Next week we have the honour of teaming up with Madrid’s infamous Laster party, for one of our infamous 24hrs…before the madness ensues we sat down with the Laster team to learn a little bit more about them.
Hola y gracias por participar en esta entrevista. ¡Estamos muy emocionados por la fiesta! Can you begin by telling us about the origins of Laster and the vision that inspired its creation?
I could tell you about the origins of Laster in the professional sense, i mean, our work history, but the reality is that the origins of Laster come from meeting each other on the dance floor.
The Laster team is not a professional collective (although we really have a lot of experience in events), we are really clubbers.
The dance floor brought us all together and Laster is the club we would like to go to, with the artists we would like to listen to, with the vibe we like to generate. Good vibe. I remember how I met each of the team members: at festivals, in clubs, in bathrooms, I remember who was DJing, I remember the first trips to other countries. I remember everything.
I know perfectly well that this is the origin and what keeps it alive because every time something is “difficult” along the way, it is worth it for sharing it with each other and for how we enjoy the music.
For the UK readers, can you tell us about the scene in Madrid? What is Laster’s place in it and what makes it different?
Our scene is very old, it’s not really new, but the way we express ourselves in clubs is really new.
Actually I’m almost 30 years old, but I remember when I was 15 years old and living my first raves in the north of Spain (all the people who live in Madrid were really born somewhere else).
Before electronic music in Spain was more “decentralized” and there were festivals, events in different parts. Now it’s still happening but not with the same power. The north meant a lot for our history in terms of “electronic music”. But it was always surrounded by negative connotations, it felt less healthy. Now, our generation I think has been very involved in “regenerating” the atmosphere on the dancefloors.
It’s certainly one of the things that sets Laster apart from other projects in my opinion. We are not their mothers, but we teach them another way to express themselves in the club: without prejudice, being tolerant, respectful and above all without distractions other than living the moment that is in front of you.
Our no phone policy is not because there is something that cannot be recorded, although we really strive to make our community feel comfortable in every moment and to respect privacy. We know that not everyone in Madrid understands clubbing as we do, so we guide them by banning phones and recording so they can connect with that way of feeling the clubbing really.
How would you describe the ethos of Laster Club? And what are the values you try to translate onto every dancefloor you curate?
We are certainly very influenced by our travels to other countries, which have made us learn and advance personally.
Everything we have learned from traveling and living other clubbing realities are part of Laster now: Berlin, London, Kiev, Amsterdam.
We have learned what we like and we have understood what we don’t want.
All of that is projected in Laster.
Our community is not totally queer, I personally like to explain that it is “mixed”: we are a bunch of straight and a bunch of queer people living together in the same space without really caring about each other’s identity. It doesn’t matter to us. We don’t even think about it.
I think this is one of the things we fight for the most: the coexistence of both environments normally. The connection between both scenes making it one.
I think our message of tolerance and equality is above all else.
And about this approach: our maximum has always been to have a good time.
Laster is infamous for its wild energy, but also its very loyal community. How has that grown over the years, and how do you make sure to protect the special vibe as the party grows?
It was really amazing to see how it went from a project among friends, supported among friends, and fought among friends, to seeing how there were many other people out there who had the same goal as us: to have a good time, and who understood what we were doing.
I still can’t explain how it happened, nor at what point in three years we have become so popular, sometimes I don’t even know how to manage it myself, nor am I aware of it.
I think it’s partly because we speak the same language.
They understand us because we are like them.
We are not trying to sell them something by force and convince them that this is cool, it’s just cool, and we live it together. It’s a totally real experience between our community and the team. We are not far from them. We are part of it, and they are part of the club.
What are your rules when it comes to booking artists, how do you balance your unique sound as well as showcasing new talent?
Our programming also speaks about us and sends a message: we seek a balance between selling tickets and defending underground techno music. Simply techno. Proper techno.
We like the first times in Madrid because we like to discover talents, and we like to force relationships from the beginning and give this way another identity to the club: we don’t like to depend on big names to have a full club.
Artists like Alarico, Rene Wise, Marrøn, Blasha & Allatt, JakoJako, Yanamaste, Amoral or Quelza have grown up in the city with us and that fills us with pride. We have grown together. And our intention is to offer talented artists a space where they can develop, express themselves and grow. It is a synergy.
Madrid is very competitive. Every weekend is a festival with all possible options in different clubs. We focus on finding our sound and our artists, and not fighting for options that already work for others.
We asked the same question to the Closer crew, and we’d love to hear your perspective too. When working or collaborating with other nights and brands, what are the qualities you look for? How can you use these link ups to help shape your own identity?
I would never agree to a collaboration with someone who did not consider that something more than work unites me, even if I am of course also looking for professional qualities. But the reality of Laster is that we need to connect in a human way. Otherwise it doesn’t make sense for us.
The professional qualities for me are obvious: we have to speak the same clubbing language, and above all, have a musical vision that can fit.
We are not really interested in big projects either, I mean: we understand the limits of the underground. They are real and we move happily within those limits. We defend them too.
So far, we haven’t really collaborated with many projects, as our way of working is usually as promoters in other clubs, like for example RADION AMSTERDAM in December 2023, or now GOTEC KARLSRUHE in December 2024.
For now you are our first real collaboration, and that also speaks for our friendship 🙂
Is there one Laster party that really sticks in your mind as the perfect party? What was it that made it so good?
I can say that my favorite night at Laster was in April 2023 with Dvs1, Oscar Mulero and Roll Dann. Before that I had great memories at Laster: Laure Croft for the first time in Spain, which we ended up together crying; the first time of Dvs1 and Setaoc Mass at Laster; Stef Mendesidis at LIVE with Chlär; the first January 1st with Hector Oaks special 12h extended; Regal with the new sound system too.
But that night something happened, I can’t explain it: it was like watching a competition between friends. It was like going up a level. From then on something changed.
Another night that changed everything without a doubt was Freddy K on the first anniversary with VIL & Cravo. It was the first time I cried with happiness in the DJ booth. Alessio is another important person in Laster.
After that Kantina gave us the best memories to the team. Kantina is our most personal and risky project doing parties during the day on Sunday evenings. That Kantina with Blasha & Allatt will never be forgotten! It was the day, night and morning where we really got to know each other. An unforgettable memory.
Looking ahead,what does the future of Laster hold?
The future is celebrating our 10-year anniversary in 2025, spreading our smiles and music with the same enthusiasm we had in that November 9 years ago, which changed and marked our lives forever.
