Black Coffee’s Opening Party Was A Global House Odyssey

The Opening party was as stunningly invigorating as we’ve come to anticipate from the island’s most mesmerising residency. Black Coffee’s revamped show and reimagined production harmoniously blended the Afropolitan house of the South African superstar with the cutting-edge technology of Hï Ibiza.

As the deep house selections of French selector Fiona Kraft filled the air, the Theatre rolled into life and the room quickly filled with house music devotees. Kraft’s opening set, which perfectly primed the crowd with pulsating rhythms injecting the evening with incredible energy from the very first moments.

Next up, Turkish sensation Carilta went B2B with Life & Death boss DJ Tennis for their Astra Club project. The punk-influenced sounds of Tennis are an inspired compliment to the more avant-garde selections of Carlita, and the melding of these two styles gave the audience a genuinely unique musical experience. The labyrinthine set cemented their Astra Club project as one of the most interesting musical collaborations of recent memory.

A palpable anticipation hung in the air as Black Coffee appeared in the booth. Six years after he first took the helm at our Opening Party, he projected the image of an artist completely in his element. Taking control of the crowd with a skill and familiarity that has been honed to perfection over the intervening years.

Coffee captivated the crowd with a mesmerising journey through his signature Afropolitan house sound, with dancers hanging on his every selection and energy levels building to a fever pitch as the night progressed. Finally as the night reached its crescendo, Carlita, DJ Tennis and Fiona Kraft joined Coffee in the booth for a mind-blowing B2B2B2B that kept spirits soaring until the final beat.

Over in the Club Room, the underground vibe of meticulous Italian DJ Bartolomeo DJ kicked off the night. His classically-inspired selections set the stage for our Club Room resident, Damian Lazarus to take over for an extended set.

Returning to his Club Room home, the Crosstown Rebels boss took the audience on a kaleidoscopic journey through his mystical house and techno sounds. Despite celebrating 20 years of his influential label in 2023, his set was laser-focused on the future, with a veritable treasure trove of unreleased tracks.

The Black Coffee Opening Party truly took our breath away, but next week promises to be another musical spectacle. Black Coffee will be joined in the Theatre by his residency party Damian Lazarus, along with fellow South African and rising Afropolitan champion, Caiiro. Damian will also play in the Club Room with guests Tibi Dabo and Mīmī x Fy.