Postcard and Festivals from Edinburgh – The Skinny

As Edinburgh collectively anticipates the return of the Festival, night owls across the city are waiting for their 5am license amidst new faces on the dancefloor. Ready to show visitors what a Cowgate night is all about are John Irvine, aka ji_2000, and Peter Smith, aka Smiff, the duo behind Postal – Sneaky Pete’s Sunday club night.

This August marks three years since the duo first established themselves in the Edinburgh music scene, which was marked by Scotland’s post-pandemic reopening of clubs. “My first gig was the second day the clubs opened, for Midnight Bass,” Irvine recalls, “when COVID ended,[I]had so many songs[and]nothing but time to practice.” Smiff’s experience was similar, landing a gig with Headset a few weeks later. “I’m so glad I had that window… I got into the niche I was interested in,” he says, “when they reopened the buzz was crazy.”

Postal founder McKinley Breau-Taylor staged the night’s earliest incarnations during these uncharted times. “It was different,” Irvine recalls of attending an early Postal, “people[were]sitting around, drinking margaritas and eating pizza.” A natural rapport was found between the duo behind the decks, “[Breau-Taylor]was always booking us to do b2bs, so we were playing together all the time,” Irvine says. “John plays a lot of grime and old-school stuff,” Smiff adds, “I play percussion stuff, Latin drums, and it brings up this interesting Venn diagram that people seem to like.”

The two were respectively promoted to resident, before taking the helm as Postal organisers just over a year ago. Smiff describes his music policy as “play anything… It’s no bullshit,” he explains, “we’re in an age where it’s all about drawing lively crowds (or) getting the big moments on social media… while people don’t care on a Sunday, you just come to have a good time.”

That said, Postal has had its fair share of heavyweights and sold-out nights. The likes of Yung Singh, Friends’ Ross, and Neffa-T have graced the booth. Irvine experienced a full-circle moment when Postal booked jungle superstar Sherelle last February. “My first time seeing Sherelle was at SWG3,” Irvine recalls of the artist’s high-energy set at the Boiler Room in late 2019. “[She]was one of my favorite DJs when I first started hanging out.”

While attracting big acts is great for Postcard’s reputation (and brings in some fresh faces for its sessions), its priorities remain firmly local. As Irvine puts it, “We can give local DJs a chance to support a big[artist]… It validates those who play local sets all the time.” That ethos extends to newcomers to Edinburgh’s tight-knit scene. “We give people their first sets,” says Irvine, “It’s good for the DJs who come to play at Sneaky’s, it’s got an amazing sound and setup.” Smiff agrees, “The ones who come in are a reluctant crowd sometimes… the way to develop is by playing to those people and finding out what makes them want to come and buy a pint.”

So, with the Festival set to turn the city on its axis once again, how does Postal feel about the upcoming Fringe? “It’s great!” Smiff observes. “The city is transformed.” Irvine echoes this sentiment: “Not every city has something like this, stop complaining about it!” Their attitude is refreshing amid a sea of ​​dissent from locals already irritated by crowded sidewalks and cruise ship tourists. For Irvine, it’s simple, “People make the clubs fun… and people coming from all over the world makes it more interesting!”

Relaxed club hours are an added benefit, with extended licenses until 5am throughout the month. This gives Postal the chance to experiment with its night’s lineup. “You can let people play longer sets or stack a lineup,” explains Smiff, “[extended sets are]a completely different way of playing… it’s less pressure, you can accept the fact that crowds have peaks and valleys.” Irvine comments: “Everyone goes out to smoke at the same time, so twice as many come back!”

The August rush provides an opportunity for Postcard to make its mark on visitors. “People from London start talking about Sneaky’s when they come back,” says Smiff. The pair were in for a surprise after Irvine stumbled upon a tourist’s TikTok last year. The video’s creator’s club recommendation? “Sundays in August at Sneaks!” Irvine exclaims, “I was like, ‘That’s me!’”

As much as the pair love sharing their Postcard nights with everyone who comes to Edinburgh for the summer, their aim remains the same year-round. “[To give]people a chance to gamble and support the locals,” concludes Irvine. And what about the punters? “It’s for the hospitality, it’s for the young people,” says Smiff, “[they’re]just a bunch of pissed-off people in kilts.”

In that case, you can count on us there.