“There is rarely an opportunity to fully disconnect, however, clubbing can provide this.”
Second year Edinburgh DJs, Trucha and A Pavlo, set out to transform Edinburgh nightlife cornerstone, The Bongo Club, with their launch party of Totem, a phone-free student-led event. On arrival, phone cameras were covered with Totem-branded stickers provided at the door, allowing people to engage with the music without distraction or fear of being picture-perfect, a successful attempt at emulating the dance music culture from before the digital age.
Transforming the traditional layout of the club, they placed the DJ booth in the centre, level with the crowd. By shifting focus from the stage to the dancefloor, the experience felt immersive and intimate.
Surrounded by vines, warm ambient lighting and friendly faces, the new DJ booth added a welcoming environment in the otherwise intimidating main room. A welcome change, as The Bongo Club is typically used for more underground dance music cultures, including Hard Techno, epitomised by the EPiKA Techno nights, and DNB embodied by the frequent Bongo Incognito nights.
With a lineup consisting entirely of student DJs, varying house music subcultures flowed seamlessly, ranging from deep to hard house, and much more.
To get a better insight, we asked event organiser/DJ Trucha some questions about the event:
Q: What was the inspiration behind Totem?
A: A good party requires a delicate balance of many factors, such as club staff, DJ programming, and decor. Totem originated from our desire to create a party that perfectly balanced our ideas in each aspect. Essentially, we wanted to put more effort into the night than the bare minimum, with the hope of making the night stand out from other parties in Edinburgh. Crucially, it had to feel like a space where a community could form around electronic music, which was listened to and was shaped by its attendees.
Q: What do you want people to get out of Totem?
A: A key element of Totem is dancing and human connection. At our dream party, you can come alone and leave with new friends from the dance floor. There is rarely an opportunity to fully disconnect; however, clubbing can provide this.
Q: Why was it important to you that phone cameras were covered?
A: Our generation struggles to let loose and go feral. People are scared to be judged, and I believe this is a particular problem in Edinburgh. The no-phones policy signals that people can truly go wild, as there is no risk they will be recorded. This practice is commonplace in Berlin and London, and the scene benefits greatly as a result, in my opinion.
Q: Dream totem guest?
A: To name a few selectors who blow my mind each time they play: Voigtmann, Peach, Saoirse, Garrett David, Sally C, Freddy K and Ogazon.
Q: Were you happy with how the event went?
A: Yes, I am happy with how the event went. I was satisfied to see a mixture of friends and strangers all properly dancing and engaged with the music throughout different parts of the room. This is a compliment as a DJ. As time goes on, we hope word will spread that quality and thoughtful programming have returned to Edinburgh.
Q: What can we expect to see from Totem in the future, what does Totem look like a year on from now?
A: Who knows! I would love to keep expanding for as long as possible; however, quality must always come first. I imagine the event will evolve and change as new people contribute.
Q: As a student relatively new to the scene, was it hard to organise an event like this?
A: Yes, organising this event was very stressful. Trying to spread the word was definitely the hardest part. I knew the production of the event would be successful because of how much we prepared and cared about the results. But whether people actually decide to come is a different question.
Q: When can we expect to see Totem return for round 2?
A: Rumour has it that Totem is returning to the Bongo Club on Thursday, the 30th of October.
Totem was a refreshing concept to see in the Edinburgh club scene. Events such as these emphasise the need and the importance of involving student artists and organisers in the nightlife of student-dominated cities such as Edinburgh. Covering cameras at the door set an environment with music at its epicentre, striving for a nostalgic night out from before mobile phones. The Bongo Club flourished under a new and vibrant point of view, and we look forward to seeing how Totem develops at the end of October.
Photography Credits: Naomi Meyers-Tsagkouli (@kitescrashingkites on Instagram)