Recently developing his new party concept, Nick Curly's Trust has been to places like BPM and Miami, and now smashed through Barcelona for Off Week.
Having never been to Barcelona before, the city has an electric feel about it, especially during Off Week. It's beautiful, easy to get around, and locations like ZT Hotel Villa Olimpica provide for lush poolside party venues.
Walking in just before 5pm, Shaun Reeves was keeping things rolling along with minimal shuffles. The crowd was still light but happy to be here - the calm before the storm. Groups lounged in the grass behind the pool, smoking joints and cooling off as Reeves begins picking it up with sleazy, bass heavy fair.
Getting high fives and whistles from the growing crowd gathered in front of the booth, Reeves effortlessly pushing the energy higher inch by inch with tracks like Mr. G's "Rum Trip Up and "Space Jazz Carnival" by Azymuth, minimal slices atop grooving bass giving the in the know crowd all the needed.
After grabbing a much needed and delicious mojito, I headed back over to the dance floor to catch D'julz, who was stripping things back after a huge finish by Shaun with his signature punchy house with tracks like the John Jastszebski remix of "Right Here" by Mancini (ManJas). From there, he cooled things down with laid back, funky disco sounds, a small string break getting arms up, people shouting for more.
As D'julz worked back into stomping minimal, it was too much for one man who was clad in neon hat and glasses with skin tight shorts and shirt - humping the ground, flailing about, even launching into the worm at one point - the place loved him.
Taking over for the Bass Culture boss, who finished with plenty more pumping, bass-face rhythms, Tobi Neumann pulled back into deeper, melodic territory with tracks like &ME's "After Dark." The now packed venue was turning into a full fledged party, everyone more than ready for something lighter and upbeat before Guti and Nick Curly finished things off - and Tobi happily obliged.
Cutting into tracks like Murk's timeless " Dark Beat (Addicted To Drums)" and Maceo Plex's huge remix of "Crossfade," fists pumped, smiles abounded and the energy soared, before Tobi ended his time behind the decks with Maceo Plex's edit of Aphex Twin's "Polynomial C."
Guti was up next, and by this time the combination of mojito bar and the Argentinian's funk heavy tech house and techno had the crowd in a frenzy. He powered through his set, clearly enjoying himself now that the sun had gone down. Twisting and turning behind his controller, he worked the packed floor with laid back pleasure, setting things up perfectly for the party's curator to take us home.
Nick Curly kept Guti's momentum going strong, giving the crowd exactly what they came for: Curly's well polished tech house - familiar, energetic, fun, with enough hip shaking rhythm to keep the party charged for hours. It was enough to get Guti in the floor in front of the booth for a dance, just in time for an end of party sit down.
By the time midnight rolled on through, it was clear Nick Curly's Trust had been a hit. The programming was spot on, each artist lending their own special magic to the day while complimenting the whole perfectly. The crowd was classy, happy and friendly, and after a boozy, sweaty day of dancing to top notch tunes, it was time to head back to the hotel for some much needed rest.
Watch the Be At TV footage of Nick Curly presents Trust Open Air here.
