ØYA.
Small dance floor. Stories of its own.
Owner Marc on adventurous sets, trusting local crews and the time a good club night needs.
Marc · Owner of ØYA
Three good nights are no guarantee of a fourth. For Marc, that is no reason to take space away from a new idea. The owner of ØYA in St. Gallen wants to let formats grow, even when they are still finding their audience. He puts the club’s capacity at 150 to 200 people: enough for a shared energy, small enough to take musical chances.
ØYA combines a café and bar with a club on Schwertgasse in St. Gallen’s old town. Marc runs its nights together with crews such as L.I.M.E. and Roilerboom. In this written interview, he discusses sound from four corners, the relationship between DJs and their audience, and his wish to give the night more time again.
A night should be allowed to surprise
For you, what defines the character of a club night at ØYA?
For me, peaceful togetherness and a shared joy in music are at the heart of a club night at ØYA. It is about celebrating together, being open to new things and allowing yourself to make musical discoveries. We deliberately want to avoid following the mainstream and instead make room for well-curated, varied and adventurous sets.
A club night should be allowed to surprise people. With our small capacity of 150 to 200 people, it is an ideal place to try precisely that.
Good ideas need time
How do you and a crew such as L.I.M.E. or Roilerboom work out what kind of night you want to create together?
The initial ideas primarily come from the soundsystems and the respective crews themselves. At ØYA, we try to cover as many musical facets as possible while leaving enough room for new ideas and concepts. It is important to us to give those projects the time they need to develop and build an audience of their own.
Not every idea works from the outset or immediately attracts a lot of people. New formats in particular often need several editions before word gets around and they find their place in the scene. Even if something works three times, unfortunately that does not mean it will work the fourth time too. But the fifth time might work again. We want to make room for and support those risks and that development.
A club night should be allowed to surprise people.
In the middle of the sound
L.I.M.E. pays a great deal of attention to the soundsystem. What matters most when it comes to sound in your room?
For us, volume is not the decisive factor; a balanced, comfortable sound is. A good balance between the high and low frequencies is important, so that the sound has impact while remaining detailed and clear.
We also make sure the room is covered as evenly as possible from all four corners. Ideally, that creates a spatial listening experience in which you feel you are in the middle of the sound, rather than simply standing in front of a single system.
Familiarity that stays open
What role do DJs who play regularly at ØYA have for your audience?
I think DJs who play with us regularly create an important connection with the audience. People want to be able to identify with the DJs and their musical signature. When you know the people behind the music and what they stand for, a certain familiarity and sense of connection develop over time.
Musical relationships develop too: the audience knows what to expect but, ideally, is still surprised again and again. Regular DJs therefore contribute substantially to ØYA’s identity and character.
Giving the night time again
What would you wish for St. Gallen’s electronic scene over the next few years?
I hope the scene stays brave, tries things out and does not allow itself to be constrained too much by existing concepts or expectations. It needs new ideas, different musical approaches and, above all, the courage to take a chance without knowing from the outset whether something will work.
At the same time, I would like to see life shift back more towards the night. Electronic music and club culture also thrive on those special moments that only emerge late on, when people take the time to immerse themselves in the music together.
ØYA
Interview by email · Editorial and image art direction: SCENE:ID. Schwarzmatt · Ladina Bischof