Last night I experienced my first ever closing - it was the second and final instalment of the almighty Cream at Amnesia, and it was everything I expected it to be - like travelling back into the set of Kevin & Perry with less spotty teenagers and more hardcore, experienced ravers.
The vast, glimmering Cream sign stood for one last time with sparkly matching dresses glistening beneath it. Impatient closing warriors waited outside Amnesia, all the while being teased by the trance that leaked from the crevices from the club as they waited to enter for this historical blowout.
My entrance was somewhat of an obstacle course - I'd spent my rush to the toilet stuck behind a brave, obviously dedicated fan bearing crutches, and my vision was broken due to some of the best strobe light action I'd ever seen. My bones felt like they were having a fit - a pleasurable one - to the deep bass that backed up special guest DJ Ferry Corsten's old school trance.
Hi-fi footage of the universe was spread across the back wall of the main room, with any prolonged stare into the visuals sending you into a deep trance (no pun intended) that was hard to break contact with once it had you. To be completely honest, trance isn't on the top of my music love list, the only time I'd experienced the 125-150 BPM style is at free parties in the middle of the forest - but this was a whole new experience altogether.
Cream jewel, Paul Van Dyk, was back in action after a few months off after his widely-reported injury. Naturally, he was set to headline and he helped the many trance lovers bask in the glory of the euphoric music featuring many classics with modern takes. The man himself was literally difficult to watch - with the thousands of widespread hands sprung up in the air to look through - a picture that's not rare at any of his gigs this past season.
Corsten had already made me eat my words as I danced my days' worth of stress away, young and old generations raved together making the nicest crowd I'd ever sweated with. The terrace catered for the younger generation as Mark Knight dropped Faithless' 'Insomnia', a sudden pause had caused confusion before the soulful vocals of Florence Welch boomed through the room in a remix of 'You've Got The Love' mixed in.
Fatboy Slim, a man with so much to answer for - just one of the many artists that made electronic music what it is today - then took to the stage. In front of me danced two of the happiest, middle-aged parents in the world, taking dad dancing to a whole new level. Anyone can dance to 'Eat Sleep Rave Repeat', eh?!
I finished my night with what was supposed to be a quick 'check out' of trance duo Aly & Fila, an hour later I was in the same spot, with hard-hitting trance anthems flooding my ears and making up for the fact that my friend had lost her entire purse. It's impossible to feel any sort of negative emotion while listening to the most uplifting music imaginable. Until next time, Cream.
WORDS | Ruby Munslow PHOTOGRPAHY | Amnesia
