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Better Days: Partying with a Purpose | LOUD Bristol Issue Four

Posted on: 21 Apr 2022

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This article was first published in the fourth issue of LOUD Bristol, 365Bristol's dedicated music magazine. Read LOUD Bristol Issue Four and browse our first three editions here.

Better Days

 

Bristol-based DJs and Better Days founders Anil & Manami catch up with LOUD to discuss the importance of authenticity, being independent and the next steps for their increasingly popular club series  

 

What makes a great party? Is it the soundsystem? The DJs? The energy of the crowd on the dancefloor? For Bristol-based DJs Anil and Manami, it’s all of the above and much more. Those nights where everything seems to just fall into place are often the ones you remember most fondly, and that’s exactly what the duo are striving for with their music project, Better Days.

 

Still in its relative infancy having launched in 2019, Better Days is back on the scene in Bristol after 18 months of successive lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions. The nights promise stellar selections, high energy and welcoming spaces, combining exciting emerging artists with established DJs at some of the city’s best-loved venues. “We just try and host the best parties we possibly can,” Anil says, “making sure they’re accessible for everyone, making sure the lineups are diverse, we want to put on nights on our terms.”

 

“From the get-go we wanted to maintain a level of authenticity as well,” Manami adds. “Better Days comes from this deep and really genuine passion for putting on parties and hosting great artists, ranging from up-and-coming artists that excite us to our favourite established acts.”

 

The Better Days musical policy is one of open-mindedness, with a loose focus on the house/techno sphere. Past headliners include Darwin, Sassy J and, most recently, Call Super, but Anil is keen to stress that he and Manami are open to anything that catches their attention. “We just love music,” he says, “and we want that to translate into the nights - it's not about one particular genre or style."

 

“Being independent and having agency in what we wanna do is a huge part of our DNA with the project. We’re lucky enough to be on the same wavelength when it comes to music”

- Anil

 

Forced to put Better Days on hold during the pandemic, the pair had to abandon plans for their third event when lockdown restrictions were introduced in March 2020. Off the back of a strong launch in 2019, however, the pair say they were able to use that imposed hiatus to consider their approach and come back with a fresh perspective when nightlife returned.

 

“The pandemic definitely gave us time to think about why we’re doing this and where we actually want to take things. Before we were kind of just throwing parties whereas now we’ve had that time to reflect and really focus on the quality,” Anil explains. Having previously played at festivals such as Love Saves The Day and We Out Here in the summer, Better Days returned to the club setting in October 2021 with a party at Strange Brew, a major highlight for Anil and Manami.

 

“That one was our best yet, we love Strange Brew,” Manami says. “It makes it tough to look at other venues when you’re like ‘this club is just so good!’ Everything you go to is great because the quality is always really high. We’re lucky that Leigh [Dennis, Strange Brew co-founder] and the rest of the lovely SB gang have kind of taken us under their wing since they opened up.”

 

Both active members of the Bristol music scene – Manami as an increasingly in-demand DJ and Anil as a Bookings Assistant with Team Love – the Better Days founders enjoy good relationships with DJs, venues and promoters across the city and beyond. A focus on being independent as well as nurturing community is a key component of their parties. 

 

“Being independent and having agency in what we wanna do is a huge part of our DNA with the project. We’re lucky enough to be on the same wavelength when it comes to music. There is no magic formula, we just put on what we rate and wanna see” Anil says. “In addition to that, I think that sense of togetherness – as well as the sound - is really what makes the nights tick.

 

“We’re usually friends with the artists we book, which keeps things organic, and we’re always bouncing ideas around with people because we’re always looking to improve the nights, to learn and grow more.”

Better Days’ most recent party saw internationally-renowned DJ and producer Call Super take over Strange Brew’s atmospheric back room in March. Photos: Marco Bardusco-Brazier 

 

The community vibe and emphasis on positivity feed into the Better Days ethos of ‘partying with a purpose’, which hinges on a conscious effort to maintain a level of diversity both behind the decks and on the dancefloor, and ensure attendees always feel safe and have an amazing experience. Both Manami and Anil have taken steps to maintain an equitable balance at their parties, and hope that they’re creating an environment that reflects their own outlook on nightlife. “Any way we can use this kind of entity in a positive way to do the right thing, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Anil explains.

 

“We’re always trying to figure out how to make Better Days more accessible to more and more people who wouldn’t usually have the privilege to do so,” Manami adds, “and just create a space where as many people can enjoy the shared dance floor experience in a comfortable and empowering way. It comes back to that point about authenticity – everyone’s just there to have a dance and have a great time. Everybody has that right and we want everyone to feel they can exercise that to the full in a safe environment.”

 

As we approach the first ‘real’ summer season since 2019, what should be Better Days’ third birthday feels more like its first. There’s a move to London on the horizon for Manami as she enters an exciting new stage of her blossoming DJ career, and Anil is set for another busy few months with Team Love, but there’s no danger of the parties falling by the wayside. 

 

“It’s only really gonna grow and evolve. London is a great next step for us I think, and there are a lot of smaller independent venues popping up at the moment across both cities,” Manami says. “We’re definitely still in the early days of what Better Days is, expect more from us!”

 

Catch Manami and Anil flying the Better Days flag this summer at Love International Festival and We Out Here Festival, and follow updates on Instagram at @betterdaysbristol.

 

Head to Issuu to read LOUD Bristol Issue Four in full, featuring a selection of interviews with some of the city's best-loved artists, venues, labels and more.

 

Main Image: Tiffany Sefuke

 

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Read more:

 

• LOUD Bristol Issue Four | The Kids are Alright: How Bristol music is making space for the next generation of creatives

 

• LOUD Bristol Issue Four | Interview: Grove

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