Heroric Happening
There is no denying that a succession of Spanish clubbing brands have each made their own impression upon the London scene, Matinee making a huge splash back in 2006 when it launched to an unsuspecting public at Area in Vauxhall, a long line of prolific parties proving its worth. Then when SuperMartXe was added into the mix just two years ago, it seemed super sized clubbing was taken to a new level in the capital, very much a match to the might of their spectacular showings back home. Indeed such was the impact & appeal of SuperMartXe, that nearly all its competitors ending up being swallowed up in its wake, as it continued to surge a swathe through the scene, hardly faltering along its wonderful way. But then enter stage left, new gigantic gathering WE party, short of stealing the spotlight from SuperMartXe as well as its venue, The Coronet in E&C, marking an immediate march on its competitor with a launch last December which wooed & wowed while the former floundered.
With promoter Victor Pallas & the London team eating further to those SuperMartXe strides at the beginning of the year with their awesome “Attacks” outing, then sinking a further nail into the coffin of its competitor in the capital with a “Broadway” hit emulating the hugest hit that the NYC stage strip could boast, it now seemed plain sailing for WE . And, when these two big brands chose to go head-to-head in May, it seemed the writing was on the wall & there was only going to be one winner, WE’s “Candy” colossus packing out The Coronet like we have never seen before, the stage shows, lighting & effects, and even the magnificent music that had been brought to question at “Broadway”, scored superbly, making for simply stunning spectacle.
So, with WE back in Spain still sparring with SuperMartXe for Madrid’s popular Pride festival, here in London the road was clear for WE to shine in the Saturday spotlight with the next chapter in their book of brilliant bashes, the “Heroes” themed event, surely to ride on the success of the last & prove a winner once again. So, how did it turn out? and was it the smash that “Candy” proved to be? Well, with a sapping schedule sinking our WE partying plans out of sight, we sent our “Secret Squirrel” undercover reviewer down to The Coronet, and having reporting back on this heroic happening, this is what he had to say…..
Stage Spectacle Success
“…WE Party on Pride day, well you wouldn’t need a first class honours in Gay Scene Studies to work out that that was going to be a smash! And arriving around midnight to meet friends, I was not at all surprised to find all the queues really long! However, with customary WE party efficiency, this did not translate into a long wait and so I was soon in the club, which was totally heaving. Even the VIP balcony seemed stretched to capacity and was oven-like, which meant that the only area to take a breather was the outside smoking area.
After the initial warm-up period, the entertainment proper started with a fanfare of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for A Hero” as the curtain rose to reveal a galaxy of superheroes and super heroines gyrating on a Gotham City inspired stage, emblazoned with comic book ‘Kapow!’s and ‘Boom!’s and lasers projected out, like they had come from the Batmobile. It must be said, however, that whether they were not Bonnie fans or were too young to remember 80s male-models-turned-undercover-agents TV camp classic “Blow Up”, most of them, the gloriously blond bewigged Henry Romero apart, seemed less enthusiastic movers to this overture than Mr DJ Pagano himself, who was thrashing around the DJ booth like a man possessed.
That uncertain opening apart, the dancing and the music settled into the superb show that we have come to expect, which the crowds lapped up, despite the infernal temperatures that only a Batman villain could have dreamed up. Full kudos must go to the dancers for putting up with the heat, especially those wearing the tightest of rubber face masks! One of the highlights of the show was a brilliant PA from Shawnee Taylor, who had earlier rocked Soho Square in the afternoon, reprising her show with “Stronger” and “Live Your Life” amongst other show-stoppers. With the torch being passed from Pagano to Carlos Gallardo, the music continued to impress; despite the heat, leaving the dance floor was hardly an option as like the crowd seemed hypnotised into dancing delirium by these 21st Century Pied Pipers. When I left around 5.30, more to avoid massive queues at the end than anything, the club was still going strong, its superpowers undiminished.
So well done to WE party, for another huge success, the true heroes of the night were the DJs, the dancers, the organisers, the staff and the divine Ms Taylor, all I can say is “Holy Mackerel!”, can’t wait for the next one!…”
WE Wonderful
Well, it certainly seems that WE party has captured the clubbing capitals imagination and in this latest impressive incarnation, has proved the penchant for a prolific party, The Coronet showing many other venues a clean pair of heels when it comes to hosting a spectacle of this size. When we look at the current offer across the scene, WE party definitely stands out loud & proud, yet whilst it has seemingly crushed the competition in its mammoth march to steal the spotlight, we cannot escape the fact that what it offers, the exceptional effects, the majestic music, the spectacular stage installations & the awesome atmosphere, have set new standards on the scene. And it seems the views of our “Secret Squirrel” have been vindicated by many, the prolific P.A. from Shawnee Taylor, the scintillating sets from Carlos Gallardo & Pagano, highlights for hoards, although with the heat of this happening a repeat problem that has plagued previous parties needing attention, there is still more to do to make this brand unbeatable. However, given the staggering numbers through the door, one run superbly smoothly by the terrific Tom Fuller & his team, it was no surprise that it was hot, hot, hot in there and with the next August Bank Holiday event looking like the hottest ticket in town already, it will be one WE wonderment we will definitely want to witness. (DISCO MATT)