After a long hiatus, the much-loved electronic dance event Blow 2.0 is making its highly anticipated return to Brighton on November 2nd. We caught up with the event’s promoter, Faisal Eboe, to find out why now is the perfect time for its comeback.
You’ve been running events across the South for years. Tell us how you started and why you took a hiatus?
I began my journey in promotions and nightclub management in the West Midlands while studying at Birmingham University. It was here that I honed my passion for the underground electronic music industry. After finishing my degree, I took on the role of manager and promoter at a club in the West Midlands called ‘The Canal club’, where I booked artists such as Bonobo and Sammy Jo (Scissor Sisters). I’m deeply grateful for my time in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, but I eventually outgrew the opportunities it provided, and it felt like the right time to move on and pursue new challenges.
Brighton had always intrigued me — I’d heard so much about its vibrant scene, but didn’t feel ready to dive in. That is, until a friend dared me to make the move. I took the plunge, and got the privilege of managing the Honey Club. Back then it was at its peak and that’s where I’d say it all really started for me in this amazing city.
As for the hiatus, that wasn’t something I chose. The pandemic had a profound impact on me and my partner, who suffered a stroke at the onset of COVID. I took a few years off to support her through recovery. While it was a challenging period (for many others too), it also gave me time to reflect and see things from a different angle of the club and Events industry like from the outside looking in. Which inevitably got me thinking about how I can embrace all the things I’ve learned and experienced throughout the years and somehow showcase it all over the next few upcoming special events. No pressure then Lol.
You’re bringing the well-established and much-loved club event Blow back to Brighton. Dubbed Blow 2.0, tell us why you decided to bring this back after all these years?
Blow has a special place in my heart. I was involved from the very beginning with the founder, seeing it grow into one of the most forward-thinking electronic music events in Brighton. For 15 years, it was arguably one of the longest-running weekly parties in the city, known for pushing boundaries and staying on the cutting edge of the underground scene. It became a defining event for Brighton’s party culture some might even say cult status.
The original founder is still a close friend with a brotherly infection, and his vision inspired me to take Blow to the next level. After all this time, it feels like the right moment to bring it back, with a fresh perspective and renewed energy for what’s to come. Bringing back such parties as Blow evokes great memories to many people over the years, which was also apparent when the Zap Club had a recent reunion.
How has the clubbing scene in Brighton changed over the years? And what have been some of your highlights as a promoter?
The clubbing scene in Brighton has changed significantly, especially since COVID. The pandemic turned the city into a bit of a ghost town when it came to nightlife. Before, people would go clubbing week in and week out, but those days are largely behind us. Rising costs—whether it’s electricity, wages, alcohol, cleaning, the dozens of contractors you need to run a venue these days or simply huge rent—have made it incredibly challenging for venues to stay afloat. It’s almost miraculous that some venues are still able to operate under such continuously challenging conditions. Unfortunately, it often means that quality is decreasing, while prices are rising, and people have less disposable income to spend on going out.
That said, there’s been a rise in big one-off events, especially daytime events like “On the Beach,” where people feel they get more value for their money. These events bring in multiple high-profile artists in a single experience, and people seem to be gravitating towards that rather than traditional club nights. It seems day time raving is Where it’s gravitating to. it’s also noticeable that intimate smaller events were you can just turn up knowing that you’ll definitely bump into old and new friends of what I refer to as the ‘clubbing family’
As a promoter, one of my highlights was hosting an impromptu gig with Fatboy Slim at an intimate venue in Hove (shout out to SLD) . Another standout moment was introducing Major Lazer to Fatboy Slim backstage only a week later — one of those surreal industry moments you never forget, especially when you find common ground in something as personal as shared heritage (one of the Major Lazer members being from Trinidad, like me).
If you had a large budget, what would be your ideal event to host and where (in Brighton and abroad)?
Great question! I think every promoter dreams of having a mega budget to play with. My first instinct would be to throw an epic party on a remote island in the Caribbean but we all know how that turned out for others who had such dreams lol. —a Blow extravaganza on a grand scale. But realistically, I’d love to use a big budget to showcase the best of what Brighton has to offer. Brighton has an incredible music scene, full of talented producers, artists, and promoters. I’d love to take that to a global stage and demonstrate the powerhouse of creativity and music culture this city holds.
This was actually my vision for the Brighton Music Conference that I originally founded with John 00 Fleming, to put and showcase the amazing musical talent and creativity our small city has to offer.
There seems to be a resurgence for the old clubbers and ravers, now that their kids are older or have flown the nest. What are your thoughts on this, and is there space for the new generation to party with them?
It’s interesting to see this resurgence, but honestly, I think the idea of separating generations is beside the point, maybe even irrelevant. Whether you’re Gen Z, Gen X, or a millennial, what really matters is putting on a great event that brings people together showcasing great progressive electronic music and genres. Blow 2.0 aims to do such things as live visuals (VJ and DJ), a live percussion drummer, talented bongo players and trumpets.
There’s always more than enough space for all of us, but it’s important to welcome and embrace the younger generation, at the end of the day they are what we were.
As for any crazy stories from yesteryears. Shit, where do I even start. This is Brighton after all. Take your pick, from major power cuts to flooding, fetish parties and after parties, plus all the amazing characters and everything in between. But losing your main A-list DJ/artist minutes before they are due to go on only to remember that you accidentally locked them in the disabled toilets is pretty priceless.
For tickets go to: www.designmynight.com/brighton/pubs/beachfront/tempest/blow-2-0
_Blow 2.0 at the Tempest / 2nd Nov
