GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Luciano’s DJ crew of Cadenza vagabundos start the party at Ushuaïa’s sleek new venue…
Words: JOE ROBERTS Pics: BETH CROCKATT T
he cub-scout motto of “always come prepared” should be in the mind of any experienced raver. So how on earth do you prepare for a party that tells you to “expect the unexpected”?
For weeks, Chinese whispers circulated about the unveiling of the brand new Ushuaïa: a hotel-come- daytime-party-venue. Will it be finished in time? Does it really contain a recording studio? Will it mark the rebirth of daytime parties on the island? The website offered no clues. Initially, all it displayed was a striking black and white profile of the handsome King
Vagabondo, Luciano, complete with designer stubble and bowling hat. Hang on a second, I know he is a DJ, but I thought this was a hotel? Emblazoned across the picture, “the unexpected opening party”.
To believe or not believe the hype? After all, last year Ushuaïa was little more than a dusty lean-to shack on the beach, offering big DJs to an intimate crowd. But my, how things have changed! Moving a few hundred feet down Playa d’en Bossa, Ushuaïa has shaken off its dusty robes in favour of some seriously sleek minimal décor. A giant, pure white vessel with large screens
decorating the front, alternating between images: the inside of an aquarium, a giant ogling eyeball or trippy psychedelics. Now bang opposite Space and reportedly owned by the richest man on the island, this is a serious contender for one of the island’s hottest dancefloors. A transition from favela shanty to Ibiza’s Empire State Building equivalent... only not as tall and nearer the beach.
Upon arrival, coaxing us closer are the carnival beats of the Vagabundos and multicoloured lights radiating from the venue. Along the beach, men fly giant white kites in the shape of the hotel’s hummingbird logo. Although Luciano has been billed as the headline, he has left Reboot, Robert Dietz and Michel Cleis in charge. But the crowd don’t falter and the boys bring the fiesta, pumping out confident percussive beats, basslines and tropical sensibilities. We booty-shake to Deetron’s ‘Starblazer’ and the siren-like Steffi feat Virginia’s ‘Yours’. All highly seductive.
Three little letters: OMG. This is impressive, awesome and sublime. Or as Reboot puts it, “unbe-fricking- lievable”. No boy-scout training could have prepared us for this. Several thousand people surround the pool, looking up at the stage, a mammoth wooden structure splayed across the sky, worthy of a rock stadium or festival main stage. Underneath the shadowy night sky, the pool and courtyard transmit wall-to-wall good vibes, beautiful people and luxury. In the water, hourglass-shaped women stand on islands with coolers of Veuve Clicquot, giant marshmallow men on stilts walk through the crowd, people getting lost inside their ballooning outfits as they amble past, cabanas full of scantily-clad people tote full bottles of premium spirits. This is no low-key affair.
Strangers beam and wink at one another in an acknowledgement that this is something pretty special. Littered amongst the people are giant white crocodiles, pink snails and yellow frogs. Bedroom gardens and balconies overlook the action, each one their own exclusive party with hi-tech soundsystems pumping the DJ’s set directly into the comfort of their own rooms. With upcoming daytime parties from Defected, Circus Company and the Cadenza lads, this place is certainly one to watch.
www.djmag.com 067
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