Beatroute Magazine BC Print Edition - September 2017

BLUEPRINT EVENTS
celebrating 20 years with rhythm and style
JEEVIN JOHAL
CLUBLAND
BPM
Alvaro Prol was 13 years old when his family
immigrated to Canada in 1990. He spent his
youth in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he
developed an affinity for the evolving South
American punk rock and heavy metal scene
of the mid eighties. It wasn’t until his move
to Vancouver, and the turn of a new decade,
that he became overwhelmed with what
was happening in the Western music world.
“I got into North American rap and house
music that was coming out of New York,
Chicago and all these places,” says Prol. “I
was just a kid going through all these things
and I [developed] a passion for [this music].”
This insatiable craving for unique sounds and
rhythms would eventually turn into a career
for Prol when, at the age of 19, he founded
Blueprint. 2017 marks the twentieth year that
Blueprint has been operating in Vancouver
as one of the city’s largest event companies.
Along with partners Bill and Chris Kerasiotis,
they’ve expanded their entrepreneurial
skills to build relationships with venues,
restaurants and liquor stores around town,
to not only help amplify their brand, but
establish a culture as well.
Prol’s hometown of Buenos Aires is an old
city that celebrates diversity in its people
and history, and the city’s nightlife has been
representative of its heterogeneous society
for decades. Vancouver on the other hand,
though similar in its multicultural heritage, is
a much younger metropolis and it took this
new wave of musical discovery in the early
nineties to really allow the city to encapsulate
a nightlife of its own. Prol’s Argentinian roots
and quest for the modern would play a huge
role in inspiring a movement in this period
under the Blueprint trademark.
“I threw my first party when I was 19 years
old, but before that I was already in the scene
quite a bit,” reminisces Prol. But the glitz
and glamour of being on stage was never
what excited Prol about becoming involved
in the music business. “I didn’t have the
passion to be a Producer, DJ, or a musician,”
confesses Prol. “I knew I wanted to be the guy
organizing it.” Today, Prol and his partners
head an office of 38 employees, but that’s
just the tip of the iceberg when discussing
how many people are actually involved in
Blueprint. Having started out investing in
clubs like Celebrities and Venue, to filling
arenas and stadiums with some of the world’s
biggest DJs and artists, and going even further
to create festivals like Fvded in the Park, it
clearly takes an army to execute these events
rhythmically; and by no means does Prol take
any cog in the elaborate Blueprint machine
for granted. “Blueprint is not just me, it’s now
hundreds of people,” praises Prol. “I’m trying
to empower these people to be successful as
much as I can.”
Yet, even though Blueprint continues to
prosper, as in any business endeavour there
are always challenges. In Vancouver, the
most predominant and obvious hardship is
that of affordability, not only to thrive as a
company, but also to survive as a human. Prol
confesses, “It’s difficult to make a profit in
live venues [when] rent and property taxes
are astronomical.” Every year venues are shut
down by expenses and gentrification, but Prol
truly believes these trends will change and
he yearns to be a part of that shift in power.
“We can’t just be a city full of beautiful
apartments and expensive homes, we need
to be a city full of culture.”
Now at 39, Prol is a family man and, even
though he might spend most of his evenings
at home being a father, rather than at a club,
his finger is still very much on the pulse of
the scene. Running a company as vast as
Blueprint has become over the past two
decades involves clockwork care, and Prol
continues to work alongside and support
his team as they continue to cultivate their
brand. However, one thing that will never
change is his dedication to the music. Prol
gushes, “I will never lose the lust to go check
out an act that I’m interested in or be a
part of some of the executions that we do.
Music is our foundation and we talk about
it everyday.” It’s very evident that ihs heart
remains at the core of what Blueprint stands
for, and in his eyes, the best is yet to come.
“Twenty years is no joke,” exclaims Prol, “but
it feels like we’re just getting started.”
Blueprint celebrates 20 years strong with guests
Diplo, Zeds Dead, Baauer and more at the
Pacific Coliseum on Saturday, October 7.
The Black Madonna
photo by AldoParedes
VANCOUVER — Variety is the spice of life, they say. With a
little bit of soul, a little bit of hip hop and house, our selection
of shows you should check out this month is proven to make
your life extra spicy.
DJ Heather
September 9 @ Open Studios
With over two decades of djing experience under her belt,
Chicago’s very own DJ Heather returns to Vancouver to
celebrate the 20 years since her first gig in Vancouver. Known
to infuse her DJ sets with elements of hip hop, disco, soul and
techno, DJ Heather maintains her reputation as one of original
influencers of Chicago’s house scene.
Keith Ape
September 9 @ The Vogue Theatre
Organized by Breakout Vancouver, an all ages hip hop and
R&B concerts series presented by Timbre Concerts and
CRESCENDO1, Korean rapper Keith Ape will be returning to
the city with support from a grip of local Vancouver talent.
Best known for his signature track “It G Ma,” Keith Ape pushes
the boundaries of Korean hip hop with his signature narcotic
infused delivery style.
SZA
September 14 @ The Commodore Ballroom
The first lady of Top Dawg Entertainment, SZA is an alternative
R&B singer and songwriter known by her friends as Solána
Imani Rowe. Inspired by artists like Meelah, Jamiroquai and
Ella Fitzgerald, Rowe uses minimalistic beats in her music as a
base for her soulful vocals.
The Black Madonna
September 23 @ Celebrities Underground
A talented producer and the creative director of Smart Club
in Chicago, The Black Madonna is most well known for their
uplifting house, disco and techno DJ sets played all around the
world. A true artist in every sense of the word in the current
landscape of dance music, The Black Madonna is a true and
honest work of art and culture.
Tank And The Bangas
September 29 @ The Fox Cabaret
A family man with his finger on the pulse, Alvaro Prol has been building the Blueprint brand organically for the past 20 years.
Based in New Orleans, Tank And The Bangas is a funk, sound
and R&B band lead by the sweet and soulful Tarriona Ball,
also known as Tank. Based around Ball’s powerful words and
the band’s undeniable synergy, the group takes on themes
of rhythmic soul, spoken word, rock, gospel, funk and folk to
create a sound that’s truly all on their own.
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