- At Hideout's 5th birthday celebrations this year, it was clear to anyone who had attended one of the previous editions that the festival had come a long way since its conception. The first page of the programme promised attendees their "biggest party yet," a theme that would come to define the week. Its scale puts it on the map as one of the titans of Croatia's ever-expanding festival circuit, a market so packed you feel the saturation point is only around the corner. The big question at Hideout 2015, then, was whether quality would match quantity, to create not only their biggest, but also their best show to date.
This year's festival was a four-dayer running from Monday through Thursday, but it was flanked by both warm-up events and afterparties for those looking to push the fun a bit further. Most visitors seemed to have arrived a few days early to bask in the sunshine, and the Sunday night pre-party was as lively as any other. Ravey floorfillers were the order of the day in the Papaya Club, as Mak & Pasteman set a jovial mood early on, blasting through everything from MK's "Burning" to Levon Vincent's "Man Or Mistress." At the other end of the beach, Darius Syrossian's set was unimaginative and without surprises, though at that point near enough anything would have done it for the revved-up holidaymakers.
Unfortunately, as the week progressed, it seemed like the crowd's good nature was wearing thin, with scraps breaking out on-site and bickering never far out of earshot. On the whole, the atmosphere lacked the warmth of previous editions, which was most likely symptomatic of greater success and publicity. The dance floors often failed to reach capacity during the evenings as revellers preferred to spread themselves across podiums. Apollonia played a typically bouncy house set on Tuesday night, with selections such as Thomas Melchior's "Feel Sensual" falling on deaf ears, a stark contrast to the uproar that followed when Toddla T dropped DJ Q's "You Wot!" at the Euphoria Club a few hours later.
But this is not to say that Hideout was short of memorable moments. The two-hour queue for DJ EZ's Tuesday night closing set was worth the wait, as the UK garage maestro masterfully chopped his way through all sorts of euphoric flavours. Due to travel issues, the following evening's lineup at Kalypso Club was shuffled, pushing Joy Orbison and Scuba into an impromptu back-to-back session. The UK pair played a much-needed set of tougher club sounds. Equally, Bicep's acid-heavy turn on the Monday evening was a welcome journey slightly further leftfield. The spooky chords of Voodoo Child's mix of Moby’s "Go" was a particular highlight.
The festival really thrived in the daylight hours, propped up by its greatest asset: the island's idyllic surroundings. Several boat parties set sail each day, offering a unique opportunity to catch the picture-perfect sunset (if timed correctly), soundtracked by some of the scene's biggest names. For those preferring to stay on land, pool parties ran at Zrce Beach, presenting a schedule packed with everything from DJ Sneak's crowd-pleasing "house gangster" fare to easy-going vocal house by The Magician.
Only a few years ago, Croatia was tipped by many as the next Ibiza, a prophecy which Zrce Beach has quickly fulfilled. Hideout runs with the same slick business efficiency found on the White Isle, herding punters between buses and clubs, another cog in what has become a very well-oiled machine. The venues operate like Ibiza clubs, too, as glitzy light shows dazzle and giant stages dwarf those below. Sadly, this growth has meant that some of the site's original charm has been lost along the way, and nowhere is this clearer than at Kalypso Club, where the stage, once framed by a magical sea view, has been deconstructed and replaced with one with far less character.
A few days on the Isle of Pag was enough to stir up all sorts of mixed emotions. Zrce Beach was rife with cheap thrills, massive drops and gaudy decor. On the other hand, given the type of event, it was undeniably well put together and an impressive organisational feat. Hideout has certainly got plenty of mileage left in it, and its fans can look forward to many more years to come.