The date was 29^th July 2006 and the event, the introduction to London gAylist clubbing of a Spanish brand that very much shook up the scene & heralded a wave of what was commonly termed as the “…Spanish Armada…”, pretty much transformed the style of clubbing in virtually every respect, from the music, to the shows, even to the crowds, Latino’s seemingly coming out of the woodwork and burgeoning a whole new class of clubber with smouldering looks to match the scintillating style of these Spanish imports. Yet, whilst both Matinee & SuperMartXe have pretty much ruled the waves, other brands like Space & La Troya getting a mere look in on their dominance, the tide of change has seen fortunes change for these enormous Espaniol outfits in London , clearing the way for a new pretender to the armada crown, a party concept & brand that made waves back home in Spain from the minute it was launched and, having stretched its legs across Europe, simply had to make it to the capital, sooner rather than later.

WE party was born very much on the back of the Spanish superclub concepts Matinee & SuperMartXe, these two big players on the Spanish scene slowly having shifted their fan base back home, from a predominantly gay audience for a much more mixed affair, some SuperMartXe parties aiming their intentions directly at the metrosexual crowd, paving the way for a new offering to woo the gay audience. And from the very first party in Madrid, WE proved its worth, through flamboyant & Fantastic lighting, effects, stage shows, dancers, music that have, inevitably, drawn comparisons with SuperMartXe, although it has not only wooed back gay audiences, but well & truly wowed them with draw droopingly amazing visuals & sounds that have set it aside from its alter ego and has set the WE brand on its own successful course. Indeed the philosophy of WE parties has, from day one, been one that pushes the boundaries, elevated the excitement & creates a carefree atmosphere, very much the epitome of gay clubbing & partly why our straight cousins have long wanted a slice of our action.

Digging a little deeper into the brand, probably the one question that we have been asked more than any other, is what does “WE” stand for? Well, to be honest we don’t know the actual answer, although it could possibly have been created from the inspiration that is the song “This Is How We Party”, a hit back in the 90’s for Swedish group S.O.A.P., this also hinting at the imagery of the WE party brand, being a washing soap bottle, hence the link. However, whilst this remains a mere hunch, what we can say with conviction, is that WE parties in Spain have been certainly created a new clubbing formula behind the brand explaining that “…WE party offers a new visual & sound reality, one that makes you think while you dance, a party where you have to adjust your memory & senses to actually perceive what is happening…”, the thought & the dedication to this philosophy showing through in each & every party the team have thrown. And, whilst immediate comparisons with SuperMartXe have been drawn, there is an unquestionably different & more exciting feel to WE events that have made it the new darling of the dance scene in Spain.  

So, having very much filled SuperMartXe’s boots in Madrid, they even hold their parties at La Riviera, the accolades have well & truly flown in, one city guide website neatly summing up the brand by saying, “…As the name of this event suggest, WE really does party. Taking place at SuperMartXé’s original digs at La Riviera, a huge Ibiza-style clubbing space complete with palm trees, WE Party puts on the kind over-the-top stage shows and fun-filled parties that made the former tenants loved and famous and get the hot boys out by the thousands, ready to whip off their shirts before you can say ‘is it hot in here or is it you?…”

But more than that, WE has also anchored a reputation across Spain, expanding across the Barcelona, where it got more than a look in during the Circuit Festival week, much to the irritation of Matinee who has always considered Barcelona as its own exclusive backyard, WE also making a big impact across in Ibiza this summer, partying with all the big boys and teaming up with Cafe Ole at Space. But the intentions of WE have extended across Europe, with a highly successful party in Rome, at Muccassassina, as well as a brilliant event at Xlsior in Mykonnos and with Paris planned for 11^th December &, of course, London this coming weekend, the ambitions of the brand are big, WE’s driving force, Victor Pallas keen to expand into The States as well, as of going to press, his team tipping the scales over in Miami. Plus, with dates back in Madrid, you only have to take a glimpse at http://wepartyontour.com/ to get a feel of just what WE is looking to achieve, injecting bucket loads of fun back into clubbing that has long been missed and Victor, together with his terrific team, are now very much setting the trend & shaking up the scene in superb style.

However, all of this said, the best way to demonstrate just what WE is all about is to see the action for your own eyes & a whole myriad of videos are available to give you an insight into the exciting new formula that is WE parties, we picking out our favourites to whet your appetite in advance of Saturday’s event here in London. Our first & favourite is a their main promotional video which gives you the best idea of the extent of just what a big part the visuals play in the concept & construction of the amazing shows, which you can check out via http://facebook.com/WEpartygroup?v=wall#!/video/video.php?v=386744584701, the trailer to WE’s residency at La Riviera in Madrid, hinting to the kind of quality you can expect from this clubbing brand outfit when it plays out at The Coronet, at FB link http://facebook.com/WEpartygroup?v=wall#!/video/video.php?v=382276814701, while the essence of the fun the team want to bring back to the scene (with a dollop of wackiness thrown in for good measure) displayed at http://facebook.com/WEpartygroup?v=wall#!/video/video.php?v=382274779701, although what best captures the whole wonderment of We for us, is the video taken at their “Tokyo” party at La Riviera, the lighting , the crowds but moreover the visuals speaking volumes at http://facebook.com/WEpartygroup?v=wall#!/video/video.php?v=382252164701.

So, there is little doubt in our minds that this new Spanish sensation is set fair and as WE party delves deep into its second full year in operation, it certainly looks like making an impact on London in a similar way to SuperMartXe did two years ago, and we will be bringing you all the details you need to know about this exciting event, in a special Weekend Focus post, due out shortly. We will also be looking at the music of WE in a special post entitled “Wonderful Ensemble”, honing in on the talents that will be scintillating with their sounds on Saturday, this special devotion, issued via our music section in due course. . However, the best way to conclude our look at WE is to echo the words of Pablo Picasso in saying that “everything you can imagine is real” and the WE dream has very much become a reality for Mr Pallas & his team & we cannot wait to toast its coming in the capital. (DISCO MATT)