EXCLUSIVE Q&A: The Masterminds Behind Throwed
posted in: Music News
EDM has overtaken pop culture to a point where it almost seems pointless to recap its rise over the last few years. Everyone is aware electronic music is here to stay, and now more than ever there is a demand for events featuring the artists and subgenres that make this music community so vibrant. Answering that demand is THROWED, a Boston-based promotions company that has spent the last half decade making a name for themselves as New England’s largest dance party. We caught up with owners Mike Krilivsky and Eric Marcelino on the eve of their five-year anniversary to discuss their rise in the world of EDM and what advice they have for developing artists. You can read their response below.
Throwed parties have become the “must attend” events for EDM fans in New England. How did you get your started with electronic music, and how did that interest develop into the company you now run?
Eric: I started putting on electronic several years ago under the name Paper, and in within a few weeks were packing clubs on a weekly basis. I parted ways with that group because I wanted to bring my favorite bigger DJs to the city and started Throwed.
Mike: So Eric is putting on these cool events at a club called the Middle East and I had heard about them, but wasn’t into electronic music myself. I did, however, throw parties at my place for all my rocker friends that had grown to be a pretty big event. Then one day I saw that Eric had booked Daryl Palumbo (someone Krilivsky enjoys) and I quickly asked Eric how I could be more involved. He told me I should try being a promoter, which at the time I knew nothing about. He explained the role to me and I reached out to all the bands I knew, all the friends I have, and by the night of the show we had sold out the room. That was our first sold out show and it started a chain of packed gigs. We had competition in the events market, but they began to fade shortly after we started because they were doing the same thing every week while we were constantly trying new things and bringing in bigger talent.
¦And from there we never stopped. The parties grew larger, we began putting on theme events, started a clothing company (Let’s Rage), and before we knew it had expanded outside of Boston to other cities and states. As EDM began to grew there were a lot of other companies that would pop up and try to imitate us, but the rising costs of talent drove many of them out of business, and now here we are celebrating our five year anniversary with more planned for 2013 than any other year.
OurStage is dedicated to helping indie artists develop their careers, and no two people in the Northeast know more about rising the ranks of EDM like you. What advice do you have for those trying to make a name for themselves in this industry?
Eric: Above all, make sure you produce songs that are unique and original. Stay away from what is popular right now and work on the future. Also, refine your DJ skills. Practice and practice and practice until you can play for an hour without stopping and aren’t deterred when things go wrong. I’ve seen djs of all sizes get tripped up by problems with their equipment, but it’s very important to not let that happen, or at least be knowledgable enough to work your way out of the rough patch without interrupting the flow of the set.
Mike: Know your equipment. Know how it works, how to connect it to other gear, and be prepared.
Eric: It’s also important to not email promoters until you are absolutely sure you’re ready to perform live. First impressions can make or break you, and too often I’ve seen many people try to setup shows or get on stage without having the knowledge of how to actually perform for an hour straight while working with a live audience and that bad experience follows them. Make sure your first impression is a good one.
We will be featuring more discussions with Throwed about the world of EDM in the coming weeks. If you live in New England and want to learn more about their events, click here to visit their official website.