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Ayia Napa 11-25 July 2001. A personal account from Solomon Malcolm.

July 2001 was my third consecutive summer in Ayia Napa, and my fortnight out in Cyprus put me in good stead to comment on the changes over the past 3 years.

1. Ayia Napa 2001 - Has Napa had its day?

2. Why Ayia Napa is important to the UK Garage scene

3. Much improved for 2001: Nissi Beach Bar

4. Little Charlie, the 12 year old dj sensation from Ascot.

5. "Charlie Brown's" Insomnia With special guest DJ: MC CKP!

6. Clubbing Tour

7. The Meaning of the Booo! To boo or not to boo!

8. Blagging in Ayia Napa

9. Ayia Napa and drugs.

10. Dangers of mopeds and motorbikes

11. What could kill off the Ayia Napa clubbing scene - Trouble in Ayia Napa

1. Ayia Napa 2001 - Has Napa had its day?

This has been said many times in the past about Ibiza and similar forecasts of doom have been heard out in Napa. However, Ibiza has continued and gone from strength to strength being an institution in its own right. The same could be said for Ayia Napa. In the year2000, Ayia Napa exploded and it was the place to be last year. Many feared the over exposure and commercialism would kill it off. The locals were said to be fed up with the drunken antics of holidaying Brits, whom they wished would stay in Ibiza.

Well that was the rumours and whispers. I was among the doubters. As I said in my report last year, as long as Garage music is popular in the UK and the accompanying 'Ayia Napa' compilation CDs are still flooding the record charts, the resort would still be a much sought after clubbing holiday destination.

When I arrived in Ayia Napa in Cyprus, in July 2001, the resort and music had improved and moved forward. It was definitely not dying. To begin with, the surrounding roads to the main square were paved over for pedestrian access, making the centre much bigger. More ultra modern themed bars had opened up in the pedestrianised zones, such as Hollywoods, Titanic, Planet etc. These bars were taking some of the crowds away from the square, which did not seem as packed as in previous years.

Along Nissi Avenue, many lavish newly built hotel complexes and apartments had opened up for the tourist trade. They were expecting an increase in business and they were not wrong.

Ayia Napa, Cyprus is like Ibiza is a haven for the clubbing holidaymakers in the Mediterranean. In this regard I believe the resort has made the most improvement. There are 3 musical tastes catered for in Napa. Garage is the main one followed by RnB/swing along with Hard House and Trance.

You will find the 3 genres in abundance in Napa. There are clubs that play all 3 in different rooms under one roof like the Castle Club. Others with single arenas like Mythology, Pzazz, Abyss etc play each on different nights depending on the promoters. There are now 3 after hour clubs catering for the 3 types of music: Garage @ Insomnia; Hard house and Trance @the club upstairs the Reggae River Bar, RnB/swing @ the Aqua Club opposite Club Desire close to the Buzz Bar. The latter also boasts the only club in Napa with an indoor swimming pool and is always packed out. So it is not strictly true to refer to Ayia Napa has a 'garage resort' as it isn't.

To fully experience Napa, seven days is far too short. You need at least two weeks, however ten days could suffice. The reason being, if you are out for just a week, it may take you some time to get into the swing of things. You may have just got used to the place by the fifth day and realise you may only have one full day left. Also with a week there is a tendency to ram everything in hurriedly and you may not really enjoy things as the time goes by quickly. Another reason, you may come down to hear a top name dj who is resident at a club on a certain night. If you are new to Napa or arrive on the night of the residency you may miss the rave. Or you may arrive late or not enjoy the night for some reason and go away thinking it was not all that. If you are there for 10-14 days you should have time to check it out the following week and see what it is really like.

2. Why Ayia Napa is important to the UK Garage scene

I do know some people who were out there who are returning later this summer. Some people go 2-3 times each summer. They are not djs promoters or work out there. They enjoy the music atmosphere in clubs which is totally different to what you will find in the UK or London. Also they go for the holiday romance which the resort is also famous for! I found that some of the better (if not the best) garage raves I have ever been to were in Ayia Napa. See my reports from 99 and last year.

As mentioned above there have been many rumours that Napa will blow out this year as it gets too commercial, with too much garage. The press have said you keep hearing the same tunes over and over again in the different bars in the square and in clubs. Well one has to make the distinction between the commercial garage as heard on the compilation CDs, such as the 'Pure Garage' series, or the many 'Ayia Napa' garage compilations that have flooded the market. Those tunes are popular but the top djs could not play them in the clubs, neither could the club owners cut costs by just playing the said CDs in the venues with an mc. It won't work, as I will explain in my report on Nissi Beach below.

The UK Garage scene started off in London, as DJ Scott Garcia's old school anthem "It's a London thing!" told the story. MC Creed at last year's garage awards at Camden Palace said: "We turned a Sunday night into an whole industry". Nothing proves this more than Ayia Napa.

If you love garage the pinnacle of the clubbing experience is Ayia Napa. Everyone is up for it in the clubs. The crowd is livelier and into the music, so are the djs. You just have to perform and be at your best if you are behind the decks or on the mike. Everyone is clued up and they won't tolerate any crap when out clubbing. They want to hear different versions, remixes, test pressings, dub plates, exclusives etc and to witness the DJs skills behind the decks, such as, mixing, blending, scratching etc. No two sets are the same as the jocks often drop the commercial or hot tunes differently.

The clubs are open for shorter hours than in the UK, 1am to 4am. However most clubbers don't arrive till 2am when the square closes. So from 2-4am (for want of a better expression) is the 'golden hour'. That condensed time is pure madness and adrenalin which can not be found in the UK.

Coupled with the fact that you are playing in front of the whole UK garage audience under one roof: clubbers from Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Wales, Scotland, Ireland etc and not just the London crowd. One criticism sometimes made about the top name London DJs, by clubbers in the regions, is that they have been known to play half hearted sets when outside the capital and not the same as they would do in front of a London crowd.

The irony is that to play in front of the UK garage crowd in one venue, you don't play in the UK, you have to go to Ayia Napa. As a result of this, 'the Napa experience' is unforgettable and the resort is the place to impress where reputations are made or broken.

One thing I did notice some of the "warm up djs and mcs" at the beach or in the bars in the square. They were often younger or unknown to the crowds. They were generally quite impressive. I assumed they were all from London, England but a few of them were from Manchester, England and were just as clued up to the music as the Londoners and you could not tell even by their mike accents! I think out from London, the next region to make a storm will be the DJ crews from Manchester, England

That is why Ayia Napa is important to Garage music as well as clubbing in general. Ibiza is bigger, older more established and in some cases better, and could outlive Napa, but Ayia Napa has its strong points too, the said 'Napa Experience' being the main one.

Some say Garage music always attracted the posers in their latest expensive designer garments. Inside the clubs champagne was guzzled down none stop. Insomnia even had a separate champagne bar! Among the clubbers some all male groups had no food in their apartments and ate out all the time. But their fridges were packed with champagne!

The latest clubbing accessory in Ayia Napa was the digital camcorder. They were everywhere not just on the beaches or at Nissi Beach Bar. In the Square and in the clubs they were commonplace as you saw someone with the gadgets with the tiny 2.5 inch LCD screen flipped open

3. Much improved for 2001: Nissi Beach Bar

Nissi Beach has always been the liveliest beach in Ayia Napa, Cyprus where all the clubbers congregate, with their ghetto blasters. There is a mixed crowd of younger and older and is multi racial. Over the weekends a lot of Cypriots come down to take in the beach. The families tend to go to the beaches close to Ayia Napa's harbour, which is close to the centre of the resort. Nissi Beach boasts a number of attractions, such as the towering Australian Bungee jumps, as well as a host of water sports, such as scuba diving, para gliding, water-skiing. You name it all water tastes are catered for.

There has been a fairly large beach bar similar to the types found in Ibiza, which has been there for the past few summers. However, unlike Ibiza there were no djs playing music, only CDs being played on the in house system. Yes the Ayia Napa garage compilations were played none stop!!

Well in 2001 things have changed and a dj box has been installed with a proper sound system. Every afternoon, the top name DJs and MCs on the major promotions are at the beach bar playing to the lively beach masses. The sets feature freebies, fun and games, with guest list entry for the winners. There were always eager hopefuls keen to take part in the contests for: dancing, limbo, and drinking etc. Spoony, DJ Natty, Nick Power, Chilli Sauce, Brian Norman, Heartless Crew, Little Charlie, MCs:CKP, Creed, Viper, Ranking were among the names down there.

At this point I should once again re-iterate the difference in the two clubbing holiday resorts. Ibiza has many beach bars which are an attraction in themselves where the top djs play during the day time, famous for its 'chill out' sounds. Ayia Napa only has the one at Nissi Beach.

Another point about Nissi and Ayia Napa. The atmosphere here is different and people act differently when away from home. I got paranoid at first when everybody kept staring at me when I was dancing at the beach bar. I was dancing the way I normally do back home and during my previous visits to Napa. I am not shy to be the first on the floor. When the music moves me, I dance and I like to take advantage of the space.

Soon the MCs were bigging me up and the people were 'booing (that is actually meant as a compliment not an insult) and coming just to watch me dance! I was dubbed the "Jumping Jack Dread" by MC Viper and the "Bouncing Dread" by MC Bushkin of the Heartless Crew. Some thought I was a paid dancer! This has never happened in London. Things were going crazy. Under such circumstances I just go through the motions, I tend to work off a lively crowd and atmosphere which makes me more creative.

As I walk down the street or in clubs I was bigged up all the time. I soon found myself being put on the guest list for clubs as the promoters were on the look out for lively people. Another point, a lot of people kept asking where I got the energy from and wondered if I was taking anything. So one afternoon I wore my finisher's tee shirt for this year's London Marathon. If you can do the marathon in 4 1/2 hours without feeling tired or in pain then you can dance none stop no trouble!

I was also getting paranoid when the water soakers with their high powered pump action water pistols were targetting me, saying 'get the dread'.I thought were these guys out to start a fight or something as I did not know them. The leader was Ramsey from Barking, East London, who was the original Nissi Beach water terrorist.

Well I soon learned the rules of Nissi Beach and what constitutes a 'soaking offence'. Anyone who is different and stands out gets soaked. Yours truly fitted in perfectly with the dancing that was grabbing the attention. Another were the gorgeous women who were dancing or on the beach who acted too stuck up and unapproachable.

One such pretty blonde in a G-string while winding her hips gave the blokes bigging her up the middle finger salute. Heartless Crew's MC Bushkin hailed her up, saying 'You think you're nice, give her a soaking!'

She was DRENCHED by every high-powered water pistol on the beach. She tried to get her own back by soaking Ramsey but she was again drenched. If you are drenched you should smile take it like a man and shake the hands of the soakers. You then of course got your own back by catching them unaware with a bottle of water, and then being counter soaked. It was harmless fun. The Heartless Crew -London, England,claimed to have started off the much seen activity of drive-by soaking on scooters.

One reason why Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa was far livelier this summer with an all new atmosphere and character was because of the arrival of live djs and MCs playing at the bar. The atmosphere was entirely different when they only played those 'Ayia Napa' garage compilation CDs at the bar.

4. Little Charlie, the 12 year old dj sensation from Ascot.

One dj who took Napa by storm when I was out there was 12 year old Little Charlie, the latest garage sensation. He has appeared on EZ's radio show Kiss 100 and also in the Daily Star. He made appearances at Nissi Beach and the crowds flocked to see him. Little Charlie is not a gimmick or a party piece. The young lad CAN DJ. He plays old and new in his set and can mix, blend and do a host of turntable tricks for the crowd. Furthermore he can also MC!

The crowd loved him wherever he went, and did sets at P'zazz, Ice and Abyss. His parents accompanied him and sister and his dad told me he would be getting a London residence soon, due to him being in demand, but his age made things difficult. However he will be learning how to do studio work and to do his own remixes and productions, from some of the leading names in the business. Little Charlie is one to keep an eye out for on the scene and seems to have a great future ahead of him. He was always surrounded by well wishers outside of clubs, he was the star of Napa!

5. "Charlie Brown's" Insomnia With special guest DJ: MC CKP!

As stated the clubs close at 4 am so if you are planning a blitz trying to take in as many clubs as possible you will only have less than 30 minutes in each venue. However for those up for it on closing time, (and who isn't?) there are the after party clubs, opening from 4-8am. The main garage one is Insomnia, opposite the Mcdonald's which is always packed inside. Entrance is a fiver with the flyers handed out or ?7 without.

The leading MCs such as Creed and CKP referred to it as "Charlie Brown's Insomnia" in memory of MC Charlie Brown who died earlier this year from leukaemia. His name was bigged up by them: ("When I say Charlie, you say Brown") and the crowd were urged to make a lot of noise for him, (thirty seconds none stop noise) as a mark of respect. As CKP said he would have been here in Ayia Napa right now with them and is deeply missed.

Like most things in Napa this year, the club took on an whole new character and was always lively with djs dropping different styles. All the top name djs and MCs appeared and some did shorter sets. The surprise guest DJ was none other than MC CKP!!! He only dj'd at Insomnia perhaps as tribute to late brethren MC Charlie Brown. CKP can mix and blend and rocked the crowd. Fellow member of the Specialists MC Blakey said "Ckp is a talented and creative brother, MCs don't just smoke weed all week while making up lyrics!"

One night at Insomnia went down a storm and was among the best ever. DJ Luck and MC Neat were down along with EZ,Masterstepz Creed, Viper,Image and many more.Btw the resident dj is Steve Feelgood. DJ Luck were on first and dropped old school Jungle which tore the place down! The crowd went wild. Later on Masterstepz changed the music entirely by playing dancehall ragga and classic revival! Tenor Saw's 'ring the alarm', Dennis Brown's 'Wolf and the shepherd' and Bob Marley's 'One Drop' Ayia Napa had a Blues dance inside Insomnia. What was missing was rare groove! That was one night not to be forgotten!

6. Clubbing Tour

With Ayia Napa becoming more popular the leading promoters from the UK are in the resort. Also some of the clubs have signed the top name DJs on exlusive residencies. For instance EZ only appears at the Gas Club and The Dreem Teem are based at Club Abyss. Ministry of Sound were at the Castle Club along with Sun City. However not everyone is pleased with said situation. Some of the exclusive deals are mega bucks that only the bigger clubs can afford, forcing many of the other clubs and established London promoters to the wayside. Some clubs have began to feel the pinch and were forced to close mid season. The situation has got to change and the clubs and promoters have got to find a way of working together for the good of everyone in Ayia Napa, otherwise dire consequences. However nice work while you can get it as an in demand DJ!

On Wednesday 18 July,2001 Karl Tuff Enuff Brown topped the bill along with Mike Ruff Cutt Lloyd for the Ministry's weekly night at the Castle. It was packed as usual with a very lively Napa crowd. Tuff Enuff Brown proved why he is one of the big name UK/2-Step Garage djs. In his set he played a mixture of old and new, commercial, 2 step, breakbeat, 4x4 garage. As well as exclusive dubs, remixes and test pressings. The crowd went wild and did not need an MC. They were screaming at every tune he dropped! I personally went crazy on the dance floor when he dropped the oldschool Tuffjam classic 'Tumblin Down'.

MC Sharky was the host. He won the Ayia Napa MC contest screened on the Fantasy Island documentary. That was one wicked night. He went back to back with Mike Ruff Cut Lloyd for the final hour.

Well in Sun City at the CastleClub the following night it was once again WICKED!!! second night in a row. Mike "ruff cut" Lloyd was again in the house along with Funky Smith. They were up against the Dreemteem at Abyss the same night and the crowd was up for it and lively. They weren't let down as the djs rocked the house!

Matt "jam" Lamont had a date at Club Desire, formerly the Spot Club, which is now run by the owners of the Warehouse Club in Edmonton, North London. I was expecting an old school set with a mixture of new, but he dropped mainly the commercial 2 step. which suited the clientele. Desire is less hardcore with Rnb, garage upstairs and commercial music in the main room where Matt Jam Lamont was. However it was cheaper to get in than a lot of the other clubs and the P.R.S in the square often gave out free entry flyers. The club also stays open till 6am with the one upstairs getting packed. So it doubles as the only commercial music after hours club!

Due to having EZ on an exclusive residency, the Gas Club was packed solid on the Exposure Nights. Other top London promoters, La Cosa Nostra also used the venue and rammed it as well. With the top mcs as well the nights at the Gas Club were large.

Club Abyss, Ayia Napa's new super club was also good on the nights I was there for the DreemTeem and Fresh and Funky.

The other new club, close to the square was the Rise club. It is the only club that is above street level, being on the top floor of a building with an open-air roof top chill out area. The Ice Club was also good when I visited for the garage nation promotions.

Club Mythology played hosts to different promoters each night. The main garage night was Tuesday with Da Syndicate hosted by Norris da boss Windross and MC Creed. Those nights were wicked. The Kool Club ran by Nick Power - who started off the clubbing scene in Napa - was based at the venue on Fridays.I was there on 13 July and they had a percussionist and saxophonist to enthral the crowd. The music for those nights is funky disco house. The highpoint was when the dj dropped Kool Club's exclusive house remix of "Do you really like it?" by Master of Ceremonies. Trust the Kool Club to come out with something new and different which worked. Also present that night was a couple of actors from Eastenders in Napa on holiday.

In Napa during July, the hottest RnB track is Usher' you remind of a girl I knew. The biggest garage tracks were 'Boo', by Ms Dynamite, 'Let's get serious',by Maxwell D; 'All I Do' by Cleptomaniacs and 'Flow' by MC Kie & Rose Windross.

Of the up and coming DJ crews, the one that seems to have a large following and rocked the house where ever they played was the Heartless Crew. DJ Fonti, alongside MCs Bushkin (Mr.'hold on!') and Mighty Mo.

What sets them apart from the others is that they play a mixture of music on their set, Ragga, jungle, RnB and not just Garage. They can entertain the crowd as Fonti can also MC and demonstrates his dance, known as the 'screechie bogle'.

Mighty Mo goes on the decks when he does. (It was interesting to note DJ Spoony demonstrating his MC skills at Twice as Nice held at Club Abyss on Tuesday 17 July! I don't think I need to say of the two DJs which one was better!) On Friday 13 July they were at Pzazz with Pure Silk for part 1 of Mighty Mo's birthday bash.

(The part two would be held on Friday 27 at the Temple club in Tottenham London.) That night was one wicked night.

Funky Smith played old school jungle, ragga in his set at the Beach Bar and finished off with some Rare groove and Jazz Funk from back in the day. I went wild when he dropped Atmosphere's 'Dancin in outer Space' It was good to hear one of my fave tunes on the beach.

As stated earlier the pinnacle of the garage scene is Ayia Napa there everything is up front. You will see the latest trends on the dancefloor. However I noticed some new styles others were doing such as the 'wrestling dance' where 2 or more guys grab each others arms like a Rugby scrum and Rock and shake each other in time to the beat! At first it looks like they are fighting but it is just a dance move!

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