Anyone who lives on Ibiza will know that the journey to a venue can be as exciting as the party itself. My journey left every cell in my body buzzing. It was that familar experience of learning more about the island that left me thanking the universe for my living situation. Feeling overwhelmed as ever, I made my way over to Destino for the first time. My excitement levels kept rising further as we drove into the wilderness towards the opening of Luciano & Friends.
Destino fed my new experience side. The contrasting blues of the crystal clear pool and the ocean in the distance impressed me like never before. Talk in the office had riled me up to visit the most beautiful venue on the island, yet I was still left speechless.
Entertaining the ever-growing crowd was South African's DJ Shimza. His expressive mixing style could have made the music for Jurassic Park. Shimza took experimentation to the next level. The words, "If house is a nation, I want to be president" matched his lips as he charmed the crowd in closer with piercing vocals and tribal samples.
With such an infectious aura, I had to sit down with Shimza to talk about his appearances on Ibiza. As expected he was as grateful as anyone DJing alongside Luciano can be: "It's so important for me to play on this island. It's where people come to see what's hot. I think being unique is what people like here. Listening to Luciano helped me mould my sound towards what the people of Ibiza like, without forgetting or losing who I am."
One of the best things about the island is watching DJs grow. This is certainly what Shimza is doing at an impressive rate, "I love the vibe here at Destino so much; it is a dream come true for me. I can be myself."
The entire dancefloor had filled by the time Guy Gerber took to the booth. He opened with Radio Slave's Rj. What seemed like loyal fans found their space and mingled through the crowd. To the left of me stood a lad dressed as a crab and to the right a catwalk model. Destino had room for everyone. The open air venue surely had flight passengers above pointing in amazement as Call You Back by Josh Butler and Bontan vibrated the impressive sound system.
With no time to settle between the transition from Gerber to Luciano, the ten-time DJ Awards nominee took to the decks like a king to his throne. The crowd's infectious energy resembled that of the remarkable light show, and Luciano matched the buoyant tribal theme with Tribalation's Why Did You Do That? Just like that, Destino's opening had yet again set the bar for the season.
