Review: Carl Cox went b2b with The Martinez Brothers at an open air in Ibiza and it was brilliant
Coxy was celebrating two banging nights at Privilege
There was more than a little confusion over what the first Game Over party of the summer actually symbolised, how to define it. Was it the Pure Carl Cox closing afterparty? Or was it the first of six rumoured Space In The Park dates to be held at Benimussa Park over the course of the summer? Nobody really knew. But to be fair, nobody really cared that much either. After all, when you have the opportunity to catch Carl Cox performing outdoors in Ibiza in the early evening sunshine, it doesn’t make a great deal of sense to ask why. Time is of the essence. Impromptu parties like this don’t happen too often. You just have to saddle up and burn to the venue as quickly as possible. Make your way inside and claim your spot on the dancefloor. Which is exactly what we did on the evening of July 19.
It’s 5:30pm and the sun is still super hot. We’re sweaty; we’re scorchio. Luckily the green hillsides above San Antonio that surround Benimussa Park (usually the home of Zoo Project) are covered with pine trees which offer cooling shade and a distinctive scent, almost like turpentine.
The entrance to the venue reminds us of a ‘70s amusement park (it's said to be a former zoo). Somewhere like Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire. The little ticket office, the turnstile brackets on the wall. Inside, the funfair theme continues unabated. Coin operated children’s rides, multiple drinks stalls vending mojitos and beers, a restaurant, the famous seal pit and all manner of winding pathways that lead us off to various outdoor spaces, each of which sports a different look. There are so many unusual things to look at, so many diverse areas to explore. More so than ever before, Benimussa Park totally works. The venue doesn’t look tired anymore. Compared to the glitz and chrome of modern Ibiza, it comes across as being quirky, vintage.
Turns out, this party was the first of Game Over's If You Know You Know open air parties and a warm-up for their Space In The Park parties later this summer at the very same venue. Here are 10 tracks that lead us through this very special session from Coxy and friends, as the King capped off two memorable nights at Privilege...
