Having waxed lyrical to anyone and everyone who'd listen that this weekend I'd be ‘taking it easy' in preparation for the onslaught of opening parties in the coming weeks, I, somewhat inevitably, did the exact opposite. So when the piercing sound of an alarm clock rang through my room at 2 AM this morning it was met with a definitive groan. Nevertheless, I jumped in the car and made haste towards Pacha like Batman to the scene of a crime, because if anything's going to stir you from a state of cumbersome slumber, it's Solomun and his merry band of cohorts.
Solomun's +1 wing man for this opening fiesta was German DJ, Butch, a man revered for his genre-blurring skills and immersive sets. I arrived in time to catch the last half hour of his solo session, and true to form, a series of heavy-hitters were raining down on the packed Pacha dance floor. Several times, I was roused to stomp a foot and elevate an arm, no doubt providing fodder for conspiracy theorists convinced that zombies do exist in the process - but personally, making some waking-up progress. What I witnessed was a feverish 30 minutes that veered from tribal-laden beats to lullaby-esque melodies, in what was, all in all, a solid base for the big man himself to build on.
Striding into the dance floor-immersed booth, Solomun bid summer 2016 welcome in the manner you might expect - haunting vocals, guttural grooves and spirited spoken words characterised the first half an hour, with the adoring hordes hungrily devouring every second. Then we hit the 4 AM mark and a transformation was set in motion as he stepped on the gas to reveal a more high octane focus for the early hours. Tunes like Alex Metric's ‘Rave Weapon 2', Pig & Dan's ‘Growler' and the Gary Beck remix of Harem's ‘SLAM', should give you an idea of the agenda - when the confetti cannons blew you'd have been forgiven for thinking you were at elrow. In what was one of the more fervent performances I've seen Solomun deliver, he continued like this till almost 5.30 AM, when the pace was gradually slowed with two humdingers of tracks that my phone died just in time to miss, though by this stage I was in full dancing throes, so I didn't mind quite so much.
A customary b2b with his +1 significant other ensued, and as Solomun waved in sunrise and clubbers' enthusiasm didn't wane, it became clear yet again, that Solomun and Pacha are the perfect pairing - the formula for this party just works. I went home revived, and inspired by the dancers, determined to learn how to high kick my own face. Solomun, job done - reliable as clockwork, that man.
WORDS | Abby Lowe
