NEWS
EVENTS
Jason from Groovefest is definitely living the dream
House | Thursday 11th June 2015 | Annalisa
Groovefest is way more than your average festival. Held in the paradise that is the Domincan Republic, it's more like a five star dance music holiday, where the artists and attendees all party together. This year the likes of Anja Schneider, Darius Syrossian, Green Velvet, Lee Foss, MK, and Skream are all on the bill. We caught up with the festival owner Jason to hear about how this party in paradise comes together.
Introduce yourself briefly.
Hey I’m Jason the owner of Groovefest.
What was the inspiration for Groovefest?
I have been promoting mostly in the UK for over 10 years now and have noticed so many changes with the different scenes, which at times became slightly dull. After visiting the Dominican Republic for the first time and in particular the Lifestyles resort it was an absolute no brainer. It’s amazing how creative you become in a new fresh amazing environment.
Would you say you are living the dream?
I am very privileged to be working in such a beautiful country. The strapline for the Dominican Republic is “Dominican Republic has it all” and that really is the case. So yes I do feel at times as if I am in a dream.
What is the most magical part of it?
I guess there are so many elements but I have made some amazing new friends throughout the world as I have built up my contacts of affiliates, promoters etc. This event is an international event attracting people from all over the world and so I am speaking to some amazing people in different regions.
What should we expect from the festival this year?
We have a whole heap of surprises in store for this year. As we continue to build our relationship with the resort we are working on some fantastic unique spaces to be used for the various showcases.
How would you describe the festival in three words?
Party in paradise!
In your opinion what sets Groovefest apart from other festivals?
The all-inclusive offering is the biggest USP, but I like to think our artist roster is pretty different too, with some of the old skool legends that we book with the new up-and-coming artists, such as Norman Jay on the same bill as Anja Schneider. I love my music and don’t have a particular favourite genre and so I like to hear a range of music, which I think there is a demand for nowadays. It’s also pretty special that the artists are staying in the same resort and therefore on the beaches with guests chilling out, eating at the same restaurants and enjoying some of the after parties, or so I’ve heard!
What acts are you looking forward to seeing most this year?
Wow, where do I begin with this one? There are so many artists on the line-up this year that I am really looking forward to seeing. I guess I am excited to see some of the new faces perform in this environment because it’s such a contrast to some of the gigs they usually play.
We understand Groovefest will be one of the last places to see Kenny Glasgow and Jonny White perform together as Art Department. You must be excited to see what they bring to the table?
Those guys have been smashing it for such a long time and although a lot of people don’t want to see them split, I guess it’s a great new challenge for the both of them. We are really lucky that they are still performing as Art Department because I think it will be a pretty epic set.
What has been the biggest challenge for you to overcome in the last few years?
I think the time differences used to be a bit of challenge to get used to and the language barriers can also hold things up at times. Generally speaking so many people have been receptive to this type of offering, including the resort who have been fully supportive, which definitely helps massively.
You describe Groovefest as "a throwback to a bygone era where everyone is part of the experience". What makes it feel like this for you?
I think the main element is that everyone is VIP - artists and attendees are all in the same areas on the beach and restaurants etc. It’s amazing the amount of friendships that are formed off the back of the event.
You’ve said before that you want to build the festival in way that keeps it very intimate and exclusive. How are you planning on keeping the family vibe as you grow?
It really is the way that we market the event and making sure that our core customer base is of that nature because the vibe spreads. We have a good following of amazing people who know how to enjoy themselves and spread good vibes, which gets filtered through to the new people attending. I also think the international mix of people really helps create the family vibe.
What’s your highlight from Groovefest to date?
There have been a few but I think Dennis Ferrer, Andre Hommen and The Martinez Brothers in the first year was definitely a highlight for me. The only thing I can say, which won’t make too much sense unless you were there, is ‘’Tequila Tequila’’. We had a lot of fun!
What has been the most memorable set for you so far?
One that really stands out for me is Osunlade's set last year which brought a whole new energy. He killed it that night and his sound is so unique.
What’s your biggest dream for the festival?
The biggest dream of the festival is to be selling out the whole resort and booking even more talent for the different stages we can create.
What advice would you give anyone who wants to create their own festival?
You have to be really dedicated and prepared to keep fighting through the times when you think your a mad man for taking on such a project. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions which is all part of the challenge.
A few fun ones to finish. If you could fill a swimming pool with anything, what would it be?
All of my friends. I have a great group of mates and I would love them to go everywhere with me because we have so much fun together.
If you could take only three tunes to a desert island what would they be?
Bob Marley - 'Sun is Shining', Raze - 'Break 4 Love', and Cardigans - 'Erase Rewind'.
What’s the first record you bought?
The first record I bought was "Hammer Time" back when the running man was cool!
Head to the Groovefest website for the full line-up and tickets.
