Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/357932
Thursday: Day 1 - Sonar by Day Machinedrum gave an impressive live per- formance of his album Vaporcity - assisted only by one extra drummer, he shifted ef- fortlessly between his laptop, singing, per- cussion, and acoustic guitar - sometimes all at the same time. This was a masterclass in what trap can sound like when done well, and crowd at Sonar went crazy for it. He later tweeted that it "Might have been the best performance of my life!" Plastikman AKA Richie Hawtin was the last act of the day and was therefore playing to an abso- lutely packed site - everyone flocked from wherever else they'd been in order to wit- ness his much-hyped return under the alias, and of course to see the Objekt, a pulsating tower of light designed to compliment the music, which Hawtin had debuted at the Guggenheim in New York. Hawtin himself played in a booth that was in the middle of the crowd, rather than the main stage. It was a totally immersive experience. This party was running from an incred- ible 12pm until 2am, on the beach, with free entry - a perfect combination! It was a long journey into a sketchy, industrial part of Barcelona far away from the tour- ist hoardes - but as we heard the repeti- tive bass-snare growing louder, we knew we were in the right place. The soundsy- tem was impressive considering the ven- ue, making dancing absolutely irresist- ible even for those sitting on the beach loungers dotted around the wooden deck- ing dancefloor. Everyone was on their feet for Marco Farone's closing set - an Italian producer who has released on Desolat and Drumcode and regularly plays at Sankey's in Ibiza, he was the biggest name of the night. It may not have been the biggest or most hyped off-week party or venue but it had the best vibes and was a perfect way to end the Sonar trip - I would definitely recommend this place to anyone going to Barcelona. I will definitely be going back to Barcelo- na for Sonar season next year - the whole city was alive with a great atmosphere and the line-ups are unbeatable. However,it's easy to get overexcited and overestimate your stamina - my advice to anyone going would be to pace yourself and prioritise to avoid spending more money than is neces- sary… and take disco naps! Friday: Day 2 - FACT Pool Series The idea of a pool party may sound a bit cheesy, but FACT are well-known and re- spected for always producing incredible line-ups for their off-week parties. They definitely did not disappoint this time, with an all-girl line-up of Anja Schneider, Heidi, Maya Jane Coles and Miss Kittin. All four played great sets as you would expect, but what really made this party stand out was the relaxed vibe - the outdoor, poolside dancefloor was small considering the huge names, and even Heidi, Maya Jane Coles and Miss Kittin were hugging and dancing together and clearly having a great time. Saturday: Day 3- Sonar by Night After Friday's marathon, we just about managed to make it in time for Four Tet's opening set at Sonar by Night. Sensing that he was effectively "warming up", he played a characteristically diverse but laid- back set to suit the mood of the crowd. Upon entering we were struck by just how vast the venue was, consisting of several enormous indoor and outdoor stages in a warehouse-like setting Unbelievably the enormous space was almost completely filled by Massive Attack's enormous crowd of devoted long-time fans. Yelle's set was also surprisingly great - the crowd was full of camp, happy dancers and it proved to be an energising lift at a relatively early point of the night. After a quick rest we headed to one of the most anticipated acts of Sonar 2014 - Nile Rogers & Chic, who proved that disco re- ally has not lost its appeal decades after its conception. The sight of an absolutely enormous crowd going crazy for I Need Your Love and Freak Out, headed by a 61 year old, was a sight to behold. Rodgers' enormous back catalogue of massive hits proved Chic to be worthy Sonar headliners. Up next to take things darker and deeper was Brodinski, the legendary boss of Bro- mance Records - a label which is often credited with helping to revive the French electronic music scene and take it global. Not just a talented producer and DJ, Bro- dinski is a showman who knows exactly how to control a crowd and keep them dancing - it was a relentless, high-energy set with no mercy for those with less stam- ina. Our final act of the night before the heavens opened was Boys Noize, the Ger- man electro artist with enough expertise to whip a stadium into a frenzy up to the 5am mark, despite the darkening skies. Day 4 - Death Monday: Day 5 - Mac Arena Mar Beach Club with Houserepublic Records 7 37 Issue 65 / 2014 FESTIVALS guestlist.net Razzmatazz - Adventure Club, Jesse Rose, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Breach and Bondax Razzmatazz is one of the most well-known clubs in Barcelona and it really is a huge labyrinth. After initially being taken aback by the EDM and brostep in the first and biggest room you enter, we explored further and found these big names playing in the more hidden rooms, playing quality sets which eventu- ally attracted a bigger and bigger crowd - most of whom didn't stop dancing until we were all kicked out into daylight at 6am.