THE PROMOTER CHECKLIST: HOW TO THROW A GREAT PARTY

You're into dance music. You're into partying. At some point, you're going to put two and two together and do something yourself because there's nothing more fun than throwing your own rave.

But organising an on-point party isn't as easy as you might think. You're going to need to apply a little science, follow a few simple rules and rely on that little stash of good luck that you've reserved for a rainy day.
Oh, you'll also need to send your friends hourly updates so that they don't forget to help you throw down like it's next-level 1999.

Jokes aside, there are a bunch of crucial things you need to do to put on a perfect function. Everything from flyer artwork (or, should we say, Facebook banners) togetting your event listed online needs to be thought of. Trust, with the following checklist, you'll be seeing those advance ticket sales fly out in no time.

PICK A DATE THAT WORKS

Don't: throw a party on the same night as your best friend's birthday bash, do a mid-week club night if all your friends have day jobs, make your promoter debut on a Bank Holiday weekend when there's too much competition, plan an epic bender the weekend before payday.

Do: throw a party on your birthday, run a mid-week club night if you're a student and are free to eat pizza on a Thursday as a hangover cure, make your promoter debut on guaranteed big nights when all your mates will be out, plan an epic bender the night of payday.

MAKE SURE YOUR EVENT IS LISTED ONLINE

Get a listing on Eventbrite early doors to make sure people know about your party and start buying advance tickets from the word go. It's a good way of spreading the word, since you can share it with your social networks at the click of a button - then collect email addresses so you can fill your audience in about your NEXT party. You can also gauge how many people are coming and earn a bit of coin before the big night. One word: essential.

GET SOME SICK ARTWORK DONE

If you know a graphic designer or artist, hit them up and see if they want to work with you on some party artwork. If you don't, find a local artist you admire online and send them a nice email. A little cash helps in both instances too.

If you're into throwing a proper club night that enjoys a nice lifespan and earns a bit of a rep, you're going to have to enter the game with strong artistic vision. If you're throwing a party for a laugh or for an occasion, whip something funny up – this is where basic photoshop skills and access to vintage Facebook photos come in handy.

FIND A VENUE THAT PEOPLE WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE IN

Your club night needs a nice-sized dancefloor, reasonably priced bar and a capable soundsystem. Make sure the owners are good people that you want to do business with (sounds corporate but, at this stage, it pretty much is business) and double-check that all the equipment in your venue of choice is of industry standard. Go for a place that fits your vision and that your mates feel comfortable in. Want it scuzzy and dark? Get a basement. Want a little bit of class? Approach an established club that helps bring up new talent. And don't go for anything too big, either. You don't want your rave to feel totally empty if things go wrong.

If you're really ambitious, try finding a venue off the beaten track and make it your home. Or blag a warehouse or DIY space so you can wheel in your own soundsystem and all your friends can bring their own booze.

ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND FRIENDS-OF-FRIENDS TO PLAY

We're betting you know a ton of DJs. Get them on. Ask your closest allies as well as heads from other social groups. The more crews you bring together, the more people will turn up. A good party must also be a strong community hub: it's all about friends coming together and raving together. So round up your squad but reach out as well. You never know, you might send up with some new BFFs after your party goes down in history among everyone involved.

A SPECIAL GUEST ALWAYS HELPS

You could cultivate a solid club night around a core set of residents (ie. your friends) but this takes time and patience. If you're interested in booking talent because you'd rather see your favourite DJ at your own party rather than some skanky big venue, then go for it. Special guests will help bring attention and people to your night. But be careful: try to go for artists who don't normally play your town or artists who you know people are definitely hyped about seeing. And you'll have to make sure you've got the green to afford their booking fee. If you get nervous about shelling out, just remember one thing: if you book them, they will come.

GET AN AFTERPARTY DESTINATION SORTED

Your function has just gone off. Everyone's played a blinder and your crowd has danced so hard that their clothes have gone see-through with sweat. But the lights are on and the bouncers are being dicks, booting your entourage out the door into the cold, hard dawn. Where next? Avoid a lot of wavey awkwardness by having an afterparty destination locked and loaded. Take your squad back to yours where a fridge full of bevs and a decent stereo lie in wait. Perfect.