I must just start off by again apologizing for the lateness of another piece, but to be completely honest the Smirnoff boys and girls threw such a monster weekend that we have barely recovered – if you compound the nights (and sunrises) with the lunches that had to follow for a few days, a stint in the Stellenbosch health hydro was the only thing stopping us from certain death (we just escaped – those bastards don’t let you drink???)!

When we interviewed Markus Schulz the day before the party we could see in his eyes that he was about to do something special! Sometimes people who are the best at what they do know it and want you to know it. Markus was like the genius who just wanted to play – to make people come alive and make the party epic – he is without question one DJ we are going to follow half way around the world to be a part of again! You don’t ‘see’ this dude play – you live it, and sitting in a boardroom listening to him say his influences range from Pink Floyd, Rock n Roll, dance right through to electro we began to realise what an epic evening lay ahead!

When his set came on late into the evening it all finally came alive for me!

All the containers of culture, lifestyle and music that had crossed paths through the sky to various places around the world finally sunk in. He conducted the mood of the crowd like a master and I remembered what it was like to be a part of a truly amazing party when the DJ, venue, crowd and all the elements come together! You put your arms in the air and feel time slow to a standstill as you dance through the perfection that takes control of you!

At the press conference the day before (yes we were media – god helps us all) someone said this is bigger than a party, this is about the globe sharing a night together and at the moment when the confetti boomed out of canons onto the floor, that’s exactly what I felt.

Twelve countries around the world were sharing a moment of pure Nirvana through music (and to be fair a large amount of Smirnoff).

What I always find amazing though is how those nights somehow disappear into mornings of absolute pain! I think I could actually hear my kidneys screaming like those weird things in Harry Potter that scream when you pull them out the ground!

If you know that beautiful scene from the Hangover when they find the Tiger you will realize the state we were in come Sunday. . .

Fortunately nothing that a little bash at the Company of Wine People DUCK POND, 350 of our closest friends (and clients) and 10 Lambs who laid down their lives to slowly rotate over hot coals to save my hangover, couldn’t fix!

Thank you to the stellar ladies from FD who got us on tour – we hope we didn’t let the side down and to Baglett for keeping the competition winner entertained at dinner (with limited success ) and us as well (with great success)!