Jo Chipchase, in ‘fiestera mode’, explains why the Granada party scene has stuck to its core values from the 90s – at a time when throwback parties with vinyl DJS are widely being revived from the UK to Spain…
IF you’ve attended any of the “grass roots” parties in Granada region, you’ll be aware that they don’t involve velvet ropes, VIP areas, or phone-in-the-air culture recording the DJs’ every move. Or people taking selfies and applying filters! While Ibiza is busy with VIP table service (at minimum 1k a booking), Órgiva still hosts free parties with a collaborative element, without the egos and status symbols. You won’t find influencers posing and avoiding the party spirit. It was always more PLUR than portrait blur. The antithesis would be Burning Man (except, perhaps, for the occasional ‘Mad Max’ dust element!). And although the events are not deliberate throwback parties, they have that element incorporated – at times. The people here were original 90s pioneers of the scene.
From the earliest Dragon Festival in 1997, held in Cigarrones, Órgiva, to the current campo raves, another key point is that vinyl never really disappeared in this area. We still have DJs who – yes – haul their boxed collection of 90s house, reggae, or jungle discs to a ‘campo’… somewhere. There’s nothing wrong with USB DJing but it is also refreshing – and nostalgic – to watch the 90s and 2000s vinyl being spun on record decks.
The ongoing vinyl v USB debate
Anyone active on relevant feeds can’t avoid the endless debate: vinyl versus USB. On social media, it has become a culture war, with memes claiming “my decade was better than yours” and castigating pretty much any female DJ for “button pushing” or “having all the leads disconnected”. James Hype always ‘gets it in the neck’ for his antics (despite evidence he can actually mix). In Granada, any method is part of the mix. As it should be. Nobody is “better” because they use old or new technology. It’s like saying we should have stuck with cassette tapes or MS-DOS.
A USB DJ might appear at a village fiesta with a pen drive containing their life’s music collection. So what? A vinyl purist might spend an hour untangling cables and dusting off record sleeves before dropping a jungle classic. Either way, the audience is receptive – so long as the music is of a high standard and the Guardia Civil don’t arrive early because they saw the word “Dragon” on a social media post!
Throwback parties are now huge in Europe
What’s changed in the last year is the appetite for throwback parties. No, we don’t mean the municipal ‘carpa’ playing some 90s rock tunes with go-go dancers. Genuine 90s rave classics spun on vinyl is now A THING. The recent Baby Dragon festival, held in Órgiva, tapped into that spirit, with local DJs playing breakbeat, house tunes, and jungle. The vinyl DJs appeared alongside international drum and bass DJ, Rosa Pagano, who has a residency in Zurich, Switzerland.
The UK is having a “rave revival” with throwback parties held in huge arenas and DJ rave sets at major festivals, including Boomtown, Meanwhile, vinyl lives on in Granada, and will continue to hold its own. The Dub selectors play vinyl, with dub producers releasing new tunes in this format. Dub Valle HiFi is a pioneer in the Granada region, and plays on vinyl.
The regular events are not throwback parties as such. They just retain the same spirit as “the good old days”.
At the recent ‘Baby Dragon’ festival, one highlight was the vinyl set by female DJ, Immi Yeh. Once a lynchpin of Leeds nightlife, at the Old Red Bus Station, she is now enlivening the vibe in La Alpujarra. A TikTok video of a classic tune immediately attracted praise for her set – at a time when the trend is to bash female DJs for anything from their outfit to their crossfades. This enthusiasm shows that the vinyl revival isn’t just for old ravers – it’s also inspiring a younger audience who enjoy the vibe and the music from a new perspective.
From Leeds to London, from Cyprus to Ibiza, clubs are programming 90s throwback parties. Some of these rave and 90s throwback parties are more “underground” than others, and the targeting varies widely – but it is an undeniable trend. What’s different in southern Spain is the lack of fuss. No VIP tables, no €14 water bottles, no endless selfies and self-aggrandising reels. Just a sound system that kicks, and stalwarts from the 90s with old classics stored in a record bag!
This weekend: Planeta Bass Festival
With many Andalucian parties and festivals upholding the ethos of “back in the day”, many people are attending Planeta Bass Festival at Camping Los Bermejales this weekend (19-20 September). Just 30 minutes drive from Granada, this homespun fiesta involves two days of “bass music”, with a line-up including drum and bass, dub, reggae, live bands, house tunes, and a family feel. There is also a swimming pool, inflatables, and a pool party. You can go “back in the day” without going very far at all! Just be sure to book your camping first!
