Location. Location. Location! Whoever said this first knew what they were talking about. I've learned two things about locations, either you need an area easy to get to, or if it's not then the space you find better be amazing! Make that A-MAZING! If you are not in such a good area of town, find a locale that has lots of private parking. Don't make your partygoers face the mean streets of your city and fear that their car may be broken into at any minute. A warehouse with a parking lot is a great idea. Or lately, in downtown LA, some promoters have been organizing shuttle services from parking structures to their locations.

Our party was located in Marina Del Rey. The space used to be a store and storage space of some sort. The owners made a deal with the parking lot across the street. No one had to search for parking and everyone was close to the event.

The fact that we chose an area that was just dying for a party also gave us an added edge. Many of LA�s underground events take place downtown. For anyone living on the Westside of town, this is quite a drive. So we chose a place where the desire existed. We even went up against another party downtown but because we gave the locals what they were looking for, the West Siders stayed on the West Side instead of making the trek.

Theme. There�s something about a themed event that just makes a party skyrocket into infamy! Maybe it sends people back to their days as kids running around on Halloween night or maybe it makes it easier for people to talk to each other because they are in some sort of costume.

A theme can work on many levels. First off, you can ask people to wear costumes or set your ticket prices lower for people in costumes. Everyone gets to showcase his or her creativity. Secondly, a theme doesn't necessarily mean you have to make people dress up. It may just offer vision.

Taking the time to decorate and create a landscape for your party is really what separates it from the usual club. Sure, clubs have go-go dancers and visuals. But imagine, if you are dancing in a black light jungle or underneath glowing snowflakes, what an experience that could be. Think of your party as an all-encompassing adventure. Let your crowd feel as though they've left the everyday world of their lives and traveled into another dimension. These are the things people remember!

We called our party Janus, after the roman god of beginnings and endings. Every email we sent came complete with a story behind the meaning of our party. Start the journey early. Get people excited! We had $200 budgeted for decor. We hit downtown LA�s wholesale stores. Find the wholesalers nearest you to get the best deals and not break the bank. We found 6 Roman statues for $33 in total. We also bought fabric at $1 a yard and PVC pipe to create giant roman pillars that doubled as projection screens. We came in under budget and the owners of the location said it was the best decorations they'd had.

Budget. Once you've found a location, find out what the owners want. Try to deal with people that you get a good vibe from. Trust your instincts. Many places will want to have a tryout phase. They may want to take the entire bar or door just to make sure they don�t lose money. This is understandable, but don't be afraid to renegotiate before your next party!

I always like to keep ticket prices low. I try to create something different from the regular night out on the town, which can be pricey. Your budget should be based on the size and price of the space, the cost of your DJs, and extraneous costs like decorations, projections etc. If this is your first party, try to make sure you aren't spending more than you are willing to lose. Once you build your reputation and start moving on to bigger spaces, people will naturally understand increased ticket prices, though you may always want to stay under the price of a mainstream club.

We budgeted ourselves at $1000. We had to give the location the entire bar proceeds as well as half the door. We broke even exactly. All DJs were paid.
Everyone was reimbursed for decorations. Next party, we will take the whole door since we "proved� ourselves.

Crowd. Our location owners also commented on how we brought in the nicest, best energetic crowd they'd ever had. Take some time and think about where you are going to promote and how you are going to promote. I am all for bringing new people to my party but I personally like to promote through friends and clubs I know. It gives me a sense of ease. You don't want people who will disrespect the space. In the end, you are the one who will pay for vandalism and theft by way of reputation.

MUSIC. I saved the best for last! Music should be the central focus of your event. I have a few rules when it comes to music at my events :

1. The line-up should be cohesive even if we are showcasing all genres of music. I ask myself these questions : �What are my goals? To showcase all types of music? To showcase a particular genre? Well-known artists? Give the new guys a chance? Which genre will lead best into the next? Are we killing the energy right in the middle of the party with the lineup?�

2. Always try to get one DJ, performer with more of a following, and then try to pull in other artists from different groups. The more out reach, the more people you pull in. We focused on house, but all genres of house. We started with some tech house, moved into the funky stuff and then went tribal. The build felt natural and the energy continued to rise as the night progressed. The crowd responded by dancing all night!

These are a few simple things to think about while organizing and promoting your events. I always keep them in mind and they have kept me on track time after time. Most of all, be creative. Set yourself apart from your old run-of-the-mill club. Give people something different to remember.

That's what has always helped this Diva along!