phoenix rising: one night on the white isle

phoenix rising: one night on the white isle

Sometimes inspiration isn’t planned – it’s seized. This summer, the pull of music took us on a spontaneous trip to the White Isle, driven by the rare chance to see DJ Harvey. Originally scheduled for five or six dates, health reasons meant only two went ahead – and when the news broke, we knew we had to be there.

The night was Phoenix Rising, a one-off club show marking ten years of Mercury Rising. On Saturday 30th August, Harvey, joined by Artwork and Camilo Miranda, brought pure energy to the 528 Club as part of a Pikes Presents evening. Flying in from LA for his only Balearic dates of the year, the maestro delivered an extended open-to-close set – a journey from golden hour in the Benimussa hills through to sunrise inside the club. Music and magic, one night only.

For us, it was an experience worth every ounce of effort. A late afternoon flight from Belfast, a rush to the venue just after sunset, and then hours lost in rhythm, connection, and Harvey’s unmatched ability to command a dance floor. As the night melted into morning, there was no time for sleep – just a straight line back to the airport and home.

Exhausting, yes. But unforgettable. The kind of night that reminds us why music is more than a pastime – it’s the heartbeat, the inspiration, the spark that keeps everything else moving on the Balearic Isle.