City celebrates diverse music
MABONENG PRECINCT - Sub_Urban State has become one of the most anticipated events of the year in Joburg.
The idea was borne out of a desire to host a daytime event in the heart of the city where people could be exposed to a diverse range of music. The event was organised by Alex Wright, Andrew Clements, Anikesh Ramani and Ciaran Mckivergan who all contributed a wide range of marketing, and bar skills, to the party.
“We wanted to celebrate this wonderful city, the people who live here and all the cultures Johannesburg brings together. The rooftop presented itself to us in the initial planning phases and we have never looked back,” said Mckivergan.
Mckivergan said they currently “back the party out of their own pockets”; their focus is more about creating a comfortable atmosphere rather than cutting corners to “make an extra buck”.
“We have had sponsors in the past, but were very selective of the brands that would merge with the ideology of the party. Sometimes brands can be more disruptive than productive and move the event away from its core idea. But for now, it is just us sponsoring,” explained Mckivergan.
Sub_Urban State focuses on a variety of music tastes. “There is so much good music here [in Johannesburg] and so many completely different types of people dotted around; we have an underlying commonality that we tend to not always embrace.”
“We wanted to allow the magnificence of the city to manifest itself into a harmonious meeting place and melting pot… We often live in our bubbles and do not celebrate the city often enough, so we wanted to lend a hand at changing that,” added Mckivergan
The team has received positive feedback. They are on their fifth event and have grown from strength to strength. According to Mckivergan, they are always overwhelmed with the turnout and positive energy at the events, and they have to come up with new plans to accommodate the demand.
Details: suburbanstate@dontparty.co.za
