Yesterday evening London’s leading beacon of live music transformed into a super club…
The 02 Arena often lacks credibility, it’s soulless commercialised design never really a hit with “real” music fans. That snobbery needs to be set aside because last night the Godfather of house and King of Ibiza, Mr. Pete Tong, transformed the shell-like vacuum into London’s leading super club.
From the opening strings of Fatboy Slim’s iconic ‘Right Here, Right Now’ hands were clasped together and tear filled eyes gazed at loved ones around the room.
This meant something.
There is something so moving at the collaboration between orchestra and dance – it’s feels almost primitive and as Tong and Jules Buckley unleashed iconic anthem after iconic anthem the emotion in the room became almost too much to bare. Here all ages came together and on brisk Thursday night worshipped at the shrine of dance. Frankie Knuckles ‘Your Love’ seemed particularly fitting with those around us bellowing the lyrics at one another as though it was the most important thing in their lives.
Seamlessly, each track blended into one another from Kolsch’s modern masterpiece ‘Grey’ to the iconic strings of ‘Insomnia’ each and every note was met with a wave of pure devotion to the music. Jessie Wares frankly sensational rendition of ‘Finally’ proved a highlight, her voice grasping onto the lyrics and convey a sense of nostalgia to the audience.
It was Cafe Del Mar – Tong’a visual tribute to the White Island that caused the first silence of the night, a moving moment where those glared at the images of the iconic Space and longed for the summer once more…
Visibly moved, Tong came from behind his decks to the front of this enormous venue he thanked his people and introduced Candi Staton for one final rousing rendition of ‘You Got The Love’ and we were sent back into the darkness with Ibiza already on our minds.
Watch the magical performance below:
Words By: Tom Wiltshire