Skip to main content

PROFILE: FACT BARCELONA

One of Spain's most potent party forces

FACT is a Barcelona-based promotion run by three likely lads from very different places. A “pyramid” led by “three head witches,” jokes Andres Perez Franco aka Undrez, one of the triumvirate.

Starting during Off Week 2010 envisioned as a showcase for cool, slightly out-of-the-ordinary DJs, it's grown at an unstoppable rate thanks to the combined force of London-born, Rome-dwelling Colombian Andres, Argentina's Hernan Herrera and Tony Carreira, a Londoner from a Galician family — all residents in the Catalan capital for more than a good few years.

“We are a team of key players of the Barcelona scene, each one of us from different places, that have put our grain of rice to the current scene,” Andres tells DJ Mag. “In the past years, we have come together to put this project in its correct place again through some hard team work, going through some great, happy times but also hard and difficult ones reflecting the situation of the country.”


Among the peaks and troughs, he counts having last year's Pool Series during Off Week shut down only to come back stronger this year with three banging outdoor events, featuring the likes of Joris Voorn, Ellen Allien and Guy Gerber in the blazing sunshine. They also have parties in Sydney, London, Berlin, Madrid and NYC under their belt, but it's within their adopted hometown that their affections really lie. Even in the face of restricting licensing laws.

“When it comes to city laws, I think we [Barcelona] are penalized more than others. It's not easy to work with the conditions we get from the council or continues noise restrictions, capacity limits, license and many other obstacles that are not very pleasant to deal with. But we do our game and keep playing by the rules and let the show go on.”

A stampede that tragically killed three women during Halloween celebrations last year has found  insistent Spanish authorities increasingly towing the line on local entertainment laws, making life that little bit harder for large scale promotions such as FACT. However, that hasn't stopped them pushing forward with bigger and better projects, spreading the brand's ethos — “we don’t follow trends, we believe in good music and good artists,” confirms Andres — with events like Libidanze Houseclass on 8th/15th August with Kerri Chandler/Danny Tenaglia at Atlantida Barcelona, a massive seaside venue, previously Aura Beach Club.

With a showcase at Ushuaia for Pete Tong's Le Grand Bazaar and Flying Circus at Sankeys Ibiza also coming up, it's a FACT we'll just have to live with.

UNDREZ
GIVES US THE FACT...

What does it sound like?
“A wide range, from house to techno and everything in-between. From artists who we believe play good music and are good artists.”
 
Who goes?
“Music lovers and people from all types of cultures that are looking for a quality good night with good music.”
 
Who have you booked?
“Seth Troxler, Davide Squillace, Guy Gerber, Todd Terry, Ben Sims, Anja Schneider, Maceo Plex, Shlomi Aber, Matt Tolfrey, Audiofly, Fatboy Slim, Pan-Pot, Danny Howells, Jamie Jones, John Digweed...”
 
Proudest Fact moment?
“Our proudest and most difficult moment has to be getting shut down at our Music Pool Series events during the 'Off Week' 2012, but coming back stronger this year at a different location.”
 
What's next?
“Our residency at Atlantida Barcelona [former Aura Beach Club] and our four Fact Barcelona Showcase dates at Ushuaia with Pete Tong at Le Grand Bazaar and two dates at Sankeys with Audiofly and Flying Circus Ibiza, and much more to come worldwide.”