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Music Miss W

The power of the pink dot

The power of the pink dot

Words Miss W

Who’d have ever thought that a little pink dot could cause so much hype and excitement in Ibiza?

Who’d have ever thought that a little pink dot could cause so much hype and excitement in Ibiza? Well, for starters, anyone who’s familiar with my blog – and my ongoing obsession with Luciano and my newfound love for Richie Hawtin – not to mention the legions of Cadenza and Enter fans who’d been eagerly awaiting the ‘top secret’ line-up announcement for September 13 at both Ushuaïa and Space. Enter.Cadenza. Cadenza.Enter. Whatever way you look at it, it just seems so… right… up my alley!

Of course, I was beside myself with excitement for the entire week leading up to the double header event. Please allow me to walk you through the proceedings as I relive the magic of the pink dot…

[Some photos by Sofía Gómez Fonzo and others unashamedly nicked from Richie Hawtin’s Facebook page among others!]

1. It started with a little comic. A tongue-in-cheek flashback to the shared history of our heroes (sorry Sven, I’ve relegated that title to someone else from hereon in) and the very first viral hint as to the merger ahead. Ahh, those were the days, when Luciano sported the sexy handlebar moustache and Richie played seven-hour back-to-back sets with the DC10 gang. My heart leapt.

2. Then came the video. Richie Hawtin’s Enter.Pool videos have been a constant source of entertainment for me this season. Cheesy? Sure. But cute nonetheless. And definitely different to what every other club promoter in the world does with their promo videos, that’s for sure. It’s like techno comic relief! So from the minute our Rich started waffling on about loving the colour pink (just like me!), I knew this was going to be a pretty darn special edition. But don’t just take my word for it, watch it for yourself. As you may imagine, my heart soared.

3. The flyers began to appear. Knowing my fondness for all things Luciano, a clued-up member of the Ushuaïa team flippantly passed the first flyer under my nose on the Friday night before the party. So fresh you could smell the pink ink drying. So exciting I quickly stashed it in my bag to add to the pinboard – not a shrine, honestly it’s not – behind my desk. It was well and truly official. Enter would be sharing a stage with Cadenza at Ushuaïa and vice versa later at Space. The signature Enter black dot was pink for this momentous occasion. My heart skipped a beat – a techno one of course.

Of course, no one was buying the silly question marks against the headliners… Club politics at work perhaps, remembering there is that other club our Luci is heavily involved with too…

The rain did indeed stop play, as the majority of Sacca’s table settings are outdoors – although by the time we arrived, it was balmy enough to sip a sake cocktail beneath the beautiful cherry blossom bar. As you’d imagine, Richie Hawtin wasn’t going to let anyone (literally) rain on his parade, and the event was cleverly rescued by swiftly transforming the indoor KURO lounge bar into a slick, modern dining destination… I felt as though I’d entered a cool New York sushi lounge, as we were ushered into the bustling space by a gorgeous geisha, chock full of Ibiza’s cool crew and with more A-list DJs than a festival in attendance.

Speaking of DJs, Japan’s ambient music maestro Kazuya Nagaya, was playing his own unique style of dinner music, fusing the sounds of sacred instruments, used in Buddhist or Hindu rituals, with modern instruments. Twinkly, pretty, ambient, eclectic… a music reviewer I obviously am not, but I know I liked it!

The atmosphere was buzzing, with a very social, table-hopping feel all night long… and with ultra-professional waitstaff topping up your sake before you’d even realized your glass wasn’t full, it was easy to get carried away in the moment and forget where your original place was. Richie worked the room like a true professional, all smiles and sake… and I couldn’t help but wonder just how much sake can this man drink? Does he get hangovers? Or is it stunt sake in every glass he toasts with a guest?

But I stayed put. I was in it for the food and the sake (and some occasional eavesdropping on Seth Troxler and co) – a specially paired tasting menu that had my mouth watering from the word Edamame.

A tasting selection of melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, delicate nigiri and perfectly packed maki followed, accompanied by ENTER.Sookou Silver (with slight fruity overtones and well-balanced umami sweetness according to those in the know… my own personal appraisal was: YUM).

Next up was a sweet prawn tartar, heavenly yellowtail sashimi with a spicy jalapeño on top and a cute little bowl of silken tofu that made me feel like I’d died and gone to Japanese fusion heaven. ENTER. Sookou Gold was the tipple of choice here, boasting notes of pear and yellow peach perfectly balanced with a sense of coolness and lingering sophistication. Again, I simply nod and say, YUM

The next course for me was bar far the absolute winner, and in fact, a week later I still have not stopped raving about it! Lush and perfectly seared beef tataki bites, prawn and vegetable tempura that was crisp on the outside, yet juicy and firm on the inside (juuuust right!) and the most sensational black cod I have ever eaten. Oh, to be back there, now!

ENTER.Sookou Black took the sake level up a notch (soft and silky with sweet rice-like notes) , as did ENTER.Sake resident DJ Hito, who took over on the musical duties to deliver a slowly rising, pulsing, Enter-esque tempo… a hint at the party vibe that was to follow dessert.

Ahh, dessert. I am sorry to say, but I had to desert mine, as I was beyond full from the truly incredible cuisine that had preceeded the lush looking baklava ice cream and SACCA signature cheese cake. But don’t you worry… I’ll be back to report on that one night soon. Very soon. Perhaps even tonight.

Put that sake on ice, dearest SACCA. I’m coming home!