F*** Me I’m Famous is easily the most well known party on the island. The, shall we say, ‘intimate’ billboard posters on every corner are hardly necessary, my delve into the world of Cathy and David at Pacha last night confirming that almost everybody is desperate for a piece of this cleverly titled experience.
We recently reviewed FMIF in its second home at Ushuaïa, so some comparisons must be made. The large-scale advantages of Ushuaïa are a given, in terms of space and production etc. . . What Pacha has to offer, however, is intimacy. It might seem erroneous calling a 3000 capacity club intimate, but with a personality as big as David Guetta’s – it really feels it. Unlike most DJs who, although high profile within their field, don’t exactly have “celebrity status,” David Guetta reels in many curious clubbers on the strength of his name and persona alone. For many, it’s exciting enough to be only metres away from the ‘star,’ evident from the deafening welcome he received merely for appearing in the booth. Not only is there an intimacy between DJ and fans, there’s also a very strong sense of community on the main dance floor, especially at the frequent a Capella chorus moments. Whenever Guetta cut the music suddenly mid-chorus (for example in his own Titanium, featuring Sia) the crowd, without any prompting, carries on for him with the solidarity and volume of a stadium of football fans. It’s pretty impressive.
A warning, however - a mid-august FMIF at Pacha is not for the claustrophobic. Every inch of the club had a pair of feet on it last night, with the exception of the outdoor terrace area which thankfully was spacious enough to offer some fresh air and respite from the madness within. My tip for anyone going to this night is get there early and get yourself a good spot.
One can usually have a pretty good idea of what to expect musically from FMIF, as the large proportion of Guetta’s set list is his own music. Woven into the Frenchman’s classics will be a few hits from his contemporaries, some lesser-known instrumental electro bangers and, if you’re lucky, an exclusive airing of an unreleased single (we were treated to two of these last night). Guetta is onto a successful formula and, at least for these parties, content to give the audience what they want and expect.
If you like his music, FMIF at Pacha is a must-see. The atmosphere is electric and if you have half as much fun as Guetta seems to, it will be well worth your time. We now sell VIP tables as well!
