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Echo Boat Party rules for almost 12 years Reported by Agnes Klos / Submitted 24-08-10 06:58 Echo Boat Party is a more than just another party on a boat. Without any formal advertisement the party has existed and thrived on the market for almost 12 years. Looking at today’s economy it is impressive to know that the Echo tickets sell out completely weeks in advance, the record stands at nearly 7 weeks in advance. Agnes Klos put on her sailor outfit and went out cruising again. The first Echo parties took place in the spring and summer of 1999. They were successful but didn’t make any real money. Initially started off as the brainchild of four friends, today Echo is promoted only by one person, Dominic Richardson. I had a chance to chat to Dominic and ask him how the story of Echo evolved over years. “In those early days we launched at a club called Ormonds which, sadly, is now gone. The parties there were fantastic fun and the doormen were a breed apart. Real gentlemen. One of the great advantages that most boat parties have over clubs is the lack of need for doorstaff. They simply aren’t required when you’ve got the right bunch of people together. Trouble is the last thing on anyone’s mind at Echo. “The primary motivation was to provide something different for our regulars. At the time we started doing boat parties there were very few out there and just being a boat party meant you were in a niche in the market. Now, there are so many that you really have to understand what it is that your customers want and produce an event that they’ll love time after time. “When I started promoting the scene was just starting to be dominated by huge brands and smaller events tended to come and go rapidly. Now the clubbing marketplace is more diverse and a lot of the big clubs have closed. In this environment it’s easier for a medium sized event like Echo able to rise to the top in its own niche and be judged on its own merits.” When I came down to Embankment on 24th July a strong crowd was already building by Golden Jubilee river-boat. With DJs bashing out a breathtaking blend of house, electro, breaks, tech, trance and progressive, there was really no need to be anywhere else. Each level of the boat had its own unique style. Whereas downstairs had a more intimate feel to it, upstairs boasted a sizeable terrace where you could admire views of the river Thames while soaking in the sun. The division between two levels had its own advantages such as a greater diversity in music but unfortunately caused people to spread more easily between two decks. As the weather was pleasant the majority of the clubbers stayed outside during the afternoon chatting and drinking, being drawn to the dancefloor only in the late evening. When the sun began disappearing over the horizon, the twilights of the city worked its own magic on music hungry punters. In that very moment the feeling of a real rave on the upper deck, with arms shooting in the air, gave me goose bumps on my skin. The ideology of Echo is based on top notch music described by Dominic as ‘a unifying force; the appreciation of it is something that is built into all of us on some level’. However the path leading to such an outstanding Echo reputation has not been all covered with roses as Dominic admitted to me. “It was more of the tough grind of year on year accumulation of success. One good party, after another, after another. True word of mouth promotion takes time.” The main method of promotion is Echo’s mailing list and this has been built up over the entire 16 years that Dominic has been running NASA Promotions. Obviously in recent years Echo has made extensive use of social networking sites and other online resources to maximise the reach of his parties. These social networking sites are one of the main reasons there is so much diversity and niche promotion now because they enable to reach like-minded people so much more easily. Echo’s greatest success has occurred in the last 5 years. It is due to the hard work of Dominic but also it would not have happened if not for the help of his business partner Heather, who brings her own unique set of skills to the promotion. Dominic never underestimates what Heather brings to the table and together the pair of them create an unbeatable team. The atmosphere at Echo reminded me of a vibe that you get when you are partying with friends in your mate’s house. Very laid back, welcoming and then euphoric. Boat parties are an entirely different experience to club nights. You get the opportunity to feel the sun on your face, watch the sights of London drift by while the sun dips over the skyline and sets from a fantastic vantage point on the Thames. Above all, being on a boat for six hours means that you are bound to meet new people and have an amazing time. In fact, over the last 11½ years three couples who met at Echo have got married. It is a rare occurrence on the nightclub scene. “The kind of people who come to Echo are the kind of people who are completely unmoved by the usual hype and hyperbole that accompanies most club promotion and like to choose where they go on the basis of where the genuinely think they’ll have a good time. These are the kind of people that make a good club great and we’re lucky to have so many of them at Echo party after party,” said Dominic. Echo DJs are booked in such a fashion that each one naturally fits into place after the preceding one to create a smooth transition from one style of music to the next. Mixing skilful residents with a couple of talented new DJs for each event is the perfect receipe for a rocking party. The line-up is always fresh as the residents typically only play no more than three times in a year. This musical policy has been central to Echo’s success and is something that has been a part of the event from day one. Things started getting off to a cheery start when Adam Fairbrother took over the decks with his deep and funky house set. Heather O! moved the entire dancefloor with the classic tune ‘I need a miracle’ by Fragma. Clubbers shouting at the top of their voices, united in a perfect harmony made the boat vibrate repeating: “I need a miracle, I need a miracle, it's more than physical what I need to feel from you”. Cameron built up the grove track by track and whenever I went downstairs the dancefloor was always buzzing. Duncan Mills playing B2B with Mark Landragin displayed the power of a perfect duo and kept us dancing until the late evening. Fergus McKee & A.F.D.J played a stand out closing set, jam-packed with tech house tunes and proper quality electro. Whereas the party on the upper deck was kicked off by Stingrae who heated up the atmosphere nicely at the beginning. Then Rob Hatton, DJ Blues and Fisha, each allocated one hour gave us sets worth remembering. They presented a wide range of tunes from house, tech to progressive. Dom Richardson carried on the mood playing an amazing uplifting trance set, followed by a wicked finishing set by Audiophile. When the spine trembling tune ‘Silence’ by Delerium hit the dancefloor everyone went into frenzy. A stunning end to a wicked party. Good club promotion is about providing an environment in which those who come can feel free to enjoy themselves without all the pressures the World exerts on us. Dominic’s words perfectly sum up what Echo is all about. If you are the kind of clubber who wants a great night out with some really special people, someone who loves music and is looking for something truly unique, Echo Boat Party is definitely for you. Echo boat parties take place about every 6 weeks from April through till October. The next party is on Saturday 11th September, with the final Halloween-themed party on Saturday October 30th. Watch out for Echo’s 12th birthday party in the spring next year, it might be an ass-kicking club-based event, not to be missed. You can find lots of info for their events at: www.myspace.com/echoclub www.nasapromotions.co.uk www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3138850634&ref= Photos courtesy of Agnes Klos and Simon Wong. Not to be reproduced without permission. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By Agnes Klos: Back2Basics - 10 Years of Party Productions & Tomorrowland Stage Hosts Atmosphere Records - The opening of IBIZA 1936 Entering the world of Waldfrieden in Germany with DJoanna Piracy is not a crime – sail away with Feestgedruis! Progressive flavours with DJ R'Deem ahead of Neelix party The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments: From: Darz on 28th Aug 2010 13:57.56 DJ'd at one of these back in 2004, was a great party! From: Mark Landragin on 1st Sep 2010 22:59.17 Was really interesting to read this and find out more about this party. Even though I have now played at one of the Echo events, I didn't quite know it had such a history.

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