone we wanted as we were quite late at announcing this but very happy who we have got across the board; Rodger Sanchez, Jazzy Jeff, Onsunlade, even some of the newer guys like; Anthony Naples, Kai Alce, T Williams, Dan Shake, along with the old guards like; Tony Humphries, DJ Spen, Karizma. It’s just important we’ve got everybody on board really, and we’ve covered all forms of music even from reggae to urban even, to the Detroit boys, who’ve got an arena which is looking cool – it’s just about getting the balance.
What about the new breed, who especially excited you getting them on board?
I think we’ve just mentioned that from the likes of Dan Shake, Kai Alce. Even, Sadar Bahar, he’s been around for a while but certainly becoming very trendy. Anthony Naples, T Williams, Melon Bomb, Red Greg even for the disco side of things, it’s very exciting getting these young people on board.
One of the greatest things about dance music is it’s remarkable ability to reinvent itself, just when you think a beautiful part of our scene is lost forever, boom back it comes with new music and new talent. What are your thoughts on the music scene in 2017?
I think the music scene in 2017 is as good as it’s ever been, you’ve got great music coming out and super brands like Dekmantel in Holland who are doing a great job. When I look at the DJ line-ups and I see Tony Humphries, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Black Madonna alongside the likes of Rahaans, it just goes to show the older guys are coming back in with the younger guys. All these people we work with regularly as we have our Croatia event as well, it’s all very exciting – the music is brilliant at the moment, there are fantastic tunes out there, and the youth embracing the older generation is something we can all relate to wherever we come from.
A famous Alex Lowes quote…“with almost all new festivals I see a lack the depth of programming and musical understanding.” When you were putting your line up together for London, you must have cast your eye around your competitors to see what they are doing? Were you inspired by any promoters and their events?
Of course I get inspired by promoters, I’ve just mentioned Dekmantel. We also have our own SunceBeat which has been growing steadily every year within the cool European market as well as the British. Dimensions in Croatia, 51st State, they had a big crowd turn out for a lot of our music. It’s not about looking at them as rivals, it’s more about getting a bit of inspiration. I believe what we do is more important, and we spend a lot of time on programming and thinking it out which is important as that’s what makes an event tick, there’s no point having the wrong person in the wrong tent, each musical genre is catered in it’s own way.
What do you miss the most about your Southport Weekenders?
The meeting and greeting, it’s exciting! People you haven’t seen for years, the buzz is unbelievable seeing the ques of people waiting to come in, their smiles, cuddles, atmosphere. You can’t take away the smiles on people’s faces.
Everyone is obviously thinking a weekender is just around the corner now that you are back promoting in the UK again, care to add fuel to the fire?
I’ve thought about it, but at the moment, no comment. We’ve got 3 big events coming up from May, June and July. Liverpool Disco Festival which has really taken off, lovely young crowd and then June 10th and Suncebeat in July. Let’s get these out the way, I’d love to do another weekender if the venue was right, if it was moving forward and do it in the way we would really love to do it, with the right numbers, artists and if it’s affordable and do-able.. It’s a big year for us.
And finally. What are you most looking forward to witnessing at the Southport Weekender Festival this summer…?
Me staying sober for half an hour (haha)!! No but seriously, I’m extremely excited as it’s a massive year for us and we have a fantastic team. I just want to get this exactly right, I don’t want any queing, any problems with drinks, I just want this to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience and one to remember – something special. Come in with a smile on your face and leave with one, that’s important!
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