Pete's In Wonderland

If you think San Antonio and clubbing means over-spilling trance breakdowns or obvious electro-house wiggles then check your prejudices in at the airport this season. With the arrival of Pete Tong's bold Wonderland project at Eden, house and tech giants like James Zabiela, Nic Fanciulli, Eric Prydz, Timo Maas and Deadmau5 are all landing on San An's dancefloors for the first time.
And with artwork designed by d&b don Goldie and a weekly back room residency from Groove Armada's Lovebox, Wonderland's bold visions are showing one thing's for certain - Tong means business and he's calling on all friends to help him.
"For weeks after I announced the move there was nothing but shock," admits Tong, who jumps ship after a five-year residency with the Pure Pacha brand he helped create.
"But I only saw opportunities. San An is a central hub for so many people but as soon as the sun sets so many people spend their whole summer leaving it behind. Why can't people who live in San An have something on their doorstep that appeals rather than spending their whole time shelling out on taxis or buses to go to Space, Pacha or Amnesia?"

Eden's back room is already a firm workers' favourite thanks to Ryan O'Gorman's underground slanted Electric Sex parties. And celebrating their 10-year anniversary this year, Eden recently underwent a massive refit, which has created an extended second room and a new outdoor VIP terrace and seen a digital Martyn Audio system and most state of the art LCD lighting rig installed.

Wonderland also marks a musical shift for Tong, who moves away from the high-end house glamour of Pure Pacha.
"Dancefloor-wise, Wonderland will have more in common with Space or Amnesia than Pacha - it's more of a rave," explains Pete. "It's a little bit more street, a little bit younger and a little bit more future-looking. I don't want to use the word dark but the music will definitely be a lot more underground, rolling and heads-down."
Extending Wonderland's remit into more diverse and experimental areas, performances are also booked in for Southern Fried's indie-electro scamps The Whip, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco and live techno outfit The Japanese Popstars, whilst former Circo Loco resident Jo Mills hosts The Looking Glass in the third room.
Will it work? As a veteran of all the island's big clubs and a man who boasts more industry experience than anyone, the Radio 1 DJ believes history tells its own truths.
"Things are always changing but sometimes people are too short-sighted to see that until they've actually changed. We'll be putting on some of the world's best dance music in what is one of the best rooms on the island."