Murrin & Gill
DJs | Promoters
Fandango parties stood out for multiple reasons. Before KAKE was bought out by the Estrel Hotel this summer, Fandango took place once a month in the DIY-style venue and acted as a blank canvas for promoters to bring their ideas to life. KAKE itself resembled a pre-fab within an office block, but there was something special about the stripped-back space; it allowed promoters to do whatever they liked to the room, subsequently creating their own trademark vibe and community.
Co-founders of Fandango Dave Murrin and Mark Gill aka Murrin & Gill made KAKE their own. The fluorescent pink Fandango logo was always lit behind the booth, remaining visible above the tightly packed crowd and smoke-heavy haze. Tropical plants surrounded the booth, creating a holiday feel in what was essentially an industrial estate in Neukölln.
Then there was the vibrant, richly coloured artwork that jumped out against other flyers pasted on the concrete walls of Berlin. Warm tones of blue, bubblegum pink and fiery oranges and yellows appeared on a bunch of the posters, each of which displayed naked bodies, moons and nature, all set against a paradisal backdrop. Even if you didn’t like Italo disco (the predominant soundtrack of Fandango), the artwork would draw you into attending the party anyway.
Dave and Mark have watched Fandango evolve and grow over the last few years, and in these weird times, they’re more than eager to curate the next chapter and bring their community together at the soonest possible point. Like most promoters in 2020, the lack of events has created a void in their lives, something which they’re waiting to fill again when time allows.
The duo’s memory below comes from an early morning in KAKE, a scene which Dave and Mark knew all too well since the start of the series in 2018. They also share their intentions for future Fandango parties, current life in Berlin and more…
Photo: Fandango Archive
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it? What was the music vibe at the time?
This photo captures a beautiful moment sometime after midday, where we shared a lengthy sweaty sunrise set in KAKE with ourselves and fellow resident Peter. In this moment we are in the midst of an emotional debriefing, all of us with the same level of awe and appreciation for the experience we are sharing together.
With one of our aims when creating our Fandango collective was to provide a platform for people from different creative mediums and backgrounds to have an opportunity to showcase their talent, where without this space they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so. Although, this image is particularly special though as Peter is Dave's brother and a maestro selector - so it was a truly beautiful moment to share together. Oh and you can listen back to the recording of Peter's set on our Soundcloud. ☺️
How have you both been over the last few months and what's life like at the moment in Berlin?
Like most of us we have ups and downs during these times, and try my best to remain positive, and productive. In some ways we have appreciated the change of pace, as it has been a real chance to realign and focus on what is next for us, and for Fandango long-term. For example right now, we have been investing our time in preparing releases for an upcoming Fandango label. Which for us is an exciting step we have wanted to explore that has been sped up by the time we have available to ourselves that we have not had before. Although one must admit, nothing seems like it can fill the void felt from the lack of parties, events and festivals - that feeling of togetherness that perhaps we all took for granted for so long, we miss this a lot.
What kind of space would you both be hoping to host Fandango parties now that KAKE has been bought out by a hotel? Or are you going to look at outdoor options for Fandango?
It has always been inevitable that we would grow beyond KAKE and of course, that the venue has had its issues coupled with the Estrel Hotel takeover lingering, we knew the eventuality would be to find a new location for 2021. Although that still does not make it easier to move on, especially without a proper goodbye.
That venue really was something special and a needed space for the Berlin queer community. Our personal aim is to continue within off-location venues, which have always been the most appealing to us as promoters. Like with KAKE, that was pretty much a blank canvas that we could shape, mould and create a new atmosphere every month. When the time is right we will find a location with these similar qualities, and appeal. But those beautiful memories we created together in KAKE will live on forever.
As promoters and DJs, how do you feel about the future at this moment in time?
To comment solely from a DJ and promoter perspective, it's been hard to adjust. Being involved in events consistently for the past 10 years and to now have no events on the horizon, it has been slightly overwhelming to deal with. The lack of intensity and creativity spent when organising events, coupled with the loss of raw-energy obtained when the event came to live.
But being realistic and understanding that for the next months we have to look at how we can adapt ourselves. Perhaps this could be by branching out beyond our comfort zone and look into events that are more suited to the current times but we will see after Christmas where we are at. We know this emotional and financial loss is felt by our entire community right now, so it is important we try our best to support each other, and the venues - especially those who are most vulnerable during these times.
Who does the Fandango artwork, it's beaut! And will you be branching into more merch besides posters?
Robert Ickis Mirolo - a long time friend from back home in Dublin, we have worked with Rob for a long long time and well before Fandango. It's quite interesting to look at the evolution of our events in parallel with Rob's designs and how we have progressed together and still have the chance to work and support each other after so many years is great. We know Rob is an absolute gem for us and we can't thank him enough for his work (and countless redrafts). As you have mentioned yourself, the work he has done for Fandango is nothing short of amazing, we know this from the endless stream of compliments we receive for Rob's work on every design he creates for us.
And yes we are branching out, we have some t-shirts that we have been selling direct but we will have a website / online store to get your hands on some fresh merch real soon xx
What’s the one thing that has remained a constant source of comfort for you throughout the last few months?
I suppose the constant for us has been music. Using the spare time to create, discover, rediscover and utilise these luxury hours in life that we didn't have before. Although it's hard to think of notable constants beyond this, maybe this is driven by changing moods, regulations and seasons which have impeded consistency. But it's been enjoyable exploring previously undiscovered mediums and outlets that have come in phases over the past months.
Of course, we keep the same good and bad habits but these would not be unique to our current times.
Listen to Murrin & Gill’s latest mix on Balamii Radio here and follow them below: