The Zoo Project is always a vibrant affair and the opening party no disappointment. With a mix of San Antonio workers and holiday makers descending upon an abandoned zoo, the scene is of bikini-clad girls covered in animal print and glitter, alongside excitable boys donning face paints and masks. The Zoo Project team takes pride in creating the zoo experience and there is always some visual spectacle to grab your attention, be it a beautiful catsuit-wearing dancer, unicyclist performer or random gorilla that has appeared next to you. As the crowd builds, what started as a daytime chill-out with people lounging by the pool, turns into a full-on night time fiesta.
One of the strengths of The Zoo Project is their quality, underground music policy, translated tonight in booking Evan Baggs. The American mixed between vinyl and CD to a busy Seal Pit, which went wild to a techy version of Cassius ‘The Sound of Violence.’ Keeping the crowd engaged with punchy, kicking house, the sound system was the only thing stopping the party going off even more than it already was, due to a lack of volume and definition; a particular personal shame when Evan went back to his roots and dropped old skool garage track Kim English ‘Nightlife’. Throughout the set ballet-dancing cats and break-dancing lions pranced infront of the decks prompting cheers and clapping, making it feel at times that it became more about the performance than the music.
The Zoo Project regulars Karina and Defex also gave standout sets, and benefited from playing in the open air stage, where the sound was miles better and the atmosphere almost as enthusiastic. Free from cheesy wooping from the crowd, this more intimate area is where to experience Zoo and the quality music it consistently has on offer.
