Paul Van Dyk! There, do we really need to say much more? The man cemented himself long ago into trance music folklore. In fact the last time was able to bear witness to the joy, that is a banging PVD set, was 17 years ago in Sydney Australia. And now just a short bus trip across the border from Kosovo to Macedonia, the magic was about to come alive.
The Metropolis Arena in Skopje Macedonia was sufficiently packed, and warmed up by the local duo tearing up the decks and feeding the already hungry crowd. A pair of young blokes (who’s names I cant remember for the life of me) showcasing their potential for the future. The scene is alive and well here in Macedonia, and forever growing with a young audience.
Instantly I felt surrounded by friends on the warm dancefloor, the lasers came up over the crowd and the sound system hummed through each and every one of us. Hands were in the air.
An awesome familiarity swept across the room as classics resonated straight into my ears. Almost like being in a time machine back to the glory days. I will not keep it a secret that for me the 90’s and 2000’s were some stunning days for trance. When Binary Finery 1998 dropped, my head nearly exploded. A room full of people swaying and grooving to the sweetest of sounds.
PVD was doing it just right.
Standard.
Another local legend kept us going early into the morning as not to leave us salivating after our spiritual PVD experience. Mashing up everything he could get his hands on to wind us down. The lights continued to tantalise and send us off into the night.
17 hours later, 5.5 hours return travel, 2 international border crossings, shitloads of new friends, 2 tired feet, and one face sore from smiling, I was home.
PVD, event organisers and especially Kushtrim at Rave Travel in Pristina, Kosovo, definitely “hooked a brother up”. Such a well organised event on their part at the Metropolis Arena and event organisers, PVD turning up and doing his thing with a smile on his face, spreading some seriously good vibes. And of course Kushtrim at Rave travel, your source of all things tickets in this part of the world.
We fought the universe. And won.
Might stick around to do it again next year?............
