Solomon's Travels to Ayia Napa 2000

3. Ayia Napa, is it the new Ibiza?

This has been said many times and perhaps one reason why the resort has exploded in 2000 making it the place to be this year. But is it? There are many cultural, political and musical differences.Ibiza has always had a very liberal attitude towards drugs and extravagant partying.It is also the original clubbing holiday destination.

During the 1960s,hippies used to flock to the island freely taking drugs and allowed to follow their way of life unhindered by the authorities. In the 70s it was was popular among the gay community who traditionally have extravagant parties. That is one reason why the clubs in Ibiza are so spectacular and larger than life. The island still has many gay beaches and resorts.

Acid House arrived on the island in the late 1980s in England. This was when holidaying British djs, (the likes of Oakenfold, Jules, Rampling) discovered the effects of mixing ecstasy with techno house music, which was so popular on the island in the summer of 1987. They took the formula over to England the following year, which gave birth to the illegal raves held in massive tents on farm fields. The massive fall out from that phenomena changed popular dance music has we know it and we are all feeling the effects as house music is firmly in the mainstream.

Now withAyia Napa the situation is different. With the flood of 'Ayia Napa' garage compilations cds on the market, a lot of people think the present 2 Step garage scene began there, like how Acid house began in Ibiza. That is not the case. The clubs in Ayia Napa tended to play commercial music. It was Nick Power (from Music Power Records, Ilford) www.garage-music.com/nickpower.htm who in the mid 90s began to play underground house and garage at the Kool Club. The other clubs soon took to the idea when they found out how popular it was among the holidaymakers from London.

DJ's of Pure Silk, who was on holiday in 97 with relatives, saw so many of the London garage crowd there. Fortunately he had his record box with him and they got a nightly slot at the Spot Club with Sammy of Confunktion. The Pure Silk vibe,long established at the SW1 club in London, worked and it was packed out every night. Soon the powerful P'zazz club approached them for a permanent residency. They became the first London based garage promoters estabished in Napa and garage took off big time. Pure Silk subsequently released the first ever 'Ayia Napa' compilation album the following year, which soon gave rise to the flood of 'Ayia Napa garage compilations' we see today. Unlike Ibiza, it was the London djs and club promoters who took the '2 step' garage sounds from London, England to Ayia Napa and not vice versa.

Ibiza has a more liberal approach to drugs and wild living, whereas the Cypriots are more reserved and conservative. Drugs carry heavy penalties and public use is *definitely* not given a blind eye by the public and authorities. Furthermore the drunkenness, loutish behaviour and sex in public has caught the eyes of many and sparked furious condemnation in the press.

The only connection is that the resorts are associated with a popular brand of music. Ibiza- house and trance, Ayia Napa UK Underground Garage, aka '2 step' garage. Presently in the UK, the 2 step garage has finally broken into the mainstream. Following the first national number one, 'Chocolate Boy' by Shanks and Bigfoot, there has been many hits and chart toppers in the national charts. Garage has become the most popular dance music the year 2000. Leading garage djs/producers The Dreemteem (London, England) host a show on Radio 1. The scene's first major star is of course singer Craig David, who has become an household name in the pop world. With the said flood of 'Ayia Napa' garage compilation cds, the resort has been associated with the music. Following the sudden rise in the popularity of garage, it is not surprising that Ayia Napa has grown in popularity has well.

Another point to note, a lot of people think Ayia Napa, like Ibiza is an Island. In fact it is a small village on the Island of Cyprus. Following the said tragic killing some years back, the resort has managed to put that incident behind and reinvent itself as some kind of 'clubbing holiday island' on Cyprus. However one should not forget it is part of Cyprus and is only densely populated 5 months of the year during the tourist season. To get to it, you have to arrive at Larnaca airport which is 40 minutes away. The influence of Ibiza can be found in Ayia Napa. The former is famous for its chill out beach bars, the likes Cafe del Mar, where djs play music to sunbathing clubbers by the beaches. There weren't any in Ayia Napa last year, some say the weather can be too hot and humid.However one has sprung up on Nissi Beach, the Nissi Beach Bar. You can hear the countless Ayia Napa cds blazing out during the daytime.

Incidentally that beach is the most lively on the resort. The others around the harbour are packed out, but tend to have families. the main one for the clubbing crowd, which is more mixed racially is the Nissi Beach. That is place to bump into the djs, mcs, promoters who can be seen chilling on the beach. Plenty of topless sunbathing babes!

Due to the above mentioned goings which have angered the locals and the change in the type of clubbers this year, some have voiced concerns that the Ayia Napa phenomena could end next summer. Well I have my doubts. With 2 or 3 TV documentaries on the resort due to be screened later this year, along with the continued growth of UK garage, and of course more 'Ayia Napa' compilation cds being released as well, the resort will continue to be popular for the forseeable future.

4. Clubbing Tour

In Napa the bars open till 2am and stop playing music at 1.30. The clubs which open around 1am close after 4pm. Some go till five. As the crowds go from bar to club, a lot of bars give out free entry flyers to get into clubs if you buy a drink. So if you plan to take in a lot of clubs cheaply get drunk in as many clubs first! In some clubs the free offer only applied to cocktails. Being a non drinker I had to buy a drink and give it to the first charming lady who accepted my offer for a drink!

The main square which gets busy around 11 is full of reps and promoters giving out flyers for club nights or selling cheaper advance tickets for events that night. Last year you could easily spot the club promotion you were looking for as they all had a large banner by their reps. Strange such large banners were absent this year. Perhaps the authorities banned them for some reason? However a good source of clubbing information during the daytime is on Radio Napa on the fm dial which lists all the top jocks who are in town that night. They even have them doing special guests slots to tempt listeners in the later afternoon. Yes Karl 'tuff enuff' Brown, DJ S with MC DT did a half hour mix each on Radio Napa. It went down well at 5pm listening on the hot Nissi beach.

I was in Napa for only 7 days this time. Last year my 14 day tour left me totally knackered after the tenth day so I opted for a shorter trip! I arrived on the Sunday and knew on that night, London promoters who are resident at the Epping Forest Country Club, Sexy Exit and Numb Nums would be at respectively,Club Mythology and the Spot Club. I opted for the former, because I went to their last event which was packed out with far more women than men! Well the said promoters play garage in London.

However Mythology is an house and old school club. The Sexy Exit jocks who were resident that week in Napa stuck to the same formula. It was busy and packed out as well. The club has a fine ancient Greek facade inside and outside giving it an ancient feel. It is situated next door to the Freedom Reggae bar, the only reggae bar in the square. I met some regulars from the country club in their and got talking and before we knew it was too late to get to the Spot to hear garage from the Numb Nums rave.

The usual after party raves were the Reggae River Bar, situated around the corner from P'zazz, which opens at midnight till 8am. They start charging 3 Dollars entry at 4am and have added a nightclub upstairs which plays house and trance. It is the only after hours place in Napa catering for that kind of music, no wonder it is packed out!

Downstairs by the open air bars and swimming pool you can hear commercial reggae and the odd swing and dance music on tapes. They have added additional covered seating areas over the pool. No doubt giving a better view of the people who like to swim either fully clothed, or in the nude during the night! Oh and yes you always see the odd couple copulating in the pool as well. At least nothing has changed in that regard!.

The other after hours club is Club Insomnia situated opposite the Mcdonalds on Nissi Avenue. It has good air conditioning and is quite modern but limited seating. The music this year, was strictly underground garage and was packed out every night and worthy of the œ3 entry which includes a free shot. At the said after hours clubs is the place to meet the club and bar staff and the PR people who give out flyers in the square. If any took your fancy, the place to meet them is at the Insomnia or Reggae River bar!

On the Monday night I checked out Sun City at the Kool Club which has moved to the former Pasha club next door to the Pizza Inn. As mentioned, the present day Ayia Napa clubbing scene was effectively started by Mr.Nick Power - www.garage-music.com/nickpower.htm who runs the club, the first with the foresight to break from playing commercial music and play underground house and garage with guest djs from London.

He has extended the club into two rooms making it larger than before with the latest and best sound system in Napa. On that night Funky Smith and Booker T were the guest jocks and the place was packed out. Wicked vibe. It was a Carnival day special for those not at the Notting Hill( London, England) event in London. During the night when the mc asked all the women to put their hands up if they had no knickers, loads went up! I asked one bird in front of me who raised her hand, if she really did not have any on. She turned around bent over hoisted her skirt up and mooned her arse! She even allowed me to take a photo of if!

The night was so wicked, being the Carnival special, Nick Power went on the mike at 4 am and asked the crowd if they wanted it to finish later. When they all said yes he asked "Will you help to pay the fine?" that lead to laughter and he announced they will be going on till 4.30. What a night Booker T rocked it.

Tuesday night I took in Twice as Nice at Club P'zazz where the one and only Spoony was the guest jock. I only heard the same day that Bobby and Steve were also playing that night at the Castle club opposite the Buzz Bar. As the 2 clubs are some distance apart and the main attractions would no doubt be playing at the same late slot, I could not take in both so opted to hear Spoony - Dreem Teem, London, England. That night was wicked and was rammed packed. It became stickily hot as the air conditioning seemed to have broken down. The night was wicked but finished on the dot at 4am.

On the Wednesday I went on one of those evening 'booze cruise' on board a boat that leaves at the harbour at 9pm. For 20 minutes you meet up in the Fans 2000 sports bar next to the Grease Disco, where a buffet is served. Coaches arrive after 830 to ferry you to the harbour. They have a dj and mc playing garage with a mix of swing too. The main attraction of the booze cruise is the infamous party games on the way back which everyone has heard of. To be precise they are bordering on organised sex orgies, with simulated blow job and fanny licking contests. There are no shortage of participants both male and females. The security had a job keeping out eager hopefuls. I did say to myself what am I doing here? It was full of drunken teenagers and people on the pull, shouting out 's**k his cock!' during the contests. They used bananas, but I am sure there must have been trips where the drunk participants must have threw them away and used the real thing.

The host did say on the micaphone, that if anyone falls over board or is pushed off, they will be rescued, (they did have 2 life guards present)and the boat will turn back. I did actually think of jumping over board to get back to the shore I was that bored and out of it, and could not wait to get back. Waste of time. I also found it difficult dancing on a rocking boat. The drunken clubbers could not tell the difference. As the boat neared the shore the bar became free and was packed out.

When we finally got back we all had free entry to Grease nightclub. I did not want to be around that crowd, so headed to the Starsky and Hutch club to hear 70s soul, funk and disco. It was refreshing to get away from garage and not hear the mc say "When I say: 'Ayia!' you say: 'napa' " Wicked night out and the crowd was a bit more older and mature.

Remainder of the week, I took in the Kool again, Gas Club and Emporium, and the Castle club. The latter played house and trance down stairs with Garage upstairs and is recommended with a lot of top names. Karl 'tuff enuff' Brown was at Pure Silk at P'zazz Club. I planned to go there, so did most others I met that night, but knackered out legs after nonstop walking during the daytime, forced me to give it a miss and I spent the night at the Reggae River bar chilling and watching fully clothed and half drunk clubbers especially pretty birds, attempt to walk along the poles across the pool and not surprisingly fall in! Maybe they do it to prevent hang overs!

5. More Than Just 'Napa' - some info on the rest of Cyprus

As mentioned earlier, a lot of people think Ayia Napa is an island and do not realise it is part of the island of Cyprus, which has a long history going back thousands of years to the time of the ancient of Greeks.

I was privaleged to meet local radio presenter and producer Haji Mike who showed me more of Cyprus. He drove me to the capital Nicosia and learned first hand, more of the Island's recent past. In particular events of 1974 which led to the partitioning of Cyprus due to the invasion and subsequent occupation of the northern half by the Turkish armed forces. As we approached the capital, we could see on one of the mountains a huge Turkish Flag painted by the Turks. Haji Mike explained that the Turkish words underneath it said: 'Proud to be a Turk'. He pointed out that the clubbing tourists who only come to see 'Napa' think that is all Cyprus is about and don't have to live with such displays of arrogance and triumphalism everyday.

We visited the buffer zone in Nicosia which is a divided city. The buildings in the 'no man's land' between the 2 armed checkpoints are the same as they were in 1974, with bullet holes still present. Haji Mike observed, that the little cat we saw in the no man's land, is more free in Cyprus than he is. The border point is still very emotional. One Cyrpiot who was showing his relatives around shouted out "bastards!" as he looked across the no man's land. There is a museum nearby detailing events of the time and a tall building you can see both sides of the city. The Greek Cypriot part is far more developed and populated than the occupied zone.

I learned that there is more to Cyprus than 'Napa' and Garage. On Haji Mike's show he plays a mixture of music and himself has recorded a few reggae cds. Reggae music is popular in Cyprus not just in the Freedom Reggae bar and Reggae River Club in Napa. Locals record it as well. Haji Mike interviewed dreadlocked Greek reggae singer 'Greekie Lion who had just released his new 'Freedom' single. It is a good recording by the way. The song is dedicated to Solomos Solomou, a Greek Cypriot from Paralimni which is close to Ayia Napa.

He was shot dead when he attempted to take down a Turkish flag from a border check point during public demonstrations against the occupation.

And also to Tassos Isaak who was brutally beaten to death by in the buffer zone at the same demonstration. Both deaths were captured on film and televised around the world

As reggae music is about freedom and liberation it is not surprising why it is popular in among Cypriots.

solomonmalcolm@hotmail.com

carl@garage-music.com

carl@anglianet.co.uk