We have been big supporters and fans of EQ Produktions here in Richmond for a long time. If you are not familiar with this production company, it's headed up by Jesse Pruitt and Michael Holderfield. They have been bringing some great national acts like Sphongle, RJD2, Orchard Lounge, Conspirator, Ozric Tentacles, BONOBO, OTT, and The Magician to RVA, with support from our local scene.
EQ will be celebrating their 4th Anniversary of bringing shows to the RVA area this month. Three years ago I interviewed these guys and said, "Mike and Jesse are like me, just laid back people that like to have fun," and that still holds true to this day. I figured I should catch up with them again to talk about how the journey's been so far, and think back on some amazing parties and moments. Make sure and go celebrate their four years of local shows at The National on November 24th with Conspirator & Paper Diamond!
It's been four years since the birth of EQ Produktions--how are you feeling about that?
It's been a wild ride. It's had its ups and downs but it's a labor of love, and at the end of the day we love doing it. That's what keeps us going. That's how it feels. Money comes and goes, but seeing all of those smiles on people's faces, that just doesn't get old.
What are some really memorable moments that stick out to you guys?
Pretty Lights rings a bell. Derek has taken off. The other night at The National [November 7, 2012] he gave a shout-out to our first show way back in the day at Canal Club, and played a classic track dedicated to us. It gave me goosebumps. We've also loved developing The Former Champions, helping them go places. EQ got The Champs into Camp Bisco, a humongous electronica festival hosted by The Disco Biscuits. Recently we feel like we had the best party we've ever thrown with Orchard Lounge for their official HALL-OL-WEEN show, that was a real barn burner. Literally. The fire department came... and everyone thought they were people in costume. Our fogger malfunctioned and wouldn't turn off. It looked like a rainforest in there! It was a riot.
You have booked a lot of artists from many different scenes. What influenced you to do this?
Getting pigeonholed into one genre of music is like having one album in your collection. Michael and I both appreciate a wide variety of music, so we definitely try to spread the love. We love everything from Phish to electronica to hip-hop to reggae to hard rock to Girl Talk and everything inbetween, so we want our company to express that.
Is there a particular artist you have booked that really moved you guys or made your jaws drop? For me, RJD2 was really amazing.
Shpongle was a dream come true for me, as was the Ozric Tentacles. They were always a favorite when we were younger. Some of our favorites are the ones like Tiger & Woods, The Magician--the underground stuff that not a lot of people are familiar with. And [the people] ultimately don't come. Nothing I like more than rubbing it in people's faces when they missed out on something legendary, a private intimate experience with an amazing up-and-coming artist that is on the verge of being world famous. Jimkata is a favorite of mine that I recently discovered and have blown me away, but yeah, RJD2 was one for the record books. It was so crazy to watch that guy work four turntables at once.
I always love checking on your poster designs - they are always unique and have a very EQ vibe to them. What influences you in the creative poster design? How many do you think you have done over the years?
I work really hard to give each EQ event that specific form of branding. I want people to know what kind of party to expect even if they aren't familiar with who the artist is yet. A lot of people respond to our stuff because they know we bring great artists, they know that we know music, and having this blanketed branding stamped on all of our parties helps people give new things a try. I've definitely done between 200-300 poster designs over the years, not just for EQ but for other production companies and for artists directly. It's one of the advantages to being a VCU RAM, baby! Shout-out to Bob Kaputoff and the Kinetic Imaging Department!
I know there have been many funny moments along the way, some that we might not even be able to talk about. I need a crazy story... hit me!
Oh Man. Where do I begin? We had a crazy snowball fight one night after our 3rd Annual XMAS Party with C.I.A. [Clay Parnell from Brothers Past, Ian McGuire from Sonic Spank, and Allen Aucoin from The Disco Biscuits] at XSCAPE aka Hyperlink Cafe. Then there was the time we got the full-size trampoline onstage with Orchard Lounge at The National. Or how about the night at Canal Club when... fill in the blank! That place gets a new crazy story every night! We've done close to 200 shows as EQ Produktions, so I probably have approximately 800+ crazy stories, averaging roughly 4 crazy stories per night, so it's hard to narrow it down!
What are your feelings on RVA/Richmond City--living in it and growing with the musical scene here?
It's really an amazing place to live in and be a part of. There's such a FANtastic emphasis on art. The music scene has exploded since 2002 when I first moved here and all there was to do in this town was go see DJ Williams at Cafe Diem every Tuesday. Now that place is closed, and DJ Williams has become a member of Karl Denson's Tiny Universe! Bassnectar and Pretty Lights played Richmond on the same night, both sold-out their respective venues, and opened for each other to celebrate the occasion. Now they are teaming up to do the Hampton Coliseum together on December 28 and December 29, which we are helping to promote at the end of this year! I used to drive great distances to see live music, and go to DC or NYC or Miami or wherever I had to go to see the artists I wanted to see. Now they are in my backyard every other night of the week... and I couldn't be happier about it!
What future plans might you have in the works for EQ - anything special?
We are doing our first festival very soon. It's going to be called AUDACITY and it's going to involve a lot of the artists that have supported us over the years with a strong focus on local RVA musicians that we've watched grow with us. Our 4 Year Anniversary with CONSPIRATOR and PAPER DIAMOND at The National is going to be unforgettable. There's always something new on deck to get excited about every day at "the office"... that's why we love this job. :)
EQ Produktions 4 Year Anniversary With Conspirator And Paper Diamond: http://www.facebook.com/events/209223339209855