The first and most important thing to say about Minimal Effort All Hallow’s Eve is this:
Don’t believe everything you read.
When there are problems with an event the news travels faster than a Formula One race car. Before the speakers turn off angry people are posting in all caps, using adjectives like “horrible” and verbs like “ruined.”
It doesn’t matter how well other aspects of the event may have gone, or if it was actually the fault of LA County and the Fire Marshal.
There were a lot of really cool things about Minimal Effort All Hallow’s Eve. The sets were great, and people were really enjoying the venue.
“I like how they’re keeping the big [overhead] doors open so it’s not too hot inside,” said Ernest Johnson of Los Angeles.
“It’s a cool vibe,” said Eric Mora of Burbank.
The most impressive thing about Minimal Effort All Hallow’s Eve was the layout. The new venue wasn’t big, yet they were able to create two separate environments: the Dead Garden and Claptone’s Masquerade.
The Masquerade was a straight-up warehouse party with lights and lasers flashing and shooting all over. DJs like Amine Edge & Dance and Brodinski opted for blazing hard techno, and the crowd was loving it. Even MK who’s known for piano chords and sultry vocals filled his set with darker sounds.
The Dead Garden was a stage pulled right out of a festival. Colored lights cast an eerie glow over the dance floor as legendary vibe curators like Lee Burridge and Dusky played tunes under the stars.
These two stages were less than 30 steps from each other, but they were sonically separate. Neither stage was too crowded either so it was easy to find a good spot.
Considering it was the first time Minimal Effort (or any major electronic music promoter) held an event at this venue, this is noteworthy. The layout is one of the most consistent issues with using a venue for the first time. Veteran companies like Do Lab and Insomniac are constantly changing the layout of venues they use every year. Minimal Effort did a great job on the first pass.
Also like other events using a venue for the first time, there were other issues as well. The most notable of which were the barring of entry at 9:45 p.m. (even for ticket holders), and the event ending at 1:20 a.m. instead of 2:00 a.m..
Every ticket holder who didn’t get in deserves to be upset. A refund doesn’t replace a wasted night, but it’s essential that they know what really happened.
Minimal Effort addressed the two major issues in a recent Facebook post. According to them the city and the Fire Marshal were responsible for both. The fact is, regardless of whatever permits an event may have, the Fire Marshal can always step in. After all, if there actually was a safety issue (there wasn’t) there wouldn’t be time for bureaucracy.
The important thing to consider is that most cities don’t have the same history with electronic music as LA. The people in charge still vividly remember EDC 2011, HARD Summer, and Ghost Ship. To them, every electronic music event will end in tragedy, and they’d rather not have them in their city.
The only people who actually want events like Minimal Effort within the city of Los Angeles are the promoters like Minimal Effort and the community of people who show up. They’re keeping the scene alive.
So I am grateful to Minimal Effort for the taking the risk of putting on an event that is fun, safe, and pays tribute to the culture.
Photo Credit: Jamie Rosenberg
I’ve been there a bunch of times for really big parties.,
they should have sold a certain amount of tickets before until they sold out, and only let in a thousand people if that. I’ve been to this same spot over 10 times for undergroud parties that go until 6am + without any problems…….these promoters want big parties so they are going to get in trouble…keep it underground you 90$ ripoff artists….keep it OG
ANY GIVEN WEEKEND THERE ARE LOTS MORE PARTIES THAT ARE 20 BUCKS GO UNTIL DAWN…DONT STOP SERVING DRINKS AND ARE TRULY THERE FOR THE PEOPLE.
INCOGNITO FOR ONE THROWS PARTIES YEAR ROUND AND THEY DON’T CHARGE MUCH< DRINKING ALL NIGHT SMOKING WHEREVER – NOBODY GIVES A SHIT THEY JUST KEEP YOU FUCKED UP AND GOING ALL NIGHT – FACEBOOK THEM IF YOU WANT A REAL TECHNO OR DEEP HOUSE TIME.
Ending at 2am lol – yeah we get it you have to stop serving drinks so not going to be making anymore money – lets just send everyone home – this is why I can’t see myself ever going to their parties ever again. Too many other good things going on with the same great music minus the ridiculous prices!
Any other promoter would sell X amount of tickets online until they sold out. They could have done this and saved the party but they had to keep on selling at the door because of greed….
this venue is better used for smaller parties…no parking anywhere for that many people – should have rented out a professional venue and not tried saving money by re-using an underground one and burning the hell out of it.
There is a reason for it being shut down early and people getting turned away…over selling!
NEXT PARTY SHOULD BE A FREE PARTY FOR EVERYONE -NYE FREE EVENT – You know they make bucks off those expensive ass drinks that cost them pennies to the dollar.
Take some damn responsibility and own up to the fact you guys fucked up again. It’s never you’re fault it’s always the city right….maybe they are on to something when they tell you to do something – you knew you were going to have that place packed and still turned your pre-sale ticket buyers away for people that paid for more expensive tickets.
Excuses excuses excuses….so typical.
NICE PR PIECE.
Company fucks up > contacts their PR > PR company retains blog for “organic” support post.
Thought MEffort could maybe do better than “EDM maniac” tho. That’s not very “underground” – at all (lol).
LOL, see that wouldnt make much sense now would it! They can do wayyyy better than a small VERY non-underground blog like ours!
Our writer attended the event and is sharing his experience. That’s all is. Believe what you want ;)
Well, I apologize for jumping the shark. Certainly doesn’t make any sense to push anything of sonic value through “EDM maniac”.
Guess the real take away is that your writer is totally wet behind the ears– just like Minimal Effort
“The only people who actually want events like Minimal Effort within the city of Los Angeles are the promoters like Minimal Effort and the community of people who show up. They’re keeping the scene alive.”
As others are saying on this thread– there’s a STABLE of true heads and seasoned promoters ACTUALLY keeping the scene alive– not acting as profiteers and fucking up venues that others have operated in no problem.
douchers.
some of the best parties are not as big, and shared on the internet. that’s for sure! and you’re right, it’s too bad this happened. hopefully you get your money back and go back to what you’re into ;)
Fortunately didn’t subscribe to this debacle. Just having a laugh at it.
They aren’t “keeping the scene alive” with these parties– they’re royally fucking it up.
Thanks though :D