A music line-up that never falters and a level of exclusivity that is uncommon in Malta have turned Blank into one of the most talked-about music brands. Ramona Depares catches up with Franco Vella, the man behind the hype.

Mention Blank on the partying circuit and, chances are, you’ll get one of two opposing reactions. An excited squeal, enquiring about the next event and semi-panicky because tickets might already have run out. Or else, a confused look, wanting to know what on earth you’re on about, and “Blank, what?”

Because Blank events, much to the annoyance of those who are left looking like lemons at the door, are as exclusive as they are different. The last one I went to, my departure was punctuated by two such ‘lemons’ trying to convince me to sell them my used entry band.

The Blank formula appears to be simple: get a venue with a certain amount of character, include a good mix of local and international names on the line-up (house tends to be the preferred genre) and keep the crowd clean. Simple as it is, it is certainly working, so I try to figure out the source of the hype by catching up with the man who actually came up with the concept. The man is Franco Vella, and he turns out to be almost as elusive as tickets to his own events.

So, why Blank? It turns out the events are actually named after Vella’s dog, a totally adorable boxer that actually attends all the event preps while seducing all the Facebook followers with her soulful eyes. Which is all very well and good, but what I want to know is the secret behind this exclusive wave of events. After all, we all know exactly how impossible it is to keep anything truly ‘exclusive’ in Malta.

Vella laughs and attributes this success to what he refers to as the “different approach” he has to partying.

“When I was young, I used to save all my money so I could party in Amsterdam – the city where clubbing and festivals are so competitive that it takes much more than just a line-up to stand out. It goes down to innovation in every aspect of the event to create a multi-dimensional experience to those attending. People are educated in digital music events, it is almost a culture. In Malta, some tend to see a dance event or festival as just a place to get wasted and – eventually – start to have fun. We’re talking a totally different formula here; you go out to have fun and enjoy the music from the get-go,” he says.

The prevailing mentality is that over-30s have no place at parties

Fashioning his own events on these parties that shaped his youth, Vella adds that, for him, it was more important to build a community of loyal Blank followers who knew what to expect, rather than to sell the name across the board.

“A successful event is a package, an experience that people will remember with nostalgia afterwards. To achieve this, the details make all the difference. Everything is custom-designed, down to the tokens, and we recycle all thrash to create decorations for the following event.”

The green angle is important to Vella; right now he is coordinating a system whereby he encourages Blank followers to clean up sections of Malta, rewarding them with complimentary tickets.

An intimate ambiance is key.

I turn the topic back to the issue of venues – a thorny one for many promoters. Interesting venues, there are aplenty, but few of them come with the appropriate acoustics/parking/chilling out area/late night permits and so forth. How does Vella solve this problem?

“Rather than the obvious clubs, I always try to use the quirkier locations. This is true both of the small, intimate events and the bigger ones,” he says.

As an example, he mentions the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, where he orga­nised a very small event on a rooftop for those who wanted to be part of the fun, without being quite in the thick of it. Tickets ran out almost before the event was quietly announced.

And the strategy works even with the massive events, like the springtime A Blank Day. The first edition, which was held two years ago, launched Tal-Virtù palace, in Rabat, as a full-blown venue. The space had never been used to such extent before and has now become synonymous with the public holiday partying.

“Tal-Virtù was a bit of an experiment. Again, I got the idea from overseas. You get outdoor venues used to amazing effect even in countries where it rains pretty constantly. Yet Malta, with its 300 days of sunshine a year, seemed to lack the equivalent, apart from some boat parties and open-air clubs used during the summer months. Abroad, come rain or shine, such venues are used. So I tried the experiment with Tal-Virtù, and it worked. People want this sort of thing,” he continues.

Of course, it’s not just about the venue and the exclusivity – the music remains at the heart of it all. Vella tells me that Blank events are sold out sometimes even before the headliners are announced. This is the extent of the faith in the brand.

“People know what to expect and they trust us. And this is what I wanted to build. It’s all about the social aspect, which is why we focus on house music. The crowd starts out chilled, chatting, and then gradually people start moving to the dance floor. The age-group tends to be in the older bracket, 30-plus, and this too makes a difference.”

The prevailing mentality, Vella adds, is that over-30s have no place at parties – he believes this may be partly due to the fact that parties tend to have a bad name. But he also believes that this attitude is slowly changing.

“In Malta, authorities still make a distinction between mainstream concerts and events and parties. Abroad it is different. You are not treated like a criminal just because you want to organise an event and get music producers and DJs to perform.

What’s the next step for Blank? The answer is “growth”, Vella tells me. Having already been received very well in Amsterdam, plans are afoot to continue introducing the brand abroad, with London being the next destination. The idea is to have an ‘exchange’ of event-goers, with people then coming over to Malta for the equivalent events.

People enjoy themselves because they don’t feel like they’re just a number. They are part of a community.

“For me, it’s a good mix to add to the Blank crowd. Mind you, I wouldn’t like to lose the intimacy of our events, so I will need to find a balance. People enjoy themselves because they don’t feel like they’re just a number. They are part of something, a community.

“It’s really not just about the looks. It’s also about the energy and the good vibes,” he concludes with a smile.

A Blank Day takes place on April 30 between 2.00 and 11.00pm, location to be announced.

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