SuperMartXe - "1st Anniversary" - Club Review

SUPERMARTXE “1ST ANNIVERSARY” – SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER
REVIEW FOR SEENQUEEN


When a virtually unheard of club brand across UK shores takes London by storm at its launch, attracting massive attention and gaining almost immediate popularity, effectively grabbing the gAylist scene by the throat & giving it a good old shake, it is very difficult not to get drawn into its charm, even if it comes with massive doses of overtness. Then, as event by event continued to cement its position close to the top of the pile in peoples choices, seemingly untouched by the ravages of economic downturn which has hit numbers across the capital’s clubs, the marking of 12 months being out there was always going to be a “roadblock”, but exactly to what extent?

We are, of course, talking about SuperMartXe, the Spanish superclub brand which is a major rival for fellow Espaniol supreme, Matinee, but in true fact having a completely different feel, thus attracting a more varied clientele. Brought to London by Logan Schmitz last November, SuperMartXe in the capital has not been without controversy, but has nevertheless continued to well & truly hit the headlines for much more good reasons than bad, with a sound reputation for scintillating stage shows, magnificent music and prolific production that many of its competitors can only dream of. Outstanding events have to be their “Peep Show” in May & “Under The Sea” in September, but what is quite surprising is that despite making such a splash on the scene, there have been just five parties since the launch, a testament to the pure power & regard that this club night holds.

So, we were definitely not going to miss out on the “1st Anniversary” party, even if much of the detail was kept firmly under wraps by Logan & his team, securing our ticket nearly three weeks in advance (just days after being released), so as not to be disappointed. To add to the excitement, we were to be joined for the evening my our fab clubbing pal Joel, who wanted to make the most of a rare long weekend off work and as the night drew closer more & more friends confirmed they would be there, so it seemed that it would be not just a collection of familiar faces, but more of a “who’s who” attendance, there clearly being a penchant for this special event.

Arriving at our characteristic timing of just turned midnight, which in recent events has proven the best timing, as the inclination for most has always been to get there early, this time it was different, as a massive queue was forming for pre-paid online ticket holders as well as those without, although with a “paper” one in out mitts, we were into the club within seconds (yes you heard us right), although our elation on such a swift entry was short lived as we had to negotiate a lengthy queue for the coatcheck, but at least our choice to stomach standing in the rain for the outside one proved to better & speedier one, with reports coming in that friends were waiting well over an hour inside, while others simply gave up. At least we also had Joel on hand who soothed our wait, thrusting a nice chilled can of beer into our hands & keeping us company throughout.

Once inside the club, it became apparent why there was the issue with the coatcheck, as The Coronet was absolutely rammed solid, as “the world & his wife” has clearly descended on SuperMartXe’s birthday bash, the bar area teaming with people clambering for refreshments and the huge dancefloor packed fuller than we had ever seen it before. Finding friends was like looking for needles in a haystack, although Joel was keen to hook up with some of his, but as it turned out they were still caught in the queues. So, instead we ventured down to the front by the stage, with the curtains still firmly shut, but taking the initial limelight was superstar Steve Pitron, who was serving up a delicious delectation of delightful disc’s, mixing uplifting and pleasurable tracks with a-typical SuperMartXe sounds that has the whole space screaming for more, hands in the air in adoration of his sparkling performance. And what a set it was, as the man was clearly in party mood, playing out a full 3 ¼ hours of fun filled frivolity, before eventually relinquishing his spot to Spanish resident recruit AB Garcia.

By this time, both in our confined spot by the stage and our limited trips squeezing through the crowds, we had managed to bump into a myriad of friends, including Matinee’s own Romano, Industri pal Jeremy & boyfriend Andy, off duty D.J’s Max Sanna & JC Christopher, Rupert Street pal Norbert, fellow Trade baby (well we were one once!) Rob, ex work colleague Darren, Barcode Manager Jeremy Precelton & partner Tim Banham, as well as a whole host of other familiar faces, all savouring the unique feel & vibe that SuperMartXe at the Coronet exudes. Then, with Joel off in search of pals Julian & Fergie, we were joined by Stephen, a victim of the coatcheck issues, bag & coat in hand & looking somewhat dejected, but it wasn’t going to spoil our expectation & enjoyment of the stage show to come, as AB Garcia’s entrance signalled the drawback of the curtains, revealing a gold spangled triple tiered stage, with over a dozen dancers all dressed in a variety of glittering costumes to befit the occasion. And with new D.J. recruit taking centre stage, the scene was set for another spectacular show, or was it?

With the usual superb lighting, the impact the dancers had in their elevated position, as well as the ticker tape & pyrotechnic explosions, made for quite an atmosphere, all the usual ingredients being present, as we have come to expect from SuperMartXe shows, and yet another regular ingredient, Therese, was there too and performed not once but twice throughout what seemed to be an everlasting display from Logan’s dancers, with A.B. Garcia skipping through a whole host of musical genres, from down & dirty euro-style house, through underground then uplifting and back again, definitely keeping the packed out main room on their toes. And it was clear that space was at a premium across the whole venue, as brief trips away from the stage took ages although the respites we did take, allowed us to bump into and catch up with familiar faces a plenty.

One such trip was extra special, as we fell upon the Rupert Street boys & gals, lauding it up on one of the VIP spots, which proved a perfect vantage point for both the constant showcasing by the dancers on the stage as well as providing a perfect view of the revellers on the dancefloor below, but the best thing of all was feeling of space away from the cramped space that was the main room. And my were they having a great time in this exclusive place, Oli, Vlad, Sylvester, Remy, Enrico, Brad (we love it when he calls us Jessica!), Cathy et all, really entering into the spirit & loving every minute.

But we were soon drawn back down onto the dancefloor & whilst A.B. Garcia’s style & music choices weren’t really doing it for us, when Nick Tcherniak took to the decks, we were going nowhere and found our stride dancing away deliriously to his incredible progressive, tech & electro beats that had a packed Coronet going wild, not least when he played a fab remix of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood classic “Relax”, pure magic! With boyf Tom still having fun with his braces next to us, & best pal Joel in close quarters, we saw out the rest of our stay at this special SuperMartXe event until close on 7 a.m., when the calling cries of “Beyond” were ringing through our ears & we departed with our clubbing friend to continue the party in Vauxhall.

So what of SuperMartXe’s 1st Anniversary party? Well, it was definitely true to say that it was a “roadblock” event, the venue absolutely rammed, many saying both during & after the party that it was probably too busy (can a club be too busy...well yes!), with hardly room to swing our hips for most of Steve Pitron’s set (well, we did our best!). Then, as more than a handful of people were very unhappy with the coatcheck issues (again!), the venue really let Logan & his team down on what should have been a “no-brainer” in terms of preparation for the massive numbers that turned out.

As for the party itself, well if our eyes were deceiving us we may have thought it was a “regular” SuperMartXe, nothing wrong in that at all, but being the 1st birthday, we concluded that it was a little lack-lustre, falling short of our expectations & the very high standards the promoter has set himself. The highlights were definitely a storming set by Steve Pitron and a terrific one by Nick Tcherniak, the low points, well the lack of space on the dancefloor, the somewhat ordinary stage show & Therese, she is good but it was hardly the surprise billing we were looking forward to. But, somehow, the night was, nevertheless, delightful, not least for all the friendly faces around & the company we kept. And anyway, Joel absolutely loved it, so that’s good enough for us. (DISCO MATT)