2009 has been the year Arcade Creative stamped its mark on Queensland’s burgeoning scene thanks to sellout shows Sinden + Fake Blood, The Bloody Beetroots and Steve Aoki. And at the heart of Arcade Creative sits local stalwart and entrepreneur Steve Papas. Having spent some time overseas in parts of Asia during his youth, Steve took his travels as the plumb opportunity to absorb the culture of a fast paced city. Coming back to the laid back ambiance of Brisbane, Steve would take on the chance to promote Thursday nights at Monastery Nightclub. Thanks to his foresight, tenacity and brilliance, Dirty Thursdays would be the new start to the party weekend. The offered position of Monastery’s entertainment manager would soon follow, introducing Steve to the fundamentals in the industry. Four years later, and the vision of Arcade Creative has been realised as the perfect vehicle for the growing festival market while keeping that element of fun in Brisbane dance. In the leadup to Stereosonic Brisbane where Arcade Creative hosts The Outrage Grandstand featuring such big names as Ajax, The Bloody Beetroots, Crookers, Acid Jacks, and Surkin, ITM sits down with Steve Papas, to chat Dirty Thursdays, the local scene, and successfully promoting dance in the Sunshine State.

You first made a name for yourself introducing Dirty Thursdays to Queensland. Dirty Thursdays was innovative in so many ways: it started Thursdays as the start to the party weekend, introduced some incredible acts in the middle of the week and really bought dirty house and electro into the dance consciousness. Tell us how Dirty Thursdays came about and the great acts you’ve booked over the last 4 years. Have there been any particular Dirty Thursday gig that proved especially memorable?

In 2005 there wasn’t really anywhere in Queensland offering a mid week party that could rival a good Friday or Saturday night out. So I guess we thought we could make a big impact in that space and I believe we did. Dirty Thursdays began as a pretty standard student night, but once guys like Felix da Housecat come through, the whole thing changed forever. Since then we’ve had artists like Crookers, Switch, M.A.N.D.Y, Bloody Beetroots, Mr Oizo and Sander Klienenberg do the “dirty thing” – those are pretty big names for a Thursday night in Brisbane! The highlight for me would be the The Aston Shuffle show after The Black Eyed Peas concert. One minute we were drinking at the bar, then the next we had will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo, in the booth with a packed club singing boom boom pow. Yeh – that’s one I won’t soon forget.

There are so many promoters in the electronic dance music industry. What do you think makes you stand out from the crowd?

We’re definitely interested in targeting a niche market, festivals and large scale events, so in that Arcade stands out definitely. At the same time though, I think there is plenty of room in the market for everyone. Overall, if promoters and artists are doing something to keep the dance culture in Australia alive, that’s a great thing.

What do you do to keep yourself informed and ahead of the punters?

Staying on top of the trends has become much easier over the years with the introduction of social networking tools like facebook blogs and myspace, but this also means punters have much better access to the latest music too. You have to be truly passionate about the music, have a love for finding amazing new stuff, and be willing to take the time to find it! 


What do you think are the biggest dangers for promoters these days?

I think there is a tendency for promoters to see festivals and club nights as an easy way to make a quick buck. But that attitude isn’t sustainable and it means that many people don’t last very long in the industry. Great production, a focus on safety, and most importantly top quality acts – that’s what will keep you afloat in this business. You’re either in it to create a brand which people recognise and associate with quality, or you’re finished. 


What are your thoughts on Brisbane’s electronic dance scene? Where do you think we stand compared to the rest of Australia?

When you see major festivals like Parklife selling out in Brisbane faster than any other city, it becomes pretty obvious that the city is right up there. Queenslanders love to party and love summer festivals, and I think the people here are finally starting to get to see the quality acts they deserve. I remember when many great artists would only do Melbourne and Sydney. Things are definitely changing and it’s great to
see.

What Queensland acts are really exciting you at the moment?

Queensland has a huge array of talented artists but for me, it’s Danny T. He sticks to his goals and never settles for anything less. We’ve had plenty of fights about music direction in the past, but it’s only made me respect him more. He has a really solid, unique sound. When you hear him play after Cookers at Stereosonic, I am sure you will agree with me.

Clubs have been really suffering over the last few years as festivals bombard dance culture. What do you think about clubs versus festivals? Where would you like to see our dance culture evolving to?

I think punters, especially in Brisbane, have sometimes been overwhelmed with so many options. But at the end of the day without these nightclubs pushing the best new dance music on a weekly basis, I don’t think the festival scene would ever see the numbers it gets seeing today. I would love to see our dance culture create a stronger name overseas and become somewhat of a destination of its own. 
 
 


How did Arcade Creative come about and what is it all about?

My close friend and graphic designer Julia Burt and I often thought of creating a company that could accommodate the needs of major events and also incorporate a design studio and online store for artist related brands. Now we’re turned those ideas into a commercial reality with Arcade Creative, and we’re already seeing that it’s a perfect fit for many of our clients.

As a brand, what does Arcade Creative represent?

We’re all about not being too ‘serious’ a company. We entered the scene to create, or help support events where people walk away amazed. I really believe once you become too serious about it all, you loose your creativity and forget why you started in the first place. We still get the job done, but we have fun doing it.

Arcade Creative is hosting The Outrage Stage for Stereosonic Brisbane. What can the crowd expect to hear from the stage on the day itself?

With The Crookers, Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Renaissance Man, Drop the Lime, Ajax and Acid Jacks on the bill, you can expect a lot of noise and a seriously crazy day!

Arcade Creative hosts The Outrage Grandstand at Stereosonic Brisbane, featuring Ajax, The Bloody Beetroots, Acid Jacks, Surkin, Drop the Lime and The Crookers on Sunday December 6.