A review of a quick trip

agentundercover

Active Member
Hi all just some thoughts after the dust has settled after two days in PDB.

I’ve been to Ibiza around 7 times now usually staying in Figuerates or Ibiza Town. This was the first time I’ve stayed in PDB. We chose it as there were meant to be 4 of us, and Dalt Villa would have cost a fortune (spending 350 quid on a flight for two nights was pushing it anyway). After booking two of them bailed…. The gaff was from airbnb but just a business, who you will see own quite a few on there. No complaints with the flat; however they were sneaky in ignoring my (pre confirmation) request to cancel the booking, taking the payment and then refusing to refund. And then we turn up and there is a contract in Spanish to sign. The chap explained it all as completely normal, due to tax reasons, and it may well be, but you just don’t do that and expect me to trust you…anyhow no unexpected charges yet…and yes I ended up signing it after he talked me through the tax deductible logic and took a photo to translate…

I was expecting PDB to be some kind of hell hole from reading a few lines on here and speaking to others. However it was nothing of the sort, for the two days in Sept we were there anyway. Seemed to be more Italians there than I remember which was nice, but all perfectly safe and friendly. Usual ‘hassles’ of ticket touts and dealers/hookers after the club but a firm / friendly no thanks has always meant no hassle to me from them – they are after all just earning a living how they best can given the cards fate has dealt them, no one would choose that life – particularly for the girls. It’s all a bit more built up, and I’ve never stayed there before – but having Lips and Ibiza White for instance under our flat was a brucie bonus, not sure how new they are mind?

Manchester airport was the usual bodybuilding / early morning champagne convention. Sat next to a couple of chaps DJing that night, interesting how their chat was all about money, offices, managers and contacts; not about music, not once! That’s the industry… Met mate at Es Vive as we knew the food was good (and over the road from his budget gaff!), scrambled eggs, bacon and two pints for lunch. Still classy at 37 years of age. Taxi to flat, then straight out to Jockey Club for lunch as planned venue Destino was shut at short notice alas. Really liked it, great location obv but two courses of decent seafood, coffee and a bottle of wine for £40 each isn’t bad at all.

Had a few in Tantra and tore up our plan to head to Dalt Villa and then to Space, which logistically made zero sense. Went to Bora Bora. Just horrible. So much testosterone, people offering each other out from the podiums to the dancefloor. Avoid. Could have just been a bad day, but anecdotally not.

Had a couple at the bars in PDB (all ok if you want a strong rum and coke from friendly staff opposite a great club). Then to Space.

The main reason for me championing Space for this trip was, after a trip to Berlin which we failed twice at the door of Berghain, seeing Marcel Dettman on the Enter Closing line up. Sold.

We got in around midnight as wanted to take in some of the Terrace. It was good in there, not great. Then hit Dettman as soon as he came on. Thought he rocked. Didn’t mess about, high tempo banging from early on (from memory which may be a bit hazy). Loved it. Then found out our bands got us in behind the DJ booth, which we did from 5-7am which was tops – being close to Hawtin and his crowd was interesting. A few of those, who’s that – should I know him he looks a bit famous, moments but no dwarfs or open hedonism alas, that’s probably in the real backstage not the goobers who know someone who knows someone like us! That said the production manager runs a tight ship, cameras and people smoking weed were guaranteed to have him sprinting out of his area to tear a strip off people. The no cameras rule was cool, but I took a photo. Rock and roll.

Interesting to see Stivi and others say it was a bit flat. I don’t really have benchmark, either with big techno nights or regular Ibiza attendance. I will say we loved it and would highly recommend it, but obviously others with more experience will be able to give a more rounded opinion. The crowd was quite cool, lots of black and no shortage of top knots and tattoos. Not a look that will work on my ginger body alas..

Left at 7 am hit the beach for half hour then slept till three pm…

Popped downstairs for lunch – Ibiza White I think. E14.50 for three courses on the beach. Bonus. Starter was spag carbonarra that was big enough for a main (and lacked cream, always the sign of a good carbonara….just egg and cheese), then steak. Swapped the dessert for a very good coffee. Recommend it highly. Via the wonder of Spotlight we knew Hawtin’s after party was at a place called Lips. Problem was this may have been in Ontario as far as we knew. The bar next door has been playing some bangers though…what’s to do next? Well, if you know PDB you now know as I do, Lips is next door. The man Hawtin was on, the place was just right busy. YES! Spent a couple of hours there, nice vibe. As an aside what I liked about this (in addition to the music, people and location) was the ability to get proximity to the headline act. Still a sense of ‘us’ not ‘them and us’ however managed it has to be due to numbers/celebrity etc. His real fans, who spend loads of money on him could get a few metres from him for free. It felt good, genuine, all is not lost. Compare to other music/entertainment cultures and the detachment of a footballer or rock star and I liked this. Probably a big up to the closing party scene also.

A few good mojitos at Xoyo, then the rugby, then googled ‘Ibiza Town Sushi’ and had a great discovery..I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with Sa Penya. As my wife points out, if theres a closed door I have to open it; the warnings and dangers around the area plus the ghetoisation of one place in such an affluent place with an alternative culture interests me in an only slightly voyeuristic way, and I’d always wanted to eat there. Anyhow Sushiya Aoyama is on the edge I think of Sa Penya. Literally the only police we saw all weekend (! Seriously, totally bizarre!) were stationed at the bottom of a road, best described as ominous, round the corner which probably says it all. I sense I may be giving away a locals secret (the nice ladies we spoke to said ‘tourists never come here’) but restaurants need trade – so if you want great Sushi go here. Simple, good value, and made by a man from Japan. And the area whilst clearly a bit more run down, there was nothing to be afraid of – so long as you don’t go up that road. Looked a bit sketchy up there..

Taxi then straight to Pacha. Missed out on checking out the boats in the harbour for once which was a shame, I love that! Won’t go on about the negatives but didn’t enjoy Pacha. Music, crowd all wrong for me. Lots of chaps on the pull, not many dancing. MK set was lots of vocal house for better or worse. That said after 3 when Digweed got on, it apparently got a lot better as you would expect, him being a total Don. The good news was I got home at 5am after leaving my mate in there, so had a final beer on the balcony and then to bed. Means I feel far better today after getting home yesterday than I deserve to, though no doubt tomorrow will be testing…

Immediate observation is that after expecting this to me my swansong. At 37, two kids etc I wasn’t expecting to want to come back and was nervous I’d hate it given the scale that recent changes have been told to me. Totally wrong, I need a full night eating sushi and a proper night at banging ibizan club at least….5 times more before I give it up? Clearly if you do your research good nights and crowds are there to be enjoyed. Perhaps the EDM/Ushiaoism of some clubs/areas will sectorise it to create room for more underground (type) parties. Planning already for next September.
 
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