Viva Retro!

Steve Lawler and Paul Taylor converted by Pacha.

Pacha is a big, many-roomed church and accepts many congregations. So two djs faithful to Ibiza's spiritual cause - the collective celebration of song - have discovered.

Steve Lawler (right) and Paul Taylor bring their respective concepts to the venerable White Isle venue. The former's, Viva, was at Space last year but it's no secret the Thursday nighter wasn't met with the rapturous reception that all djs desire.

Lawler is playing Space opening but also four Fridays and a Wednesday at Pacha under his Viva banner (click here for more calendar details). He has been invited to reprise his celebrated performances at We Love at Space on Sundays but so far no dates have been confirmed.

Paul Taylor @ Tall Trees (UK)

Club jumping too is Retro's Paul Taylor (above), who brings more than 30 years of experience as a dj and promoter to the cosy Global Room on Thursday nights. Retro was previously at Eden in the Brit resort of San Antonio but talking to Spotlight on the phone last Friday Paul was keen to stress the departure from Retro's home for the past six years was amicable.

Spotlight: When did you finalise the Pacha deal?

Paul: "It only happened a few days ago. It was a typical Ibiza politcal situation but there was no burning of bridges between myself and Eden. I requested a move last year."

Paul is of course referring to the pledge made by members of the White Isle's disco association to not "poach" nights from other clubs.

"I got full agreement from Eden," insists Paul. "We parted on great terms. But because of the political situation Pacha were almost insisting on a piece of paper from someobdy to say it was ok. I was stuck in the middle for a couple of months."

But now Paul gets his chance to "involve the locals more" at the home of Latin spirit. The Global Room has mostly hosted hip hop and r'n'b sounds in the past few years and it remains to be seen how Pacha's glam will meld with Retro's nostalgic ethic. For those who haven't made it down, Taylor's effective and deceptively simple idea was the redefinition of "retro" to include more than a decade's worth of euphoric classics.

Spotlight: Will your music policy be different from your nights at Eden?

Paul: "It changes with each club we go to. At Pacha I will be able to experiment a lot more with the classics I have in my collection. I think this'll be a great scenario that will allow me to go back possibly as far as '87."

What kind of tunes can people expect to hear?

"Early house stuff from American based house music where it all begain, like the Trax label. Early hip hop would come into my set. Early 90s Italian-type house, music from Belgium and elsewhere in Europe from that period."

Here's Paul's selection for you whistle blowing trainspotters out there.

Parradice - 'Can You Hear Me'

Palizman - 'Only You'

Inner City - 'Pennies from Heaven'

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (left) - 'Let the Beat Hit 'Em'

FPI Project - 'Risky'

And the future, Paul?

"It's almost like I'm starting again with Pacha. I honestly believe if it works this year it could move into the main room."