16/06/08: COCOON OPENING PARTY

‘This is the year 2008, and what once was called Science Fiction has now arrived in the present. The Amnesia pyramid continues sending out its signal, and the signal says Disco Invasion! We will travel through the Techno universe, in order to bring you the revolution - the Disco Invasion, that blends everything together and leaves behind old categories. 'The sky is the limit' on planet Minimal Techno Funk, Ibiza is our International Spaceport and Sven gives us the command for take-off!’

At least, that’s how the promotional material described it to Miss W, and when that much effort goes into hyping up what was easily last year’s techno success story’s return to the island, well it would be rude not to slip into my disco shoes, sequinned hotpants and get into the spirit right?

While DJs Sven Vath and Ricardo Villalobos (aka Commander Darth Vather and DJ Chebaca) weren’t in their Disco Invaders finery (to be fair, those head pieces would make DJing just a little difficult) as seen in the promotional trailer, there were plenty of stunning Cocoon dancers - complete with amazing diamante encrusted face paint and Barbarella style ponytails - on hand to wield Light sabers a lá Star Wars as they grooved to the decidedly non-disco sounds of Cocoon!

The Cocoon terrace has long been the place where the island comes together after a long week of work, play and anything in between and the opening party was no exception. With a decidedly Spanish and Italian crowd on the terrace, while the club kids stuck to the thumping laser-filled main room, Miss W was happy to bump into old friends, new acquaintances, visiting DJs and ex-workers who’d made the trek back to the island specifically for this party.

My favourite element of the evening though? Checking out the amazing costumes worn by the dancers, mainly the platform sequinned 70s style knee high boots. For next week’s disco extravaganza, I plan to get myself a pair somehow! While they’re not exactly the type of thing you can pick up at Las Dalias, I’m thinking I might be able to customise something from the Sant Jordi car boot sale on Saturday morning!

It might not be very techno, but if Sven and co can get into the spirit then Miss W doesn’t see why she shouldn’t be allowed to sparkle too!

THE GOOD: The way the Cocoon crew throw themselves wholeheartedly into their Disco Invader theme - who’d have thought the über serious German techno brigade had a sense of humour like this? To get a glimpse behind the scenes, check out this clip before heading to the club next week!
THE BAD: The guest list queue. While Miss W is lucky enough to be on a first name basis with the door staff and can waltz straight to the front of the queue, many of her friends were stuck in a pushing, heaving queue and waited for up to an hour to get inside. Surely VIPs and invited guests are entitled to a speedy and trouble free entrance?
THE GOSSIP: The renovations to the Amnesia terrace have certainly opened up the area and allowed plenty more room to manoeuvre the floor - and dance of course - but we couldn’t help but notice the many people - including one famous DJ and a costumed-up Cocoon dancer - tripping over the large bronzed camel statue sitting on the floor. In a darkened club environment, surely this is a bit of a hazard?