I Love New Year
Centennial Hall, Wroclaw, Poland
Saturday, December 31, 2011
It’s slowly becoming a tradition for me celebrating New Years Eve in Centennial Hall in Wroclaw. The I Love New Year party was celebrating its 5th anniversary this year and yes, I did enjoy it. I must admit when I first saw the line up I wasn’t really looking forward to it. Only Kyau & Albert were on my "need-to-see-asap" list. I’ve seen Roger Shah once before and his uplifting melodies didn’t win my more techy heart anymore and as for Markus Schössow and Orjan Nilsen I haven’t heard them playing live before so I didn’t really know what to expect.
Nice surprise right at the beginning, as there were no queues at the entrance nor at the cloakroom. We entered the dance floor together with Markus Schössow. I reached my usual spot, front and center, and already bumped into friends. As for a warm up set, starting nearly at 10 PM Markus did a fantastic job! Pure energy! I was going crazy dancing to the sounds of "Cosmic Gate – Be Your Sound", "Coldplay – Paradise (Fedde le Grand Remix)" or "Marcel Woods – Advanced (Tiësto Remix)".
Let’s continue with another act and prepare for another part of my "musical heroes" story. Those of you who follow my reviews surely know Kai Tracid is my biggest hero. In the same time and country Mr. Ralph Kyau and Steven Moebius were also producing as Kyau vs. Albert and had the same influence on my actual love to trance as Kai. Therefore it was also my dream to hear them playing live and that dream came true this NYE. I was lucky to bump into Steven aka Albert just before their set and yes I did use that opportunity to take a picture (I must admit, when in contact with my teenage heroes I act like a groupie sometimes :P). Short after it was their time behind the decks. Each new track was better than the previous one, perfect combination of new tracks, all time classics and their own productions and remixes. I was jumping like crazy to tracks like "Are You Fine?", "Megashira", "Be There 4 U", "A Night Like This" (my favourite!), "Painkillers", their remix of "You Got To Go" by Above & Beyond and "Loverush UK feat. Bryan Adams – Tonight In Babylon". Watching Ralph and Steven going crazy on the stage was making me go crazy even more (if that was even possible!). At this moment I can honestly say I was mad at the organisers for letting them play for only 70 minutes! I could easily go all night! Even now, writing this review I’m listening to my Kyau & Albert playlist :). Together with two friends of mine we rushed to the back side of the stage and managed to take pictures with both the boys. That was when I knew this party is complete for me and nothing will change my fantastic mood.
Before I start describing the midnight madness, few words about the stage. Right behind the decks there was a huge L.E.D. screen. Above the stage there was a shell-a-like thing also build from L.E.D. screens, but smaller ones. When all the visualisations were on and you were standing at the railings it felt like 3D. The only thing I didn’t like were the artist intros. On the screens we saw men faces aging and a name of the artist at the end, it all acompanied by the music I know from volleyball games, totally not in the place. Seriously I can’t remember any other worse intros, especially the music! One thing I just MUST thank the VJs for… I couldn’t believe my eyes when at the huge screen I saw snap shots from TV series Moonlight with my favourite TV actor Alex O’Loughlin. Yes, at that moment I enjoyed the visualisations more than music. :)
Kyau & Albert finished their set 30 seconds before midnight so we all started the countdown 3… 2… 1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Tons of confetti, fireworks and even fireworks on the L.E.D. screens and sound of champagne bottles opening were surrounding us. Soon after the first moments of euphoria Simon & Fang started their Power Hour. I didn’t hear much of it as I was with my friends celebrating 2012 in the beer tent. As always it was nice to see all the familiar faces. We spent some time there as the next artist were Chocolate Puma and I’m not really into their style, sorry. I only know their "Always & Forever" which they played at the end when I was sitting at the tribunes.
Roger Shah was going up next and the beginning was "Going wrong". Hope you don’t mind my word game, but I’m just not a fan of this track he did with Armin. Roger was with his famous, tiny keyboard doing live act every few minutes. I thought I’ll just enjoy his set resting at the tribunes, but when I heard the first sounds of "Lost" under his Sunlounger alias I just couldn’t keep myself in the place. I rushed to the dance floor – I guess my dancing urge was a bit too big as I slipped from the last, tiny step and twisted my ankle (happily nothing broken!). That didn’t stop me hahaha! After checking if I still can walk I went to my usual place – front & center. You can say I’m crazy, but it was impossible for me to sit while tracks as: "Roger Shah feat. Moya Brennan – Morning Star", "Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan – Silence", "Roger Shah – Back To You", "Paul van Dyk – For An Angel" (live act) or "Roger Shah & Signum – Healesville Sanctuary" were playing. And when Filo & Peri feat. Audrey Gallagher – This Night" was on I suddenly got emotional and shed a tear. At this place I must admit Roger played much, much better than at the first time I saw him. I enjoyed the whole set and was dancing despite my hurting foot. :)
Roger was followed by the "man of the moment" as many name him. After hearing all this amazing productions and remixes I was really excited to see and hear Ørjan Nilsen live and boys and girls it sure was worth waiting for! So much energy, beautiful melodies and filthy beats. With his own tracks like: "The Mule", "Legions", "Between The Rays", "Viking" or "Tiësto – Traffic (Arnej Remix)", "Richard Durand feat. Hadley – Run To You" or "Ferry Corsten & Armin van Buuren – Brute" it was impossible not to dance like crazy. The only thing I missed was Ørjan’s remix of "Blue Fear" by Armin, I’m a big fan of this one.
Last in the line up was Polish "Next DJ". In only 45 minutes he managed to play hits like "Aly & Fila – Lost Language", "Simon Patterson – Smack" or "W&W vs. Jonas Stenberg – Alligator Fuckhouse" (I love this one, massive!). This set I spent at the tribunes, dead tired. Soon, at 6 AM it was all over.
Yet another fantastic night to remember. Big thanks to MSM Events for continuing this amazing NYE parties. Thanks to Roger Shah, Markus Schössow and Ørjan Nilsen for amazing sets. Biggest musical thank you must go to Kyau & Albert – I had the best time during this set and the energy coming from the guys… I just definitely must see these two again and then again and again :) Lately I noticed no party is as good as when you have your friends around, so I wanna thank Konrad, Rafal, Darek, Mondzia, Ula, Filip, Kasia, Paulina and others for making it more memorable!
Reviewed by: Beata Borgosz
Event courtesy: MSM Events
Photo Gallery
Check out the entire photo gallery from I Love New Year – courtesy Anna Bogalecka & Beata Borgosz.
Nice party-report Beata. Gotta say i like it that you were going crazy on one of the new Above & Beyond tracks. It may have been the Kyau & Albert remix, but still, it is Above & Beyond who did that track at the first place, and you know how much I love them :)
Roger Shah’s playlist doesn’t sound bad either. Especially the older tracks like Silence are the ones I’d love to hear as well. And I have to agree with you on the “going wrong” thing. That’s something where Armin really did go wrong in his career imo.
And hope your ankle is better again. Something like that could ruin your whole night, but I’m happy to read that at least your night wasn’t ruined by it :)