In Profile: Ezup

With such an expansive selection of club nights having emerged in recent years, it can be difficult for newer events to carve out a solid reputation. Ezup is a Glasgow club night which has largely avoided this problem, now holding a monthly residency at La Cheetah and hosting a diverse range of guests from across the clubbing spectrum – from massive talents like Grammy award winning house and garage legend Todd Edwards, to emerging local artists such as Jasper James and Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, the brand is now garnering a reputation around the city for its electric atmosphere and stellar guests.

The men behind the night are Johnny Wallace and Nicky Ferrie, both 23-year-old Glasgow natives with a passion for its legendary music scene. Johnny says: “Ezup is a collective that plays underground music, specializing in house, techno, disco and funk. The idea for the night came from hosting low-key parties in people’s houses and basements. The demand to be a part of these quickly grew and we thought we should extend our reach.”

The night began at the Berkeley Suite on a packed Friday night, with residents Nicky, MArk and Devln on the decks. The success of that debut resulted in owner Fergus McVicar asking Ezup to take the reigns and bring Sunday nights back. “Fergus gave us our start, and we loved the Berkeley Suite, but the demand on a Sunday night was too volatile – it wasn’t consistent enough so we wanted to move to a weekend,” says Nicky.

The move from the Berkeley Suite to La Cheetah opened the door for a new crowd. Johnny explains: “We became more serious after we moved, and more musically educated, with the focus being more on the acts while still trying to create that carefree party atmosphere that people associated with us.” That was an atmosphere that saw a wall get ripped off during the appearance of Jimmy Edgar at La Cheetah back in April, as countless clubbers danced until they sweated through their clothes.

In May, Ezup hosted Optimo’s legendary JG Wilkes, playing back to back with the Revenge, and Nicky, MArk and Devln were recently asked by the Drygate Brewery to help them celebrate their first birthday. It seems the crew have started to extend their appeal throughout the city and are now looking forward to this month’s visit of DJ Haus, head honcho of the revered Unknown to the Unknown label.

“We're excited about DJ Haus coming up to play in La Cheetah. It’s going to be a night of upbeat techno and house, and will be similar to the Jimmy Edgar night we recently hosted. It’s going to be a big one,” says Nicky.

Their latest guest, who has a residency on London’s Rinse FM every second Friday of the month, is influenced by Chicago house music, but also the energy of UK garage, making his sets perfect for the kind of jumping atmosphere Ezup have instilled into their nights.

Guests from out of town, however, only form part of the promoters' game plan. They are also committed to getting promising local acts on their bill, with Mia Dora and many others already having played for them. “We want to back local talent and make it feel like a summer festival. We fully intend to broaden our horizons, with hopes to eventually host nights in Europe and one day establish our own record label,” says Johnny. There is certainly no lack of ambition for his brand and Ezup show no signs of slowing down, with the addition of a weekly show on Camglen Radio 107.9FM airing on Friday nights. We suspect this will be a night which will remain part of Glasgow’s vibrant scene for some time to come.

https://soundcloud.com/platform/dj-haus