Written by Mark Playle

It is always an exciting moment when you know it’s time to head back to Flower Power @ Pacha and this year was no exception as we queued for one of the oldest and most chilled out nights on the island. As ever the buzz outside Pacha was filling the air and indeed so was the smell coming from the joss sticks gently smoking in the nearby flower beds.

The excitement on people’s faces as they posed for pictures by the different hippie theatre sets and displays outside the club to keep the queueing punters feeling happy and in the whole Flower Power mood of peace and love quite literally brings to mind the lyrics;
“When we were younger
We thought everyone was on our side
Then we grew a little
And romanticized the time I saw
Flowers in your hair”

Loved and flocked is the mock up of the Abbey Road zebra crossing with the Beatles life size cut outs in their hippy days attire and the brace of vintage fiat 500’s looked very hip, strategically parked near the huge “it’s only Rock n roll but I like it” sign across the street.

Once beyond the Pacha turnstile and in the entrance area before you get into the club itself there is a little hippy market selling peace love and flower apparel such as hippie chick head dresses for the girls and black Hendrix wigs for the guys and much other vintage and retro paraphernalia on sale, not least the Lennon and Elvis sunglasses.

For the not so hardcore flowers just inside on the left lay a smaller more lively area playing varied tunes and indeed deep in the club up the stairs are some other hidden music areas pulsing all kinds of music new and old then so the venue does cater for all!

The main downstairs area was heaving with true Flower Power die hards of all nations and all ages coming together for one long rip roaring party covering the 50’s 60’s and 70’s with an amazing light show – indeed a tangerine dream before your very eyes.

As the evening and early morning played out with so many live acts on raised stages and platforms dancing and signing along to such legends as the Supremes, Elvis, the Doors, the Stones, John Lennon, the Beatles the Marvelettes it felt like a true time tunnel experience and a step back into another dimension like exiting a time machine in the heart of the flower power days surrounded by the crowd at the isle of wight festival or Woodstock.

One of my favourite moments of the carnival is the yellow submarine moment and the easy rider parade were the energy and the originality strike a cord for sure and even if you don’t totally appreciate the idea certainly the spectacle is unmissable.

Amen to Flower Power.

Flower Power is every Monday through till Sept 26th Closing Party at Pacha

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