Florin Oslobanu, from Bucharest’s Control Club, has been dedicated to music discoveries and awesome parties for 15 years. Europavox met with this committed music lover, trying to grasp what that passion is fuelled by.
At first, he thought that this club wouldn’t go anywhere, being merely a place to hang out with his friends and listen to refreshing music, no more. But with time and much more hard work than he would take credit for, it became the most active live venue in Bucharest. Bringing back to life our ‘Best In Class’ series, let’s chat with Florin Oslobanu, Europavox’s project partner and one of the most dedicated and esteemed music professionals in Romania.
Florin is Control Club’s co-owner, overseeing programming and everything music-related for this awesome spot hosting live shows and DJ-sets almost every day, digging out the most exciting pop, hip-hop, punk or techno acts.
It doesn’t stop here: need to get some fresh air or eat something to avoid hypoglycaemia after one too much pogoing? On top of its two music rooms, Control also has a pretty open-air terrace and a restaurant.
Between two parties, Florin told us about his journey, his passion, and shared some advice for new bands.
What first attracted you to music?
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It began in stages. During my preschool years, I vividly recall how we, at kindergarten, divided ourselves into two groups of music enthusiasts: the fans of ABBA and those who favoured Boney M. I was firmly in the Boney M camp, although I can’t quite explain why now.
A few years later, I got my first Polish mono cassette player/recorder. I would record tapes from radio music shows, a common practice in the late ’70s and early ’80s in communist Romania. Around 1983, my musical world expanded significantly. My uncle from the UK sent me a Walkman along with several recorded cassettes, including a compilation entitled ‘Now That’s What I Call Music‘. It featured genres and bands I never knew existed, like Madness, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Siouxsie & the Banshees and others. That was the moment I became deeply fascinated with music and began to actively seek it out, especially since Western music wasn’t broadcast on the radio or available in stores at that time.
Of course, the real turning point came after the 1989 Revolution, when Western music finally reached our ears. I started eagerly catching up on everything I had missed over the decades, trying at the same time to stay as updated as possible with the then current music scene.
How did you get your start in the industry?
It was totally unexpected. Even if in the back of my mind the idea of having a club at some point had persisted since the early ’90s, at that moment nothing seemed to be leading to this. I was at the beginning of an IT career when a friend called me and told me he was going to open a music bar and asked for my help to get things started. Which I did. After a year he found a bigger space and that’s when I got involved in the business as well. At the very beginning, I didn’t take things so seriously, thinking that Control was most likely going to be a place where our friends gathered and listened to music not available at that moment in other clubs in the city. But the club quickly became successful, and the idea that we could bring foreign acts that we loved to the club, bands we never couldn’t foresee seeing in Bucharest, made me dedicate 100% to this activity.
What is your role at Control Club?
I oversee everything related to music, from booking and programming to strategy and communication, and I’m actively engaged in each of these areas. This means that I do more than just supervise; I personally handle many tasks myself.
What are you the proudest of in this adventure?
I’m proud that we achieved our goal of placing Bucharest on the map for club concerts featuring niche international acts. We’ve attained a level of financial stability doing this in a relatively undeveloped market. It’s also gratifying that we have some international recognition. I’m still amazed when I go to musical events abroad and find that many people in the industry, and even in the audience, know about Control.
What main challenges do you face in your job?
I could easily write a short novel about the challenges we’ve encountered, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. However, I’ll focus on the music-related ones, setting aside the business aspects. In its first 3-4 years, Control primarily catered to fans of indie, alternative rock and post-punk. But after moving to a larger space in 2012, we also became deeply involved in the electronic music scene. Control is open seven days a week, typically hosting a concert followed by electronic music parties. We feature prominent international DJs alongside local talent.
Unlike many European music venues and clubs that focus on just one side of things, we’ve strived to remain relevant in both scenes for over 15 years. Music tastes and the way newer generations engage with music, clubbing, and nightlife are changing rapidly. As a venue, we are constantly trying to balance our curatorial ambitions with what the audience genuinely wants to hear. Navigating this fine line is our main challenge at the moment.
If you could go back in time, what lessons would you tell young Florin? What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started out?
The answer to this question is the hardest. The fact that I initially relied exclusively on youthful courage and instinct, without considering market conditions and without planning things more carefully, I would now see as a mistake. But on the other hand, maybe that’s exactly what brought me to this point.
What does the future hold for you?
You can never be certain, but the frustration of being confined by the club’s relatively small capacity often leads me to think about organizing larger concerts, either outdoors or in bigger venues. I’m still waiting for the right opportunity to make this happen.
How did you come to be involved with Europavox? And, speaking personally, what does the project mean to you?
In 2019, one of the previous partners withdrew from the Europavox project, and they were on the lookout for a new collaborator. Somehow, they came across Control, and we had a few discussions. At that time, I was quite sceptical about our chances because there were many prominent music venues in Europe and only one available spot. It was a moment of great pride for us when we learned that we were chosen from the list of candidates. For us, this was a clear indication that our efforts were being recognized and appreciated beyond the Romanian borders. Or maybe we were just lucky.
I really enjoy being a part of this project. Firstly, because I’ve met incredible people who share my passion for music. They are highly experienced promoters from whom I have so much to learn. Secondly, it has introduced me to a wealth of European artists that I might not have discovered otherwise, and it helped me present some of them to the Romanian public. The project’s main goal, which is to uncover new talented European artists and help them gain recognition, is exactly what the music world needs right now.
If you could share some advice with acts that want to break the borders and make it in Europe, what would that be?
Be persistent and consistent, don’t give up even when it doesn’t seem to work, focus on the future and don’t be afraid to explore new musical landscapes. Release music frequently, maintain a close connection with your fans and actively engage with them. If hiring a manager isn’t feasible, make sure to keep yourself updated with the latest online marketing strategies. Submit your music to Europavox !
