Clubs

Apparently 20,000 people passed through Space for their recent opening party in Ibiza. By now We Love… will have started their series of Sunday sessions at that legendary club, and a whole host of other British promoters like Cream, Defected and Hed Kandi will be rolling out their summer programme. But while these mainstream nights continue to build their brands and pack in the shiny, happy disco tourists, a light has gone out on the White Isle.

I was asked to write an article about why, having spent the majority of last summer living and partying in Ibiza, I decided not to do any parties at all there this year. However, my thoughts of Ibiza right now can’t stray too far from the events of the past fortnight. The local government, along with the Guardia Civil [police], have closed down Bora Bora and Amnesia for a month and DC10 for two months. Charges relate to the venues supposed lack of drug control – as opposed to the fantastic example set by the larger venues, I presume.
Feature continues

This is, of course, a disaster for the clubs, but also for the many people who have gone over to work in and party at these clubs, and the numerous Ibicencos who will be affected by this decision. An overwhelming sense of disbelief and an inescapable cynicism has engulfed the island and the dance music community at large. There are dark forces at work here, and it brings me back to my decision not to get involved over there this year and a piece of advice I was given before setting off to do my first Ibizan party some years ago, ‘Don’t bother!’ Ibiza has chewed up and spat out bigger promoters than me down the years, many of whom still go back on occasion to enjoy the island, but wouldn’t dream of doing business there. Why go through all the hassle when we already live, work and put on great parties in the clubbing capital of the world, London?

While the City Beach next to the Truman Brewery may not compare to Salinas or Benirras, the Secretsundaze party on the terrace at Canvas in May was better than any party I went to on the terrace at Space last year, and you could get the tube home. If it’s cosmopolitan crowds you’re after, have you been to Retox or Vertigo, Random People or Clandestino recently? London is buzzing right now. The sheer number and quality of parties and festivals planned for the summer is inspiring. It’s fair to question the sense in going away for a clubbing holiday abroad only to come home knackered and in need of a proper break, especially when there is so much on offer here.

Ibiza is a very special island, but a complex one. During my time there last summer I hated missing my Retox parties on Sundays at Sosho, despite the mischief I was getting up to in Ibiza. I eventually spent the summer doing my party in Ibiza on a Friday night, flying to London on Saturday, doing Retox on Sunday before flying back to Ibiza on a Monday with a box of flyers, then heading straight to DC10 and then Cocoon at Amnesia. A lot of fun was had, but this year I’m turning my back on never knowing what day of the week it is, missing flights, waking up in airports, losing my wallet and arriving in rainy London with no money, having to bunk the tube still wearing my flips flops with sand between my toes because I’d gone straight to the airport from Nude’s wicked beach party. That’s not the sort of lifestyle I’d recommend to anyone on an annual basis. This year I’m going to stay here and keep working on ’Get Out’, my new weekly Saturday night party, and make sure we keep building on the great vibe we’ve got going on down there. When I do go over to the Balearics I’ll certainly swing by Ibiza, but that’ll mainly be to get the boat over to chill out on Formentera.

If you do go to Ibiza this summer forego the big clubs with their rip-off prices and shit atmospheres. Most of them couldn’t care less if you were there or not because there’ll be some other mug along soon that they can fleece instead. But packed nightclubs don’t make good parties, people do. Go support the underground parties like Mulletover, Kubicle and Superfreq, parties by people who care about what it’s like on the dance floor. And that’s where you’ll probably find the promoter, having it with the best of them. There seems to be a real scramble for a seat at the table in Ibiza, and long may that continue if it keeps pushing the island along. However, if you don’t get out there this summer, don’t worry, there’s always next year. And there’s always London.