Stripped Makes We Love Debut

Words: Emma Bennett
Images: NicJ.

The summer of 2014 see’s We Love… start a new journey as Mark and Sarah Broadbent move onto other things, original promoter Darren Hughes returns with Andrew Livesy and a new alliance with Safehouse Management that promises to build on the phenomenal success of the party to date, kicking off with brand new concept ‘Stripped’, set to bring back the much loved day time party. New legislation put a stop to the traditional Sundays at Space and the party was forced to start much later, so it has been a long time since we have entered that club whilst it’s still light, we are usually crawling out of it as the sun comes up.

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On entering the Sunset Terrace we are almost run over by two bikini clad girls who shoot past us on roller skates and that’s just the beginning. Pole dancers perform in candy-coloured costumes, cheerleaders dance about, there is a multitude of parasols and a special stage where a male dancer wearing a blue PVC skirt and high heels, struts up and down it like a catwalk. We are pleased to see Visionquest’s Shaun Reeves on the decks as we walk in as another angle of the Stripped concept is to keep the line-up a complete secret and so far we are not disappointed. Also on the bill for the launch Stripped party is Just Be, Jem Haynes, Rossko and David Moreno, making it a star studded start to the event. The Sunset Terrace is already filling up and workers dance with bright yellow tote bags swinging around their necks with the familiar acid house smiley face printed on the front.

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Appearing in the DJ unit for his set is Ibiza dancefloor favourite, Just Be (Bushwacka!), who never fails to put in a strong performance at Space, dropping Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State of Consciousness’ towards the end of his set, which the crowd absolutely loved. Closing the Sunset Terrace is Jem Haynes, who is now into his eighth year as We Love resident. Following on from Just Be, Jem held the attention of the already hyped crowd perfectly, belting out some heavy rollers, wicked vocal tracks and throwing in classics such as Laurent Garnier’s ‘Man With The Red Face’. At one point Jem drops one serious tune that had all of us looking at each other with bass face and we can see the whole dancefloor trying to Shazam that little beauty. Finally Jem puts the cherry on the icing of the cake with his own edit of Alison Limerick/ Frankie Knuckles ‘Where Love Lives’, which has the crowd singing along, including promoter Con who is getting down in the DJ box wearing his We Love tote bag like a hat. After his set finishes and the crowd begins to disperse into the Discotheque and the Terraza, we grab Jem for an interview, which ends up taking place in the alley by the Green Room, surrounded by fag butts, keeping it as real as possible….

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First things first – what was that tune you dropped that had everyone on the dance floor including us trying to Shazam it?
Ha-ha, that was ‘All By Myself’ by Joeski (Nathan Barato remix)

What makes We Love so special?
I really think it comes down all the way from the top to the bottom, it’s like one big family. We hang out together, eat dinner together and whenever you play you always want to do your best because they are like family to me.

What do you think of the new concept Stripped?
I think it’s amazing, I just played on the Sunset Terrace and for me it’s like a new system and unannounced DJs – day-time clubbing is back in a massive way and that’s something to be excited about.

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Tell us more about your label Colour Series?
Colour Series is based on a condition I have called Synthesia, when I hear different sounds in music I visualise colours. So I started this label mainly for selfish reasons so I can do what I want to do and release it. We have a new EP out by Mike Peters so go and buy it!

What is your favourite moment from your We Love residency?
I think the one that just happened! I did an edit of the Frankie Knuckles tune about seven years ago and used to play it in the Red Box so to get an opportunity to play that and how the crowd reacted was special.

We Love Stripped was a resounding success and, as we head off into the opening party, we look forward to a season full of surprises from this new fiesta that likes to keep you guessing…

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Buy tickets for We Love at Space from Essential Ibiza and enjoy great discounts and queue jump entry.