Staff WriterFrom humble house parties’ beginnings to selling out one of Dublin’s most iconic venues, Rendezvous has made a serious impact in just two years.
The party has shaped a unique space in the city’s music scene, pushing hip-hop, R&B, afrobeats, amapiano, and house. Their second anniversary at Index was a defining moment, a full sell-out powered exclusively by local acts. From live brass to free tooth gems and fans for attendees, it is the kind of attention to detail that sets Rendezvous apart.
In an industry where promoters increasingly rely on big names to fill rooms, Rendezvous proved that community, culture, and consistency can do the same.
Viki Dos Santos sat down with Dansie, the founder behind it all, to find out what drives Rendezvous, where it’s headed, and what the journey has looked like so far.
What was the spark that led you to create Rendezvous?
After DJing in clubs for years, I started to feel like something important was missing from the party experience. It didn’t really have that same vibe or connection you’d get at house parties, and that’s what I found myself missing the most.
It started as a simple house party idea, based on the kind of parties I used to throw when I was younger. Then I started thinking, what if you could take that same energy, vibe, and music, and bring it into venues? That’s really how Rendezvous started.
Rendezvous has been selling out consistently since day one, which is incredibly impressive, especially given that the focus is on local DJs rather than big international headliners. What do you think is the bigger factor behind that success?
Honestly, I think it comes down to the community we’ve built over the past two years. From the start, people have come for the vibe we try to create at each event.
It’s a party that genuinely welcomes people from all walks of life. “Inclusive” gets overused, but in this case, it really does fit. You can show up as yourself and feel completely comfortable.
It’s meant to feel like a house party, where you never know who you’ll meet, maybe an old friend or someone new you just click with. The DJs play a big role too, but more in shaping and supporting that atmosphere rather than being the main focus.
What were, or were there any big obstacles/challenges that you had to deal with?
The biggest challenge has probably been venue costs. They’re really expensive, which makes it tough because we don’t want to price out our community, but at the same time, you still need to cover costs to make the event run. There’s also a misconception that events like this make a lot of money, but they really don’t once you factor everything in. It’s a constant balance to keep it affordable while still sustainable, and Ireland in general is getting harder for events like ours to work, and for everyone just living here, too.
With all the challenges that come with organising events in today’s world, what keeps you passionate and motivated to keep Rendezvous going?
I think it always comes down to bringing people together and creating memories. There’s a real lack of spaces that genuinely focus on giving people a great time and something they’ll remember, and that’s been the goal from the start.
We want to deliver high-quality parties that still feel as fun and special as a house party. Hopefully, we can keep raising that bar. Though it’s not always easy to make it work in certain moments, I do hope people see the effort we put into every single event we throw.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the future of Rendezvous? Where do you hope to see it go?
I hope Rendezvous gets to throw parties on a much bigger scale, maybe even a festival in Ireland one day. But just as importantly, we’d love to do more intimate events globally, because we really believe what we’ve built can connect with people anywhere in the world.
We’ve already built an amazing community in just two years, and I think that’s only going to keep growing. We’ve accomplished a lot in a short space of time, but we still feel like we’ve got a long way to go and a bigger impact to make.
Do you have any final words reflecting on this journey so far?
We’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who has ever shown support for what we do. It truly goes a very long way.
We want to create real impact and help bring back that essence of what parties have been missing, a true vibe that is inclusive to everyone.
If you’ve never been before, we’d really encourage you to come along, even just once. It genuinely feels like a different kind of party. Come as you are, keep an open mind, and enjoy the vibe around you.
