Written by Patrick Devaney

For years now, the place to host your off OFFSónar party has been El Poble Espanyol on Barcelona’s mini mountain, Montjuic. “The little village,” purpose built to showcase the different architectural styles of Spain is just too inviting for those hoping to put a party on in the most amazing of surroundings. Innervisions, Woomoon, Drumcode, and Knee Deep in Sound were all putting on parties there this year, but it was the Secretsundaze party with Joy Orbison and Antal that we were looking forward to attending most.

Secretsundaze have been coming to Sónar for years now. Having put on parties in smaller venues like La Terraza and the expansive Parc Del Forum they know how to work all types of crowd into a summer sweat at Sónar. This year’s site at the Carpa & Picnic area of El Poble Espanyol, however, seemed perfect for the London crew to do their thing. As soon as we got there we knew they weren’t going to let us down.

As well as Joy Orison and Antal, the lineup promised Lakuti, Funkineven b2b with Byron The Aquarius, and Dekmantel Soundsystem. It was the Dekmantel team who were on the decks when we arrived and their sound seemed to be the perfect backdrop to explore the gorgeous site that was laid out before us. Arriving about four hours after kick off we were welcomed by a crowd that was already warming up in the summer sun and a dance floor well on the way to reaching capacity.

The dance floor lay sunk between the towering stage and the idyllic picnic area that sloped up off to the back. After touring the dance floor we headed back to the picnic area, and with Dekmantel playing away flopped into some deck chairs and took in the crowds. What we found were young pleasure seekers, well-dressed to soak in the sun, and well on the way to the euphoria that only outdoor parties can deliver. Tops were off all around as the sun blazed away, and then before too long Antal started drawing everybody to the dance floor.

From then on it was African drums and dreamy vocals as more and more people found there way to the party. The sun was starting to set as Joy Orbison took to the decks and began playing the type of music that makes people forget that the sun is going down and embrace the night ahead. Surprisingly though, and perhaps a little disappointingly, Joy Orbison wasn’t to take us home. As the dance floor was really bouncing the Secretsundaze residents to the decks and it was there job to see us through to the, which admittedly they did well. Despite the headline act not seeing out the show next to nobody left before the end.

For us then, and for everyone else around us, perched on the side of a tiny mountain in the self-styled capital city of the Mediterranean, Secretsundaze @ Off Sonar came together perfectly. The music was good, the venue was amazing, and the only real problem was that it all had to finish when the clock struck midnight.

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