Chow Down Interview with Newsicmoos.com

Manchester night Chow Down is celebrating its first birthday. My how time flies. It's a big milestone for a club night in a time when new nights appear before being able to wallow in the loss of another. It's one of our favourite Mancunian born nights and it's down to the ease in which you're able to have a bloody good time. Vibes flow from the DJ booth to the crowd, who have packed out the intimate space of Joshua Brooks to witness some of the heaviest line-ups in the Manchester club scene. There's been Toddla T, Bok Bok, Oneman, Loefah and now JME: need I say more? We asked one of the members behind the Chow Down massif, Matthew Parton, a few questions to delve deeper behind the night, the people, the DJs and the imminent first birthday. Get to know!

newsicmoos (ns): Hello there! Tell us about whos behind Chow Down and why you guys started it? What are you visions for the future? Whats your music/vibe policy?

Matthew Parton (MP): Well there's me, Craig (Pauper), Rees (Sicklips) and Chelsey who founded and manage the night, then we have our other resident Leo (Baixo) as well as other friends who sometimes play for us, like in room 2 at the birthday event.

We initally started Chow Down because we felt we could bring something a little bit different to Manchester without charging scandalous prices. Music wise we don't have any specific policy and we try not to be too snobby because at the end of the day good music is good music. Obviously we're quite orientated towards what most people seem to be dubbing the "UK Bass/UK House" scene but our tastes are wide and varied, they include House, Techno, Grime, Funky, Dubstep and everything inbetween.

Chow Down has always been about bringing the best performers to an intimate venue so our future definitely lies at Joshua Brooks, which is personally I think, the best venue in Manchester. Booking wise however you'll just have to wait and see what we have in store.

ns: Tease! What do you think is the secret to Chow Downs success?

MP: I know it might sound boring but I think it's mainly hard work. I know most people might think you just book a DJ, people turn up and you drink yourself stupid but being a promoter is nowhere near as glamorous or fun as that. So yeah, hard work and also being smart with bookings. It's pretty simple really, no one who comes to our night is going to want to listen to Flux Pavillion so we don't book them.

ns: What three personality traits would you use to describe Chow Down as a human?

MP: Sociable - I love this word. People always use it on job application forms and in interviews when asked this question and it basically means you like a few tequilas and a bit of a party!

Ambitious - to the point where we've skinted ourselves out so many times.

and Energetic - just come down and you'll see.

ns: Youre celebrating one year in club nights bit of a tricky one but whats been your highlight so far?

MP: Ahhh there's been a few. Smoking spliffs with Loefah and him drinking cups of coffee whilst playing to 300 people was pretty surreal. Chunky turning up to do an impromptu set with Oneman. Standing on Oxford Road until 7AM drinking gin and lemon Lucozade with Joy Orbison. It's hard to pick one, maybe Loefah playing Igloo and just watching the reaction it got as people stormed the stage.

ns: Along with highlights, promoting is stressful at times! Tell us about what youve learnt in the year youve been running? What you know now that you didnt know then?

MP: Don't take anything for granted. Just because one month you have a sell out event does not mean that your next one will be the same. Also to just relax. Nothing is EVER going to go exactly how you planned/want it to so just go with it otherwise you're going to give yourself a heart attack.

ns: Wise words. Can you remember a defining moment for Chow Down that represents the brand to its core? The crowd, DJs, agents?

MP: HA! There's plenty of agents who probably don't like me so I'm not going to go into that. When we started Chow Down 'Sicko Cell' was the song that everyone wanted in their record bag so seeing Joy Orbison drop that to a sell out basement was a pretty defining moment.

ns: Whats in store for Chow Down? I see youre playing at Parklife festival! Any exclusive news or hints of whos on the next lineup?

MP: I'd probably be hung, drawn and quartered if I revealed too much so I have to be careful here. We're continuing the monthly night at Joshua Brooks and we're now permanently every 3rd Friday of the month, we've got a few one up shows coming up as well as continuing our residency at Sankeys and will hopefully be revealing more in the next few weeks.

ns: What can we expect at your first birthday party?

MP: THIS!

...and probably a bit of a schooling in Garage/Grime!

Big ups to Matthew and the Chow Down crew. You can buy tickets HERE, but be quick! Check out theirevent page too. If you're feeling it, share to your heart's content via the social links below. Brrrrap!