Pikes On Sundays is the weekend event that garners classy clubbers and discerning electronic music heads alike. Curated by The Brothers Grim (Mark Broadbent and Andrew Livesey) this vibrant party has been taking over the seventh day at Pikes for the past five years.
A day to night fiesta that takes you from the hotel's poolside, to the intimate Freddie's discotheque, Tales of the Unexpected's nighttime segment stands out from the crowd. Each installment brings the hottest and most exclusive electronic dance music acts to Ibiza.
Last Sunday's event brought eager crowds who were keen to wrap up their weekends in style. Pikes, with its Balearic debauchery and Feel My Bicep, a label showcase with a difference.
Ten years ago, Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar were two mates that started a blog which posted the very best in rare disco selects, dance floor oddities and forgotten yet legendary club classics.
Riding the 21st-century house renaissance whilst significantly impacting UK dance music culture, the Belfast-born duo would go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed underground electronic acts in this modern era. Their name is Bicep.
Growing up following the Feel My Bicep posts and watching the duo's Boiler Room sets was for many young ravers (including myself) a source for inspired club music.
When their self-titled album released in 2017, tracks like Aura, Opal and Glue were the defining tunes of that electric Ibiza summer.
Their label, named after the blog, is famed for releasing futuristic sounds tinged with nostalgic tones. Artists like Hammer, Brassica, James Shinra and others have dropped EPs that have become widely sought after by record selectors around the world.
Now, it's not often that Bicep plays Ibiza, so when Pikes On Sundays announced a Feel My Bicep showcase with very very special guests tipped to play, excitement levels peak amongst the San Antonio clubbing fraternity.
The stage was set for a memorable party at the infamous hotel venue. Here's what went down.
In typical Pikes on Sundays fashion, both the sun and tunes were blazing by the time I arrived in the late afternoon. Across the Pikes complex, guests were enjoying a restful day in the most leisurely ways.
Whether it was tucking into a succulent roast dinner in Plaza Mayor, basking in the sun next to the iconic hotel pool or sipping cocktails whilst seated in the water, you couldn't get a more relaxing environment if you tried.
The resident DJs were playing a mix of downbeat grooves from past decades, a chilled-out blend which hit all the right notes.
As day transitioned into night, swimsuits were swapped for nightwear as the Tales of the Unexpected attendees began to arrive. Pre-drinks were accompanied by tracks like Funky Kingdom, which eased people into the party mood.
As midnight approached it was time for the first act of the evening. Hammer began his set to a growing crowd on the Freddies dance floor.
Lifelong Bicep collaborator, the DJ, whose real name is Rory Hamilton, was also a fundamental part in the early Feel My Bicep blog. His early door party selections were broad-ranged, flicking between heavy groove disco cuts and breakbeat thumpers like the Kluentah remix of Restraint.
Crowds fluctuated between the various rooms of Pikes, slowly filling up the nooks and crannies of the venue. Every partygoer had one thing on their mind: were Bicep going to make an appearance?
At 01:00 prayers were answered as the famous double act made their way into the hallowed DJ booth. Their arrival was met with an elevated level of exhilaration.
Bicep are well known for their deep record digging capabilities. Their set reflected this fact as they played out a menagerie of tracks which were leftfield by nature, but each one a banger in its own right.
Also evident was their loyalty to label signees, playing out unreleased DeFeKT and creating a super high-octane dancefloor moment.
By this point of the evening, the dancefloor was packed. This all added to the appeal of an adventure with Tales of the Unexpected, dancing side by side in close quarters with fellow beaming club enthusiasts.
By 02:00, what the crowd needed was some peak-time house rollers to keep the energetic momentum going. Bicep provided this in spades, with tunes like Parade Rain by Brame & Hamo.
One of the things said about Pikes is that you can check-in, but you can never check-out. It's believed this ideology applies to memorable nights spent within the Balearic sanctuary - the parties you'll never forget, so to speak. This was especially true for the Bicep surprise set.
Once the dual DJing team had finished, Hammer took over once again. Taking the remaining clubbers home with a string of grooving beats. Respect must be given to Hammer as his energy did not waiver at all, putting all his passion into those remaining hours.
Impressively, he played East Dancer by Low Tape, which comes from the obscure Australian label Nerang Recordings (of which I am a big fan). After this moment, I was aurally satisfied and joined my peers in the bed strewn garden for the rest of the morning.
Upon leaving, I passed by some neon signage which held a very poignant message.
Well, at Pikes you definitely can - especially over the weekend. Pikes On Sundays has some killer dates ahead with some amazing artists set to play.
RUF DUG, Krystal Klear, Denis Sulta, Haai and some secret yet to be announced guests will play every Sunday until the closing on 20 October. The next edition this coming Sunday 25 August, is one such date. Who'll be joining Jeremy Weeks and Jon Woodall in the booth?
Make sure you check-in to check out this hedonistic destination in the future very soon.
