Malta’s Numero Uno Club

Numero Uno is at the heart of the Maltese club scene and it has  been for years. The club is a vast space that holds up to 6, 000 people and  regularly does so thanks to its ambitious booking policies. In fact this  superclub – proudly and boldly named Number One in Italian, which isn’t  actually the national language in Malta – is actually open air, making  plenty  of use of the small country’s incredible Mediterranean weather. 

The club can be found a few kilometres out of a well to do part  of town, namely Silema, but that doesn’t stop regular pilgrimages by both  locals and international music fans. All around the place is a huge and  lush  garden that is already full with people drinking, smoking and chatting as  we  arrive. Pass through a bar then into the main room and you are presented  with  quite a site – raised platforms, myriad multi-coloured lasers and small  islands  made form trees and outdoor bars. The people enjoying the beats and  bevvies are  a mix of all ages. Some dance like no one is watching, some are more  reserved,  but the atmosphere overall is friendly, welcoming and ripples with  excitement.  

Moby, AfroJack and Gareth Emery have all held sell out shows  here before now, but tonight it is huge Australian duo Nervo who are  headlining.  Their sound is decidedly EDM  leaning, with huge raucous hooks, pop leaning vocal riffs, vast basslines  and  plenty of proggy melodies. The pair are hugely energetic, mixing with  plenty of  bombast and milking every drop as the crowd react in kind right in front of  them. The sound is perfect, no mean feat given the fact we are outside,  and the  dancefloor is never less than rocking at any point. The pair often grabs  the  mic and lark about, with people clambering on each others shoulders and  lots of  sit downs all playing out during their set. 

It is said that 2% of the whole of Malta comes to this  converted farmyard club on a regular basis and it’s not hard to see why.  Apparently the trio of promoters who run things here have plans to get the  club  refitted and touched up, with ideas of bringing some well-known UK brands  here  on a regular basis. Going on tonight’s evidence, this is certainly the  sort of  place that more club fiends would be delighted to visit. Very similar to  the  likes of Green Valley in Brazil, this club has the potential to be one of  the  most talked about anywhere in the world with its great open air clubbing  terrace and natural, forest style feel to the place. Time will tell, but  in the  meantime you should really check it out yourself.