This week’s Londoner is Dan Spinney, Party Programmer at The Mothership Group and co-founder of one of our FAVE pizza shops, Yard Sale in Clapton. A man of many talents indeed…
Where do you live in London and why?
I’m currently in Homerton but not for long as we will be in need of a second bedroom for my newborn son. I seemed to have moved every year for one reason or another. I love south London but I need to be near the shop and have been in Hackney for a good few years now so we’ll be staying east… If a little further out, But let’s not go into that!
You’re clearly a man of many talents – tell us more about what you do and how you fit it all in?
I guess I am a ‘do’er’… always hustling! Party promoter turned venue programmer, I have a interest in social spaces how they work and how music changes this. I’m gravitating more towards creative direction and design and I’m working on a great project in Brighton at the moment with Mothership Group. Patterns, formally Audio relaunches in May and will be doing some exciting things. Aside from my day job, I have a general interest in dining out (who doesn’t?!) and always wanted to be involved in a food start up I could call my own. It just so happened that two friends shared the same passion and Yard Sale Pizza launched last May. Blood sweat and beers saw us tearing up a fried chicken/kebab shop on Lower Clapton Road with a secret launch performance from The Pizza Underground featuring Macaulay Culkin which was fun! I help out in the shop once a week as well as running the social media in my spare time. It doesn’t feel like work which helps the friendly relaxed environment that we try to create. Fitting it all in around home life is a careful juggling act!
Being a DJ and club promoter fit together very nicely but how did Yard Sale Pizza come about?
I get over excited about growing ideas and collaborating with people. My friends Johnnie and Nick had longstanding dreams and a business plan in the making for a stone baked pizza delivery business which I pitched some ideas for and help set up some pop up events to trial out their wares on willing guinea pigs! I ended up slotting in as their business partner and marketing guy.
Aside from your own places, where do you like to eat and party?
My pal Fumio runs a Okonomiyaki restaurant called Sho Foo Doh at Pacific Social Club which I love. He also happens to run a great party called Comadisco which has been built from the extended friendship group of resident DJs, Fumio and Marco featuring interesting special guests and it’s never lost it’s vibe. My partying is winding down a little and I have to be more selective. But I will add that parties like World Unknown and The Loft with theLucky Cloud Sound System changed my naive outlook on clubbing and have instilled benchmarks which I tend to reference with regards to atmosphere and sound quality.
Finally, what would your perfect day in London be?
It would have to start with a Dishoom bacon naan and chai for breakfast with my girlfriend which we would walk off along Regents Canal. I love visiting the Barbican for a good exhibition or just to walk around the architecture and conservatory which has amazing sense of place… Alternatively we would go for a wholesome National Trust visit (check: Erno Goldfingers house ‘2 Willow Road’ or Fenton House, both in Hampstead). Yes, we have membership, everyone should! We just worry we will have ticked off the list before we get old! My afternoon would ideally be filled with friends, food and drinks… The Kenton Arms, a slap-up Hawksmoor meal and then to The Gun on Well Street would do me just fine! I would probably need a nap in there too somewhere.
Sounds like a pretty nice day to us! Wanna check out Dan’s two places of work then hit up the websites: www.yardsalepizza.com, www.mothershipgroup.com