Hot Press caught up with Dublin DJ and Promoter Eóin Smyth aka Smythy, who rose through the ranks with Carl Cox at Space Ibiza to set up his own outfit Game Over with seasoned Ibiza promoter Dave Browning

What drew you to Ibiza initially?
When I look back on it now I just had this infatuation with the island from a very early age. I had only ever really read about it in magazines and shady documentaries but for some reason had always felt I would end up there. The fact that you could enjoy the the music you love round the clock in some of the best clubs in the world blew my head off. The beach parties, the cave raves, the fact that there were people from all walks of life with different stories to tell and such different backgrounds to my own all coming together to go absolutely bananas was like a fantasy. Once the opportunity to head over came up I jumped on a flight and got stuck in. The rest they say is history haha.

What was your role with Carl Cox at Space?
Like many before me I kicked off with Space as PR around the streets of Playa Den Bossa and Ibiza town for Coxy. A pasty young Dublin grafter scorched out of it trying to coax the outrageously good looking Spanish and Italians into Space for a bop with the king. They were the glory years. Fast forward a few years and I found myself right in the thick of it all on the management side of things. This is where I wanted to be.

An event management/operations role in Ibiza is a different beast. We did everything from promo and marketing, logistics, artist liaison and brand development right down to the nitty gritty basics of the street relationships and ticket sales. No two days were the same and that’s what I loved about it.

Tell us about Game Over?
Game Over is the birth child of our many years at Space Ibiza. As we rolled into our final season at the Space we were already building our game plan for the future. On the 21st of September 2017 Game Over made it’s mark with one of the biggest after parties the island had seen in years. What better way to ring out the old and welcome the new than a power open air daytime session with Cox, Eats Everything, Nic Fanciuli and 1000’s of smiling clubbers in an old Abandoned Zoo on the outskirts of San Antonio.

We kick things off this year with our two Game Over presents Pure Carl Cox events at Privilege on the 11th and 18th July along with six special shows at Benimussa park… All that can be said for them is If You Know You Know 😉 GAME OVER also represents Space Ibiza for international tours and has now moved into the bookings space with a growing roster of solid talent. Powerhouse to beat the band!

What advice would you give anyone trying to break through as a DJ on the island?
Get yourself out there in amongst it. Go to the parties. Be social. Bring loads of USB’s. There are 1000’s of DJ’s coming to the island every summer so you need to stand out from the pack. It’s all about not giving a bollix. Be a chancer, but make sure you have the goods to back up your chat. With that attitude you can work wonders 😉

Published in Hot Press Magazine, May 2017.