WARNING: ADULT CONTENT
It was my first visit to BaselWorld this year and there were too many highlights to mention. In fact I was like a pig in muck, a kid on Christmas morning, a cat that got the cream, etc, etc. However, I have one highlight that stands far above anything else and that was the Breitling Party.
These are now infamous and I was pre-warned by my colleagues, who had been before, what to expect. However, no third hand description will ever do this festival of entertainment any justice.
I don’t really know what you have to achieve or who you have to be to be invited to this prestigious and groundbreaking event but I was there as a result of my association with Andrew Michaels Jewellers.
So, let’s take a wander through the incredibly talented and, lets be honest, downright imaginatively bizarre minds of the creators of a entertainment tour-de-force.
We were first picked up outside the BaselWorld show in these glorious retro buses. Our host on the bus was Jan who supplied us with coke and vanilla drinks and fries.
10 minutes later we arrived at the doors of an old warehouse that opened up before us to reveal a dreamy landscape of pastel fluorescence. We were greeted by a man with fire coming out of his head, slow moving human statues, a Unicorn and a Drag Queen on a swing. Surreal doesn’t do it justice.
Upon being granted entry into the main area by these white guardians we were confronted by some lovely young ladies miming classical music. This quickly turned into a ballet display. All nice and pleasant family entertainment. However, once this had finished the curtains moved back to reveal a portly young chap shouting at a TV. He then pointed to reveal an opening door through to another warehouse. Along the thoroughfare we all stalled to gaze in wonder at the mud wrestling. The mind was spinning before the free alcoholic beverages even took effect.
The entertainment in the next arena had an American theme. Food was provided by a vintage Airstream hot dog stand and a typical 50’s diner. The entertainment on stage was incredible with choreographed dance sequence after choreographed dance sequence. It was incredibly professional and incredibly exhilarating.
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Dotted about the periphery of the room were also a perfect condition Corvette Stingray, a BMX/Skateboarding half pipe, an oyster bar and a hot tub complete with a Fiddy Cents looky likey and his female posse. The dance sequences lasted an hour and a half with an amazing water themed climax whereby water fountains erupted from the stage and the dancers got tastefully soaked.
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Upon the climax of their last dance sequence they all pointed to another previously concealed entrance to the next warehouse. I had lost all reasoning of what could possibly happen next so I was not at all surprised, although I was delighted, to have the original Kool and the Gang introduced on stage.
“Rosanna” followed “Ladies Night” followed “Celebrate”, etc, etc. They’ve still got it the old lads. The house was rocking by this point.
The room was then converted into a high-end night club. If you wanted a break from cutting a rug to some rocking tunes, provided by DJs with massive hats, there were ladies on Easy Rider Choppers, Ladies and Lads on podiums strutting their stuff in various styles of dress or undress. Various pyrotechnics were set off through the night. You truly felt that if you went to use the conveniences you would miss something significant.
Our enthusiastic and vibrant friends from the dance-athon then joined us throughout in multiple role playing scenarios, ranging from cheers leaders, to boxers, to country and western, to the armed forces, to underwear models (ahem).
My over-riding sensation through the night was one of incredible joy. Various analogies can be made with the Breitling brand: The entertainment had incredible attention to detail and left you feeling privileged. It was bold and made a statement. It was fulfilling on so many levels and I’ve wanted to do nothing but tell people about it ever since.
