Can I just start by saying how impressed I was at the opening of club Eden in San Antonio last night? Having not been to Eden for many years, I must admit that I headed to the club with some trepidation at what the night had in store – except of course seeing house legend Mark Knight.
As I am welcomed by the friendly door girl and led to my table, I don't recognise the club from what it was a few years back. Instead I am encapsulated by a futuristic playground reminiscent of a dark Stanley Kubrick 'A Clockwork Orange', including sleek lounge seating dotted over the entirety of the club, and unique LED light designs on the ceilings and walls adding to the sci-fi futuristic feel of the club - an Eden of the future.
Drinks are flowing. It is just turning 1am and the people are starting to crowd in and the party people already inside are holding their own to the sound of Prok & Fitch, who are playing captivating bass lines with funky house samples. Perfect music to get the predominantly English crowd to warm up the dance floor.
As it turns 2.30am, the lights dim down, the smoke machine is turned on, and everyone starts to let loose. Prok & Fitch start putting on their last tracks before Mark Knight comes on, one of the tracks being a Kink remix of Cloud Generator, a sure-to-be club anthem of 2015. As Mark Knight comes on I see one fan in particular waving and flailing his arms as he gets out a homemade banner stating “MARK KNIGHT IS HOUSE”. That beautiful moment when Mark looks up and gives him a thumbs up and Fan Boy melts into the ground.
As Mark starts his set the rhythm gets a little bit faster, the music feels a little bit louder and the crowd just a little bit wilder. The music powerhouses right through the club with an urgency that you can't ignore, streaming at us through the newly decked sound system. I soon catch a Mark Knight original, Be Real, an Ibiza-vibe house track that the crowd absolutely eats up. Following Mark Knight we have Tom Crane back-to-back with Grant Collins and Dermot C who will play until close. Unfortunately I have to deck out before I catch the latter half of the line-up but I am sure I am leaving the club in good hands.
Aside from the music, Eden seems to be well on its game. The drink prices are affordable in comparison to many of the major clubs, and there was even a free glow in the dark face paint corner to add a little colour to the evening. My only criticism about the layout of the club being that the DJ booth is elevated too high for the people up close to see the DJ, creating a slight gap in the audience – but to be honest, as soon as the club filled up, you didn't even notice it. Let's hope for a good season for Eden this year!
WORDS | Maya Dupont PHOTOGRAPHY | James Chapman
