The most anticipated opening party of the year returned to Privilege on Tuesday for the first of nine unforgettable techno extravaganzas brought to you by ULTRA and RESISTANCE.
As we boisterously steam ahead into peak season, the opening parties seem like a distant memory. Lest we forget one of the most prominent residencies on the island like to keep us waiting every summer until mid-July. From what seemed like a lifetime away at the start of the season, the anticipated opening date for Resistance had finally arrived and reminded us just how fast the season is going.
Resistance filled the immense San Rafael structure and made a mighty impact during its first season on Ibiza in 2017, and last year the heavyweight brand set the bar even higher for all club nights on the island after deservedly winning “The Best Ibiza Night” at the DJ Awards.
Tuesday night marked the beginning of Resistance's third summer on Ibiza and the line-up was nothing short of epic. With both rooms presenting techno masterclasses from the likes of Adam Beyer, Maceo Plex, Hot Since 82, Layo & Bushwacka, Eats Everything, Charlotte De Witte, Sasha, John Digweed, Marco Bailey and Patrice Bamuel, the question is, did this night live up to its high expectations?
Techno is still massive and Resistance have made their point. The rave is a way of life for many dedicated clubbers, and on the opening night this year they exported their vision in the outer space and took everyone in the club with them on a magical musical vortex.
As we step into the main room of the biggest club in the world, scene icons Sasha and John Digweed know how to master a hypnotic soundtrack for big room audiences.
The production and spellbinding laser shows were in perfect sync with the tough deep tech beat and the bass could be felt all over the wild club. We headed to the Vista Club to catch Hot Since 82 kick off his exclusive terrace residency. It appeared we were among hundreds of other Knee Deep In Sound fans, as entering the Vista Club proved a massive struggle - the room was full to the brim and toppled out onto the bar/walkway area where many ravers continued to shuffle.
As we made our way through the crowd to the front of the dancefloor, we managed to find space to groove. Although having the novelty of backstage passes, we were keen to get right in amongst it and experience the mystifying ice cannons in all their glory.
His set started with thumping basslines and a rolling groove, but when it reached the halfway mark of his set, things seriously turned up a notch. The sheer volume peaked and one after the other, every tune managed to effortlessly raise the energy higher and higher. The room kept getting busier but that didn’t stop anyone from leaving as the tunes were just too good to miss.
Both of these tracks represent HS82's unique style and deep tech-house groove. His tracks are energetic and a touch dramatic, yet smooth and not over-produced, and are perfectly tailored for big club nights like tonight.
The atmosphere was as fitting as the name of the man in charge, as this room was hotting up.
Following on from HS82 highly energetic set, none other than Eat's Everything; the ONLY man for the job as this guy doesn't just bring the music, he brings the party. With only an hour on his own before an exclusive b2b with Charlotte De Witte, Eats Everything still managed to take us on an underground electronic adventure with a fast bpm that sent everyone into a frenzy.
The main room was now just as packed as Drumcode heavyweight Adam Beyer and melodic King Maceo Plex had started their very first Ibiza b2b exclusive. If you stick two giants in the industry together, there's destined to be an almighty crowd of aficionado's and tech-heads alike, and that there was.
The extended set had ravers transfixed until sunrise, ironic to their final track of the event. The euphoric vocals we all know and love to sing, "when the sun comes down", made for a true spectacle.
The stunning golden lasers slashed through the crowd and as we anticipated the drop we looked around and realised we are all dancing as one. The feeling of a true underground rave.
So, did this night live up to the high expectations? In my opinion, the high calibre of music and production were second to none and Resistance picked up exactly where they had left off at the end of last summer: on a staggering high.
We'll be back next week for one of the biggest dates on the Island - Carl Cox's Birthday Party at RESISTANCE.
What are you waiting for? Join the RESISTANCE and witness some of the most talented tastemakers in the industry take over the decks at Ibiza's most iconic superclub Privilege Ibiza. It's the biggest club in the world for the biggest DJs and even bigger ravers.
