History met more recent history last night during Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics set. Whilst the setting of Cardiff Castle connected the audience to the 11th century, Pete and his orchestral arrangement worked through the soundtrack of the not-so-ancient eras of dance music.
Two icons in their own respect – the Castle being so central to Cardiff’s image and Pete so influential in the UK club scene’s formative years – made for a night to remember. And promoters Depot Live delivered exactly what was promised – a massively joyous and nostalgic celebration of club culture. Even though the weather went a bit ‘Pete Tong,’ the rain didn’t stop thousands of revellers from enjoying the party atmosphere. In fact, if you shut your eyes, you could’ve convinced yourself you were in Ibiza circa 1990 instead of a rainy Welsh Thursday.
The symphonic orchestra, as always, was breathtaking. I could only peel my eyes away from the sheer talent presented on stage to watch other people dancing, hugging and laughing. As soon as the first note of the opening song Right Here Right Now played, everyone’s weekly stresses and anxieties were shaken off, captured within the moment by the lyrics and mesmerised by the stage presence of the performers.
Everyone in the crowd danced all night, with sudden surges of energy for a classic like Lola’s Theme or Gypsy Woman: a sea of raised hands, phone lights and generations of memories within the castle walls. Each beat drop was met with uproar from a crowd eagerly awaiting the next anthem to see if their favourite would be played – no doubt hundreds of CDs are being pulled from cupboards today, to relive more favourites.
Support acts Mousse T. and K-Klass, dance music veterans both, set the tone for the evening perfectly with their own, very strong DJ sets. All of which once again proves, with Pete Tong leading the charge, that dance music doesn’t age – it simply finds a new way to entertain people.
Pete Tong Ibiza Classics + Mousse T. + K-Klass, Cardiff Castle, Thurs 11 June
words AMY FORD photos courtesy of DEPOT LIVE
