From a Bank Holiday club event at Fire to a massive outdoor festival in Victoria Park, As One is all grown-up now! QX caught up with two of the brains behind the clubbing beast, Mark Williams and Verity Mayes, to find out more about the big day that you won’t want to miss at the end of May…
There’s like a million guest DJs flying in. Who are your personal highlights?
Mark: I can’t wait for Roger Sanchez, he is the icing on the cake for the Best of British Arena alongside the fantastic Boy George with his new look and the best of the bunch from across the UK, that arena is going to rock.
Verity: For me it’s truly exciting to be bringing the biggest ever DJ and brand line ups of their kind in London for both the Circuit and Girls Arenas, but on the day I will be running from arena to arena as the entertainment on offer is the best from each tribe of London.
What main stage acts are you looking forward to most on the day?
Verity: Katy B! I have seen her play before and she rocked it. Otherwise my guilty pleasure is Rylan hosting, and we also have some very special main stage hosts that we can’t announce yet!
Mark: Holly Johnson, it’s the first time he has performed a live gig on this scale in the UK in a long time, he is a true legend, when he sings “Relax” the crowd are going to go crazy. And of course Rita Ora is going to be amazing, with her 3 number one tracks to date, she is definitely the new queen of pop!
What added extras are there? (Fun fair, etc)
Verity: Not just a music festival or a club event, there are so many other things to enjoy, from fun fairs and the Old Compton Street Market, to the Ku Bar Garden, Sink The Pink hosting a trannies-gone-wild sports day and much much more…
Mark: One of the Highlights for me is going to be Walt’s Madame JoJo’s cabaret village green. He reliably informs me that there are going to be some “Very” special surprises on the day! He’s not even telling us about it though its so top secret. He’s put so much effort into it!
What have been the biggest challenges in putting on an event of that scale?
Verity: Although incredibly rewarding to be creating a London event to join the ranks of international Circuit parties alongside Barcelona and Mykonos, the work involved in pulling together so many brands has not exactly been light! Work hard play hard is our way of life.
What about the after parties? What plans have you got to carry the night on into Monday?
Mark: It wouldn’t be an Orange Nation event if we didn’t have an after party, so you can bet we will be continuing right through to Monday Afternoon. Stand by for an announcement on how we are going to take AS ONE into the DARK!
• As One in the Park is at Victoria Park (Tower Hamlets, Hackney, E9) on Bank Holiday Sunday May 26th. Midday – 10.30pm. Tickets £40 (£35 concs).
