It’s April 2024, and many Brits have jetted out to sunny Gibraltar, a sliver of land occupied by the British on the edge of Spain. Starlight City, a new start-up brand, launched their debut 3-day event, billed as a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience to literally ‘Rave in a Cave’.

Featuring the best in Trance music with artists ranging from Aly & Fila, John O’Callaghan, Bryan Kearney, Factor B, Ferry Tayle, Symmetrik, Will Rees, Amos & Riot Night, OJAY, Chris Hill, Craig East, Ryan MacDonald and many more.

St. Michael’s Cave, a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, was not just a venue but a unique and unparalleled setting for trance enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the music.

To accomplish this feat, Starlight City collaborated extensively with the government and local logistics companies for many years to make this dream a reality.

Unfortunately, and out of the organisers’ control, this dream would have to wait as the rave in a cave transformed into a ‘Dance and Joy at Viceroy’.

All the DJs on the lineup performed excellently despite the last-minute venue changes. My highlights include OJay, Ryan MacDonald, Aly & Fila, John O’Callaghan, and Factor B, who captivated me on my Trance journey while in Gibraltar.

Having attended many Trance events over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate the art of music as a musical journey rather than dancing and enjoying particular records. I mean listening out for particular melodies or moments where I feel this sample is used well or not so well in the track. Is this some form of analytical criticism of tracks?

Possibly. I try not to, as I know many fellow DJs who produce music do this, but there were a few moments whilst capturing the photos where I could appreciate the music, the setting and everything around me at its best.

It was also wonderful to meet so many friends who travelled over to the small country, not only to support Starlight City’s promoters but to have a dance to trance in the sunshine.

A particular highlight was on Day 2, when my good friend Ryan MacDonald was performing, and a friend said, ‘I want to see if I can catch the sunset’. This reminded me that I would miss it on my final evening in Gibraltar if I didn’t head out and get a good vantage spot.

Fortunately, the Sunborn Yacht (located right next door to the venue) had the perfect setting for the sunset. With the birds flying low over the horizon and faintly hearing the trance from down below, it was peaceful to admire and watch the sun we all love fade over the hills of Spain.

I want to extend a huge thank you to Starlight City for allowing me to attend the launch in Gibraltar and cover it as an official photographer. Countless friends have told me that I have a great eye for detail when it comes to photographing dance events and even things outside of the dancefloor, such as Natural landscapes, Light Trails, Fireworks, Sunsets, and Animals.

Once the event finished, I wanted to explore Gibraltar, so on Monday, I took the Cable Car to the Nature Reserve at the top of the Rock, saw and experienced the naughty monkeys, had my own mini rave in St. Michael’s Cave, saw wild dolphins in the bay and caught up with an old University friend who drove me around the island and pointed out key areas.

In conclusion, I hope the event happens again, whether in the cave for an actual rave or Starlight City hosts smaller events to build a trance community in the country. Anything is possible, and from everyone I spoke to at the event, most people enjoyed it all. Launch events will always have problems, but improvements can be made and actioned on with every piece of feedback for stronger future editions.

Would I recommend this?

Yeah, I would. Gibraltar is small compared to other countries worldwide, but that shouldn’t stop people from visiting. As the saying goes, I Dance To Trance and Give Trance A Chance, no matter where the event takes place.