Article
Minas Balcıoğlu & MiniMüzikhol
credit : Muhsin Akgün
Encounter with a man who is a living history of electronic musics in Istanbul.
Even the well informed and the sophisticated perception of Istanbul, at times, verges on the Oriental: a city of whirling dervishes and hamams, the city arises as an essentially conservative hub for culture. But when you meet Minas Balcıoğlu, an energetic, self-described promoter of Turkish electronic music scene, he seems to come from a city that is no different from Berlin or Amsterdam. “İstanbul is finding its place on the map,” he says and points to how many notable enterprises had been established over the last years in the Balkans and here in Turkey.
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Balcıoğlu is a cosmopolitan figure who lists Zurich, Paris, Berlin, Oslo, New York and San Francisco among his favourite cities. A very amiable and well connected character, he has turned into a living legend for his charming and hyperactive manners through which he gives shape to many effusive parties. Balcıoğlu leads a production team called “SOAP” which had introduced high quality electronic music to Istanbul via Godet and Magma night clubs. The SOAP team would organise special parties in İstanbul’s posh locations such as Dush, Village Park and 360; the audiences would be notified by text messages and those who received the messages would be free to attend their parties. Over the last decade SOAP shifted the location and at times focus of their business over many different concepts but their followers remained loyal to their energy.
“Compared to a decade ago, İstanbul night life is much more vivid, there are tens of new different locations which play different kinds of music. Actually the quality of the music did not improve much over these years. But still, the prospects of listening to good music has increased. There are many concerts and music bands touring the country; one might well argue that the cultural scene produces more than the demand,” he says. Balcıoğlu finds his own position as a “promoter” of music to be, at times, difficult. “There are millions living in this city, but the night life, festivals and concerts still attract only tens of thousands of people,” he explains. “But still, it is now easier to listen to bands and individual names that have been known among fewer people.”
SOAP’s last location MiniMüzikhol accommodates around a few hundred guests, a rather small place with a retro look and great electronic music. Balcıoğlu works with the most interesting DJs, ensuring MiniMüzikhol’s exciting status among their rivals. Standing opposite the German Hospital in Beyoğlu’s fashionable Cihangir district, MiniMüzikhol is among the latest efforts of Turkish entrepreneurs in creating a cool hub for music that attracts İstanbul’s thriving population of twenty and thirtysomethings looking out for good electronic music and having a good time. “Beyoğlu is the centre of İstanbul’s entertainment, but now places on the periphery such as Cihangir, Tünel, Şişhane and Galata are having their share of the entertainment industry. And of course the locals don’t like the noise and the pollution.” Balcıoğlu knows a bit about complaining people for he has educated himself on the difficult art of crisis management. When someone from the nearby hospital complains about the music volume he needs to adapt to the situation immediately. And the new, arguably conservative legislation concerning drinking age and location sponsors calls for new solutions. “Happily these latest laws had been amended by the High Court and things are turned back to normal.” If implemented, the legislation would make it illegal for persons under 21 to enter parties sponsored by companies selling alcoholic drinks.
In a vibrant city that tries redefining itself, Balcıoğlu and his team strive against losing their amateur spirit. “That’s where we get our satisfaction, our pleasure,” he says. “Bringing here some less known DJs, listening to their music, organising a festival... That’s life for us.” And when I ask him about his favourite places of the city, his list is devoid of the anticipated names of historical monuments. “I like walking about Çukurcuma, Cihangir and Karaköy. As for the evenings we like preparing dinners with friends, having a nice time talking with each other in our gardens; but when we go out, what is most pleasurable for us is to find a fisherman’s crate and sail to Haliç... Once you stop its engine, you experience the greatest pleasure.” At times even this magician of İstanbul’s electronic music scene, it seems, needs a bit of silence.
article : Kaya Genç
photographies : Mushin Akgun
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