Paul Oakenfold. Pacha, NYC. 11-4-11

Paul Oakenfold. Pacha, NYC

We were very interested to see what Paul Oakenfold was going to bring to Pacha this past Friday. Was it going to be his amazing arsenal of remixes? Maybe a mix of some old school bangers from the DJ Jazzy Jeff days? An upbeat, melodic, smooth & confident set was the result, and wow were we impressed.

We arrived right as he came on to a perfectly sized crowd. Not too many people and not too few; it was a crew of true EDM fans that have loved Paul Oakenfold for nearly 3 decades. With this positive energy & smiles all around, the overall vibe at Pacha was terrific. It looked so enticing from above that we headed down to the ‘floor’ to experience the great music & get some HD videos for your viewing pleasure.

Paul was in town promoting his latest compilation ‘We are Planet Perfecto’, which reinforces his diverse and genre-breaking approach to music that has propelled him to the legendary status he holds today.  This chameleon-like style, which allows him to be comfortable playing parties from the Oscars to sold out festivals around the world, was on full display at Pacha on Friday night and made for an unforgettable experience.  Paul brought his uncanny flair for performing and from the first track it was evident that he was happy to be back in NYC playing for one of the most educated EDM crowds this side of the Atlantic.

Throughout the night he played a heavy selection of tracks from his compilation that really reinforced the diversity in his music.  Overall, his latest work has a much more housey feel than what most Oakenfold fans are used to, but these funky tracks served him well as they heated up the room for the more high-energy tunes that came later in the night.

Like all great DJs, Paul continued to build on each track and things really hit a high note when he cut loose his production ‘Full Moon Party’.  This track, that combines classic trance with an updated and slightly progressive feel, has been a favorite of mine all summer and hearing it live only reinforced its quality in my eyes.  As the track dropped, the Pacha crowd erupted with cheers and the dance party reached another level.  From here on out it felt like vintage Oakie as he played tracks like the Paul Webster remix of his classic ‘Southern Sun’, Nat Monday mix of ‘Faster Kill Pussycat’, Lange vs. Gareth Emery — ‘This is NY (Heatbeat Remix)’ and the Phynn remix of ‘Firefly’.

When the night came to a close and the dust had settled, it was clear that this legend who has been rocking the decks for 30 years still knows what it takes to melt some minds and have a damn good time doing it.

Thank you Pacha for bringing such amazing DJ’s to the best city in the world, New York City!!

- Da SBB Squad -