- Sancho Panza's Ship Shape on the River Thames – 2/5/04
The Sancho Panza boys have come a long way since their very first party. Years of throwing warehouse and underground events have certainly paid off and they have certainly established a reputable name for themselves. They are also gaining a strong following with their monthly residency at the AKA bar in London. And just recently, they kicked off their series of summer boat parties on the first May bank holiday. And what a success it was! With a limited capacity of 350 odd punters, many more were clamouring to get their hands on the sold-out event.
Managing to round out some mates, we arrived at the pier just in time to discover the news that the sound system has yet to arrive. We weren't really bothered though because we were all excited and for the first time in days, the weather was holding up and it wasn't raining. We got on the boat and almost everyone went right on top deck with drinks in hand. It was nice to see everyone relaxed, chatting and catching the sun as it set over the city of London. Beautiful indeed. We could see the magnificent Tower Bridge in front of us. Moments like these always make me pinch myself to the reality that I'm really living here and having a fantastic time. About 8:30pm, we heard the unmistakable sound of the engine purring and my friends and I clapped our hands in glee. The boat ride had begun and it began to make its way down towards Greenwich. We stayed for a while and enjoyed looking at the sights along both the river banks.
Not able to ignore the faint sounds of music I heard coming from below, I left my friends up there and made my way down. A quick dash to the loo turned out to be more than half and hour! By the time I went inside, my friends were already there dancing. The vibes were great, it wasn't too crowded that we couldn't move, and people were friendly and talkative. Soon it was Jim K Tel's turn to get behind the decks. We gave him a rousing cheer and he began working the decks. Minimal sounds soon gave way to nice disco elements and then he started dropping some groovy breaks. I couldn't figure out any of the stuff he played and that's what I like best about Sancho Panza. Staying away from the obvious big room tracks that are obvious crowd pleasers, they keep their sets interestingly laid out with carefully selected obscure and timeless tunes that I'd not heard anywhere but ones that have me moving. After all, there is a lot of music out there and one doesn't have to play the ones being played by everyone else. Anyway, Jim played a really good set and we didn't leave the dance floor for quite a while!
Finally taking a breather, I sat down and smiled at the happy faces and smiles of those around me. There's something magical about a boat party. I felt as though we're the only ones existing. I could see the water beside me and the world moving pass me and yet I was in a room full of people and wonderful music. It’s a fantastic feeling. When I walked back in, it was Matt Brown taking over. Time was passing so quickly! That's always the case when people are enjoying themselves.
Keeping a tight reign on his set, Matt led us on a seamless journey of excellent house tunes. I heard some tech house creeping in, a little garage and even disco. These boys work well together and it's not hard to see why they have a strong fan base now. Soon, we were back at the same pier we'd gotten on at earlier. Lights came on but we didn't leave just yet. The last tune aptly played out was so kitsch – a cheeky cover of Michael Jackson's disco anthem Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. Titled Chupke Kaun Aya, this tune is done in typical Bollywood style by Usha Uthup. We were all laughing and singing the English lyrics when the chorus came on, we couldn't sing in Hindi! It was fantastic and what a perfect ending. Hurray to Matt and Jim for a great night and for keeping the music real and fun as it should be.
For more information on Sancho Panza's forthcoming boat parties and gigs, please go to www.sanchopanza.org