Going out on a Sunday is a rite of passage that every clubber must go through whilst they are on Ibiza. You may have been out on the Friday and Saturday before, but every night is a weekend night on Ibiza. Solomun +1 at Pacha is one of those events.
Just a stone's throw from the beautiful Ibiza Marina, the famed nightclub is always worth a trip, especially for Solomun +1. Last Sunday, I finally got to review it. This was an exciting prospect for me as it would be a night of first encounters: first time visiting Pacha, first time seeing the special guest John Talabot playing and, most importantly, the first time seeing Solomun in his element, mixing at his righteous residency.
I was unsure what to expect from the venue that had made the cherries famous world over and from the night famous for its variety of stylish sounds. Here are my five favourite parts of the party...
Arriving at Pacha
Seeing Pacha for the first time was a cool experience in itself. The venue is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary on Ibiza, an impressive feat for any nightclub. The entrance was lit by dark red lighting with a huge LED screen flashing the Solomun +1 logo out to the tourists on the street. It has an alluring appeal to it that naturally comes with the club's reputation.
What I immediately loved about the venue is its diverse style. The outdoor smoking area looks like a typically Spanish terrace surrounded by huge palm trees, with a calm atmosphere where you can relax away from the party inside.
Once you walk through it and into the venue, the front part of the club crafted from stone looks like a small cavern with small lounge areas. Then you have the expansive dancefloor where John Talabot was warming up the crowd with deep grooves like Post Present by Florian Kupfer. All these elements made for an interesting start to the evening.
Being on the dancefloor
At 2:00 the dancefloor was already very busy with the loyal fans of the event. The guests varied in type: young and old, tourists and Ibiza residents. A tribute to the global appeal of Solomun's work and music. John Talabot continued his set in slow but in deep tech-heavy fashion.
Tracks like Heat Waves by Jay Shepheard got the crowd grooving. His mixing blended a combination of spacey style synths and instruments followed a heavy kick met with an increase in tempo from the crowd.
The visual sights were as impressive as the music. I loved how the venue was decorated. Red and blue neon spun around the crowd matching the Solomun +1 sign above John Talabot, who by this point was spinning deeper tracks in preparation for Solomun's arrival to the stage.
A curious diamond shaped LED object similar to a disco ball hung at the centre of the dancefloor, flickering with minimal patterns. Below it, a metal shape refracted the neon light onto the clubbers below. With the great music selection, the party has an enigmatic vibe to it, which entices the senses.
Watching Solomun bring it on
Just before 3:00, Solomun entered the room. Greeted by John Talabot, he hung around for a while, overlooking the eager crowd. John Talabot finished his set with the Massimiliano Pagliara remix of Hilbert Space, which went down gloriously with the crowd. His set was met by applause, cheers and whistles, well deserved by the craftsman for his work that evening.
Now it was Solomun's turn to take over the mantle and he did not disappoint with his opening tracks. Solomun really knows how to move his audience, subtly adding in each element bit by bit. Every perfect drop is always met with great approval from the crowd.
Besides the DJ booth, the dancers, styled in studded military uniforms, gyrated to the increasing upbeat rhythms laid down by the DJ. An unknown edit of Jaguar by DJ Rolando had the entire nightclub moving.
Feeling the music with the whole room
This video was the best part of my night. Solomun brought in the soothing sample of Ghosts by Thomas Newman and everyone settled into the calm flow of the uplifting sound. It was one of those moments where hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
I am pretty certain that everyone on the dancefloor had the same feeling that night, a blissful enjoyment of the music. When the minimal beat of the kick drum played, at that point I knew I was at Solomun +1. The music and vibe could only come from this special night.
Walking around the club
After watching Solomun until 4:30, I walked around the venue to see what else I could find. Making my way onto the roof terrace, I breathed in the night air, relieved to step away from the dance floor for a few minutes.
The roof terrace provides a nice escape from the bustle of the party. I sat there with a cocktail in hand, watching people chat happily away. The view from up there is lovely. Ibiza Town lit up at night is always spectacular, and soon I was eager to head back downstairs to catch Solomun playing another sensational track: the spiritual version of Kabuki by Young Wolf, a mesmerising sound made up of the most curious samples, something that Solomun's sets are known for.
The music policy at this event is a mysterious mixture of melodic flavours and raw techno beats, especially selected by the Diynamic boss and his special guest for the evening. With shows running right until 15 October, there are plenty to choose from each one more special than the last.
I left the Venue at 5:00 with one thought in mind. With music as great as what I heard tonight, I need to make Sunday night at Pacha +1 a weekly ritual.
PHOTOGRAPHY | Ana Ruiz
