Mostly hidden from the street behind a high white picket fence, Es Vive courtyard is a striking space, with creatively lit palm trees drawing the eye from a lush and luxurious pool area up to the gorgeous art deco trimmings that characterise this multi storey design triumph. I was here for the free food though, obviously.
As the official Ibiza partnership hotel for the Burn Studios DJ Competition, Es Vive was hosting the latest stage in what is now the most prestigious DJ competition in the world. The event began with the aforementioned complimentary nosh and drink, which was some of the nicest I've enjoyed at openings so far and went some way to making up for the lousy weather.
Once fed, watered and wined we made our way into the Es Vive Experience Bar to hear what the 19 Burns Studio Residency finalists had to offer. Raked in from across the globe, all entrants clearly had something special about them and, though not without hiccup, all sets were delivered with energy and skill. I say sets, but these budding DJs were given only about twenty minutes each to impress both crowd and judges. This of course flew by in a heartbeat, which must have been bittersweet for the artists, but certainy kept things interesting for the guests. Much respect to all entrants but it wouldn't be a review if I didn't have some favourites, and in this case the star of the night was easily Miss Soulfly from Croatia. She had a seriously funky, dark and twisted style and her energy in the booth was contagious.
It was a very friendly environment at Es Vive last night, with successful entrants from last year joining in to support the 2013 talent, alongside several notable figures on the scene. Good luck to the young DJs during their exhilarating bootcamp and Es Vive - we'll be seeing you and your juicy fillet steak again soon.
