JD Twitch and JG Wilkes have a thing or two to share about putting on a great party. The partners-in-rave started the club night Optimo at Glasgow’s Sub Club way back in 1997 – and to say it’s still going strong is an understatement. With ever-more-inventive line-ups of bands and DJs passing through, Optimo is as good a reason as any to plan a trip to Scotland.

The duo now tours under the Optimo banner, bringing its outlandish energy and anything-goes attitude to clubs the world over. This month, JD and JG return to the familiar territory of Australia for another round of unhinged fun. Before getting on the plane, JG Wilkes answered some email questions for inthemix.

Optimo recently reached a 12-year milestone. Was the celebration worthy of the occasion?
Oh, aye. The birthday is one of the biggest parties of the year. People come down early that night, have some champers on us, some birthday cake and we play a load of biggies from over the years.

Reading about your Optimo Turbo Rave at Sub Club makes a faraway-fan rather jealous. How did the “doubled” sound system go?
Actually, we tripled it in the end. We figured if it’s worth doing, it’s worth over-doing. It was so much fun that party and people freaked out! Maybe we’ll do it again next year…

Am I right in thinking the two of you sometimes tour separately? Is it easier to truly represent Optimo when you’re playing together?
Well, we always tour Australia and Japan together but in USA we tour separately. In Europe we occasionally go solo – especially if it’s a special but smaller club we really want to play but perhaps they can only afford one fee. As ‘Optimo’ is our club, our residency and we play there together every week, that’s where a lot of ideas form, so probably it is easier to truly represent this together.

I see from the website that things aren’t slowing down at the club. What have been some recent highlights?
At the club, local bands Divorce and Ultimate Thrush. Gyratory System played a few weeks ago and were probably my favourite live act we’ve hosted this year. Of course The Turbo Rave was so much fun and a really intense atmosphere. On the road, we had a great party in Paris in January for the Beats in Space 10th Birthday with Tim Sweeney and Superpitcher. Last week we played this great club called Trouw in Amsterdam.

After 12 years, does the club still represent what it did for you when the doors opened?
Absolutely. We have an opportunity on a weekly basis to try and communicate what we’re about, by the music we play and the bands we host. That’s something we’re very proud of.

Is it sometimes difficult to transplant that particular Optimo energy to other clubs around the world?
Sometimes it is; as people simply won’t get what it is we do. But we always try one hundred percent to entertain.

Your Dog Days Are Over remix was a real treat; do you still get a thrill out of messing about with strong vocal tracks?
Thanks! Absolutely. I only really like to remix songs and usually turn down instrumental remixes.

You’re no strangers to Australia. How have the various visits compared?
This will be the third time. Both times have been immense and each time we’ve seen a little more of the country and fallen a little more in love with it.

Provided the atmosphere of a gig is good, is there a particular amount of time playing you feel you need to truly represent Optimo?
If the atmosphere is good and the people are up for it, ideally we would play the whole night from the doors opening to the lights going on.

You are playing a late-night set at Golden Plains, which is a festival deep in the Victorian bush with a near-mythical reputation. You can be sure the crowd will be ready to party. Do you get many opportunities to play in the great outdoors?
Not as much as we’d like to. We’d love to put on our own outdoor events here in Scotland but the weather is too unreliable. Most summers we get to play quite a few festivals but Golden Plains is the best.

Optimo tour dates:

Friday 5 March – Sugar, Adelaide
Saturday 6 March – Haha Warehouse Party, Sydney
Sunday 7 March – Golden Plains Festival, Meredith
Friday 12 March – Sorry Grandma, Melbourne
Saturday 13 March – Republic, Perth