An unforgettable 12-hour session at Privilege gave summer 2016 the full go ahead last night - it was my first Privilege experience and it definitely won't be my last of this season.
Entering the club - which claims the title of biggest in the world - my expectations for the night where high; in reality, it was beyond anything I could have imagined. I made my way in at 1 AM and already, it was quickly beginning to fill. Vista Club and Vista Blue, the club's two smaller rooms, were due to open later in the night, so my first port of call was the Main Room, where the dance floor was ecstatic thanks to chart-topping Swiss DJ and producer, EDX, who was throwing out big beats like ‘Feel Like Dancing' (Nils Van Zandt Feat. Sharon Doors), ‘The Right Song' (Tiesto & Oliver Heldens Feat. Natalie La Rose) and ‘Intoxicated' (Salva Remix). Following after was Nalaya, a Spanish singer who works on the European dance circuit, who had the crowd on their feet and roaring with approval during her live vocal performance.
The hero of the Main Room, for me, was Spanish wonderkind, Danny Avila. He played ‘Heroes' (We Could Be) (Drive Edit) by Alesso Feat. Tove Lo, and I, along with everyone else, couldn't get enough of it. But the stand-out moment, for me, was when Danny stood on top of the DJ Booth and played solo electric guitar - the atmosphere was just indescribable. Confetti rained down, smoke machines covered the crowd punctuated by flashing pink and purple lights, and dancers moved gracefully in unison - it all fitted together perfectly.
Vista Club was the last room to open its doors. This spot is popular for people who want to watch the sunrise through its floor-to-ceiling glass windows, so by 6 AM the crowd started to make a move and the Main Room became less busy for the remaining six hours. Sharam, an Iranian-American progressive house DJ and producer, played the sunrise set, and despite being seven hours deep into the night and practically danced out, I have to say my first sunrise rave was magical. Before I went, I hadn't been overly excited by the line-up, but the night ended up exceeding my expectations and Privilege should be on your absolute must list to attend. The party continued until after 11 AM this morning, with few surrenders being noted, so you'll be in good company.
WORDS | Caoimhe Harkin
