Tour Managers Not Touring axed after backlash
Tour Managers Not Touring (TNT), a fundraising initiative intended to aid several famous DJs’ out-of-work tour managers, has been quietly pulled following a backlash on social media, where commentators criticised the artists’ apparent reluctance to put their hands in their own pockets.
TNT saw tour managers including Ian Hussey (Carl Cox), Tim ‘Dingo’ Price (Dubfire), Zak (Seth Troxler) and Gabriel Torres (the Martinez Brothers) selling a series of self-made mixes, along with collaborations with the artists with which they work, for a minimum of €5, with all funds going direct to the tour managers involved.
While apparently well intentioned, the idea apparently went down like a cup of cold sick in the dance music world, with electronic music industry figures such as Barker, Kornél Kovács, DVS1 and Maceo Plex tweeting their displeasure. “Please give your money to real charities and NOT to rich DJs and their staff,” wrote Plex.
The most widely shared criticism came courtesy of trance producer John Askew, who recorded a now-deleted video rant (rescued by Dutch DJ Cassy) asking why the likes of Cox, Troxler and Nicole Moudaber “aren’t they covering their tour managers’ costs and giving these mixes away for free, or charging money and giving that money to the medical services, the NHS [UK National Health Service] and every other country’s equivalent?”
“Please give your money to real charities and NOT to rich DJs”
“These are guys with multiple millions of pounds, euros, dollars in the bank,” he said, “and they’re asking the general public to keep their tour managers afloat?”
As spotted by Selector, the TNT Bandcamp page went dark shortly after, and the mixes are no longer available to buy.
Cox in turn criticised the backlash, writing on his Facebook page that he has “never seen anything blown so far out of proportion without context” and saying that idea came from the TMs.
“A group of the hardest-working tour managers out there wanted to get creative and have some fun by getting together and seeing who could actually DJ,” he says. “They asked me to support them, as they support us touring DJs week after week throughout the year. All of us did that without too much thought or hesitation through our social media channels and gave them a mix from one of our shows.
“There was no suggestion ever made that this was to cover ‘wages’ – that is simply ridiculous and I feel saddened that this has even been suggested.”
Cox’s comment, however, is at odds with tour manager Tim ‘Dingo’ Price (Dubfire), who on launching the project stated: “Our goal is to release some new and interesting content to help with the #StayHome initiative and also try and gain some financial support for us tour managers during this unfortunate time, as most of us, if not all, are not paid a salary – we are paid per show.”
It remains unclear whether the aforementioned DJs will now be coughing up to support their crew, as John Askew has suggested.
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Tour Managers Not Touring release collaborative albums
A group of tour managers for some of the biggest names in dance music have launched Tour Managers Not Touring (TNT), a fundraising initiative intended to support them through the coronavirus shutdown.
With the fate of the 2020 Ibiza season in the balance, TNT – which includes TMs Ian Hussey (Carl Cox), Tim ‘Dingo’ Price (Dubfire), Zak (Seth Troxler) and Gabriel Torres (the Martinez Brothers) – are selling a series of self-made mixes, along with collaborations with the artists with which they work, for a minimum of €5, with all funds going direct to the tour managers involved.
The first release, The Sofa Sessions, is available to purchase on Bandcamp now, with more planned for the weeks ahead.
“It’s an interesting concept to explore the sound of the tour managers in comparison to the sound of the DJs we work with”
“The tour managers in our scene are like one big dysfunctional family,” says Price, whose contribution is a 57-minute mix called ‘The Hour After the After Hour’. A lot of tour managers play themselves and have great musical taste. So we thought this would be a great way to come together, and an interesting concept to explore the sound of the tour managers in comparison to the sound of the DJs we work with.
“Our goal is to release some new and interesting content to help with the #StayHome initiative and also try and gain some financial support for us tour managers during this unfortunate time, as most of us, if not all, are not paid a salary – we are paid per show. This project is being done out of love of music, our scene and the people involved in it.”
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We Are Fstvl 2017 increases cap after sell-out
London dance music event We Are Fstvl has agreed an increase in capacity to 29,000 after selling out of its original ticket allocation on Monday night.
The independently promoted festival, which has taken place at the Damyns Hall aerodrome in Upminster, east London, since 2013, this year adds a 5,000-cap. campsite, expanding its non-music offering to include glamping facilities, hot tubs, a “woodland spa”, giant pillow fights and a ‘We Are Houseparty’ on the campsite each night. Musical headliners are Craig David’s TS5, Carl Cox, Dizzee Rascal and a DJ set by Basement Jaxx.
“Due to unprecedented demand for our fifth anniversary, We Are Fstvl 2017 has seen record-breaking sales and a demand for tickets like never before,” comments festival director Reece Miller.
“We are delighted to announce an extension to our licensed capacity so that more fans from around the world can experience We Are Fstvl for the very first time”
“We’ve been working hard on very detailed plans and a large amount of improvements with all local authorities and the Met police for several months, and are delighted to announce an extension to our licensed capacity so that more fans from around the world can experience We Are Fstvl for the very first time.
“I would like to place on record our sincere thanks to all those behind the scenes for making this possible for the greatest dance music fans on the planet.”
We Are Fstvl 2017 takes place from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 May.
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Space Ibiza to reopen after closure?
The soon to be closed Space Ibiza, recently voted as the world’s No.1 nightclub, could reopen in a few years at a different site.
Space resident DJ Carl Cox has said “plans are on the table” for the venue to reopen after closing its doors at the end of the summer in an interview with Ticketmaster ahead of his set at South West Four on the Bank Holiday weekend.
Founded in 1986, Space Ibiza has been a flagship venue of Ibiza’s party scene alongside DC10 and Amnesia. Cox has been DJing there for 25 years, and as a resident for almost 15.
Ushuaia Beach Hotel will take control of the site from 2017 as the contract of the club’s current owner and founder, 80-year-old Pepe Rosello, expires. Its closing party takes place on 2 October.
Cox told Ticketmaster Space could return in two years.
“Plans are on the table for it opening at another site but it won’t happen for at least two years and will it be the same? We don’t know. I don’t know whether I will be involved because there are so many variables,” he said.
“No one is going to want to let go of that club easily, because the thing is it isn’t over, it isn’t broken.”
However, Cox warned over how the increasing commercialisation of the party island will change the club scene for good.
“Space was the place that opened Ibiza and it’s going to be the place that closes it. You won’t have that anymore, some clubs will scramble to get themselves into that position but it won’t have the same heritage,” he explained.
“Pepe enabled people to be transported somewhere else. Most club managers don’t have that vision anymore. They’re like, ‘book David Guetta, put those tables there…charge this on the door, job done.
“Everyone wants to make as much money as possible now and it is a competition to do so. In the early days, it was purely to have a good time.”