Get to know: Aidan Doherty

If you’re part of London’s rave scene in any shape or form, you’ll have undoubtedly heard of Aidan Doherty. Founder of ‘Warm Up’ - the infamous series of hedonistic parties which take place in a range of exciting locations across the capital - Doherty is regarded as one of the most hardworking selectors and promoters on the close-knit electronic circuit.

With a clear-cut approach to booking DJ’s solely based on talent, not trends, Doherty has unmistakably stood out amongst the brimming market of London based promoters. Known to don a colourful attire akin to a psychedelic wizard behind the decks, his approach to fashion is reflected in his colourful DJ sets. Enticing productions are carefully selected to lure the crowd in from beginning to end, leading the dancefloor into an abyss of velvety house, fuzzy electro and rowdy techno.

Returning to Egg LDN on February 24th, Doherty joins a dreamy line up of All Day I Dream residents Matthew Dekay and Hoj for a full immersion of sonic euphoria in the intimate surroundings of Egg’s Ground Floor. Sharing some advice about working in London’s competitive underground scene to the intricacies behind his DJ sets, we caught up Doherty ahead of the show…

Tell us about the first ever rave you attended - where was it and who played?

The first rave I ever attended was in Blackpool at the club Syndicate, it was on my 18th birthday. Tall Paul was playing lol, not sure how many people remember him? The club also had a revolving dance floor which was pretty crazy. Messy…

What’s your advice for anyone looking to set up their own party in London?

Starting up your own brand or party now in London is much harder than it was. One big problem is the lack of small-scale clubs i.e. 200 to 300 capacity, with a decent licence - 5/6am close. I’d recommend you make sure you’ve done your research, find a venue that you know will work for your needs before making any other plans. Have a clear idea of what your brand represents, specifically the music genre. It’s hard to stand out in London because of the massive amount of promoters out there, so be confident about your brand and the way you promote it. Nurture your resident DJs. Be ruthless about bookings, don’t book DJs because they are your mates or on a “set for a set” kind of deal.

Only book based on pure talent and nothing else. Focus on quality, not quantity. Build a family/community that people feel excited to be a part of. Be prepared to lose money. Create as much hype as you can! My advice to anyone starting out right now, create a Facebook group for your brand instead of a page. In a few week’s time, Facebook’s algorithms will be changing so that content from brand pages won’t be seen as much on news feeds, if not at all. Facebook groups are the way forward.

Tell us the ridiculous memory you have from a Warm Up event?

Jorge Martins deciding to take the cherry picker for a ride through the dance floor mid-party, then getting suck on it while fully extended up to the ceiling! Crazy madness.

Your sound is on par with a storytelling feel with an emphasis on a beginning, middle and an ending. How do you translate this into a DJ set?

It’s about track selection. I collect lots of different styles of techno / house / electronica / progressive etc. To be able to tell the story you have to understand your music and when and where a track will work within the set. I spend a lot of time at home listening to my tunes, trying to picture in my head how they will be received in the club/ warehouse/forest…

Translating the idea of telling a story with a beginning, middle and end into a performance is only possible if you truly know your music collection inside out and know how to engage with a crowd. I truly love getting emotionally involved with the crowd when I play, if there’s no emotional connection between you and your audience then you won’t play the best set you can.

What projects have you got lined up for 2018?

I’m going to be keeping things simple and do what I know works best, continue throwing beautiful and memorable events across London, both indoors and out, whilst musically educating people through my work as a DJ. That’s it. I don’t want to over complicate my life with new projects right now. We have a really special thing going, there is no need to change anything. We will continue to grow and evolve organically and at our own pace, as and when. I’m having a lot of fun with some amazing people, life is nice.

Leave us with your tips which might help one to recover after a 12-hour rave the night before?

Panadol! The green box with the dissolvable tablets. Works a treat!

Here are 5 very deep, juicy and emotive tracks that I am enjoying at the moment.

Prove Them Wrong & Vertigo - Going Through Haze

Haze Avidus - Ruins (Marino Canal Remix)

Dapayk Solo - Daydreaming

Dachshund - Helium (Original Mix)

Fashion Victims - Jungle Bell