Ibiza 2003 onwards...So what now?

[Robder]

Ibiza is still as fabulous as ever but bearing in mind it's peak season, the numbers are dwindling dramatically and are significantly less than previous years.
I'd say way over 50% less than what I'm used to .
So what do we think this means for future seasons?
People are saying that a more select crowd will arrive with a boom of smaller clubs but I don't agree. Amnesia & Privilege have far too much money and control over what happens on the island ....and more to the point, DC-10 was completely empty till late afternoon anyway .
A more international crowd? Well, Americans have been coming for years, this is nothing new and Italians are much more noticeable now due to the decline in British interest (Brits are the driving force of the island by far). But, the made in Italy opening was half empty also and the music wasn't at all inspiring. (Have you this years made in Italy mix cd that's for sale on the island? - Urgh! It's terrible :x !)
Also, looking at previous patterns we can see that the island has a massive boom every 10 years or so (Look back to '89 and then '99).
The only difference with '99 is that it was much more commercial than '89 and the market was completely saturated with posters, magazines, flyers and mix cds. Will people find the same format interesting enough for another 'boom' or will the island have to take a new direction?
Also, is island resident Jade Jagger right when she says Hip Hop and R&B are the sounds coming from the next generation ( )? When they grow up what different things will they bring to the island?
Just a few thoughts.

 

[Barbie]

I think that the amount of choice for clubbers this year is overwhelming, can you remember going to Ibiza a few years ago and there would just be one thing you'd want to go to every night eg. Wednesdays were always Renaissance, Fridays Ministry etc.

This year there is so much choice, every night there were at least 2 things that I really wanted to go plus all the other nights that I'm not interested in.

At the end of the day there is only so many clubbers on the island and there are being split out between more nights. People are also being more selective where they spend their money, previous years you might have done Subliminal Underwater on Weds, this year how many people are going to do Underwater on Tues and Subliminal on Weds as they are essentially quite similar nights. People said at the start of the season that Pacha's line-ups were awesome every night of the wk but at the end of the day are people really going to go to Pacha every night, you'd have to be complete Pacha nut to do so and cos of this I think some nights are quieter. Also some people simply don't have the money to go out every night as nights are more expensive this year as are drinks and the exchange rate for euro is crap.

I did find that Bora Bora was as busy as ever everyday so I don't think it is necessarily a massive downturn in the number of people on the island, just that people are being more selective about where they spend their money. I think some people are getting a bit cynical about things and less willing to spend their money on a night out for sake of it.

Erm I don't know where this is going so I'll quit rambling now but very interesting points made there Robder

 

[ascendia]

RnB & Hip Hop is what the authorities want us to like, cos its saturated with lyrics on shallow and negative stuff, like violence, bling bling and fit bodies, while House is the opposite, about, Peace, Love Unity and the ALL IMPORTANT SOUL!!!! thats why we hear so much more RnB, rap, hip hop and pop on the radio, and on MTV and hardly any House really.

Anyway the clubbing era as we know it is ending. Dont mean to rain on parades, but its the truth folks, what we se now is slowly the aftermath, of a great great underground movement, but as I said before dont fret, the people that was in it for the genuine love and devotion of it, will take it with them and take it up in the evolutionary scale of existence, while the people in it for the money....well they can and will scarper off, and in the 'new world' there will be non off the greed and negatives of the scene, just sublime music, with sublime people, ALL in it for the total LOVE of it, and not forgetting, no comedown EVER. Now, if thats not worth waiting for.....PURE ECSTASY ALL WAYS, and thats without the need of a chemical.*dream dream dream*


Dreams do come true .


So while it looks like the scene is coming to an end, like in every ending, there is also a beginning, and this time its the beginning of something truly aweinspiring. , but before we get there there is some hardship ahead for everyone.





ps. I think last year might have been the last close to normal year of Ibiza, although I could see it happening then too.

pps. Bora Bora sounds like the only place that really is kicking this year, you see people are not willing to pay the clubs the money no more, and why should we... so the best atmosphere is found in a free for all environment, and outdoors too. Deffo a sign of things to come .

 

[Robder]

At the end of the day there is only so many clubbers on the island and there are being split out between more nights.

Maybe that's it!! So take this a stage further....what is the solution?


I have always resented record labels becoming promotors (Subliminal, Underwater, Def Mix etc) because they should stick to what they do best (pressing tunes).
Promotors like Renaissance, Manumission (crap night though) and Garlands seem to come up with much more exciting concepts. They are much more theme based.

Shall I shut up now? (Can you tell it's my first day back at work? - Can I be bothered to do anything?)

 

[Barbie]

At the end of the day there is only so many clubbers on the island and there are being split out between more nights.

Maybe that's it!! So take this a stage further....what is the solution?


I have always resented record labels becoming promotors (Subliminal, Underwater, Def Mix etc) because they should stick to what they do best (pressing tunes).
Promotors like Renaissance, Manumission (crap night though) and Garlands seem to come up with much more exciting concepts. They are much more theme based.

Shall I shut up now? (Can you tell it's my first day back at work? - Can I be bothered to do anything?)

I think next year we will see lot less promoters on the island, a lot are suffering this year so won't risk coming back next year esp the newer nights.

And don't shut up mate, it's always good to talk

 

[Robder]

Dont mean to rain on parades, but its the truth folks, what we se now is slowly the aftermath, of a great great underground movement

Don't agree with this at all. I've been doing this since '92 and people were saying all that then. The post acid house era was full of this sort of snobbery....then when the Criminal justice act was introduced, everyone started to say that about clubs.
If I listened every time I heard someone say that I'd never go out again because it's an ongoing spiel that is getting rather boring.

 

[Robder]

And don't shut up mate, it's always good to talk

Oh noooooooooo! I've run out of things to say! It's true! Now there's a first!

 

[Barbie]

Oh noooooooooo! I've run out of things to say! It's true! Now there's a first!

blah blah blah, blah blah blah

 

[ascendia]

Dont mean to rain on parades, but its the truth folks, what we se now is slowly the aftermath, of a great great underground movement

Don't agree with this at all. I've been doing this since '92 and people were saying all that then. The post acid house era was full of this sort of snobbery....then when the Criminal justice act was introduced, everyone started to say that about clubs.
If I listened every time I heard someone say that I'd never go out again because it's an ongoing spiel that is getting rather boring.

If you think this is a snobbish comment then I think I might need to reword it. Its a sign of the times. The clubscene, has gone commercial, and what happens to what goes commercial..... it dies...... and is reborn...as something higher up on the evolutionary scale. Now, this wont be as in the past, where disco turned into house, because house is the ultimate expression, but what will come now is the ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF HOUSE, but it wont be on this level of existence, but the next, so in the mean time house on this level will slowly decline. Its not snobbish, merely a fact. I have been doing it too since 91, and seen and experienced nearly all the changes, development and evolvement and devolvement(not a word, but you get it)of the scene. I have expereinced so many wonderful chapters of clubbing history, and am so grateful for this, but now, starting slowly in the year 2000, it is ending. I dont expect you to believe me, I dont care, I am just stating a truth.

 

[Barbie]

Don't agree with this at all. I've been doing this since '92 and people were saying all that then. The post acid house era was full of this sort of snobbery....then when the Criminal justice act was introduced, everyone started to say that about clubs.
If I listened every time I heard someone say that I'd never go out again because it's an ongoing spiel that is getting rather boring.

Completely agree with you there, people are still going out to clubs in their droves, things just change but change is a good thing imo.

 

[Drew]

Who knows what will happen?

But I agree with Babs, so much more choice of nights on similar levels so the people are being spread.

Glad to be going in August cos I like it quite busy (not too busy)

Nothing worse than waiting for a club to fill up and it just doesn't

 

[WeLuvIbiza]

Probably what I say next is bollox, as I have been tsuck in Jersey for 3 years, and not really in touch with the club scene at the moment. All I expressing is what I read and what I've seen in the poast few years.

I read mixmag on a monthly basis (yes i know ), and you only have to read through the club nights section, and you are overwhelmed by a fusion of club nights in all areas of the country. How busy they are I have no idea!!!

A few times a year we have gone over to fancy London town for a couple of nights clubbing. The last time was in November for RY - Roger S @ Turnmills. The place was packed, too much so imo, but boy did it rock. The next night Sun, we met a few peeps and went to The Cross until about 3am, it was pleasantly busy, then on to orange, which was packed, this was a Monday morning!!! Previsouly we have been to The Cross on Saturdays & Fridays! always packed, Bagleys packed, Wag club (now deacesed i think?), packed & others. Never been to a club that was not full in London over the last three years since being in Jersey.

I suppose I cannot accurately comment on Ibiza as we never went in the 'heady days'

I hope all the doom and gloom that has been talked on here recently is a bit exagerated

 

[lynch]

im going godskitchen global gathering on saturday and they expect to sell out (35000 ppl), I also know of other clubs, raves, events happening all over the country that will be busy.

Now if this is the club scene in crisis then I love it

 

[vinylgroover]

I'm coming to Ibiza for the first time this year and it's disheartening to hear things are quiet, but not unexpected.

Tourism is down dramatically all over the world following much publicised world events......of course that will have an impact everywhere. Clubbers are no different to any other person.....people are just not travelling overseas at the moment and it will take a long time for things to get back to normal.....if they ever do.

As i say, i can't comment on the micro aspect of how clubbing has changed on the island, but i think the lack of crowds this year may have more to do with the macro world tourist situation than any 'clubbing' related reasons.

 

[JT]

Vinylgroover

I wouldn't worry too much, a less busy Ibiza still pisses over anywhere else in the world for partying

 

[vinylgroover]

Vinylgroover

I wouldn't worry too much, a less busy Ibiza still pisses over anywhere else in the world for partying

That's what i was thinking JT.

Here in sydney, the average club has a capacity of 700 people. Even if the clubs in Ibiza are half full, that's still 1000 people more than we get here on a good night.

 

[Robder]

Now, this wont be as in the past, where disco turned into house, because house is the ultimate expression, but what will come now is the ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF HOUSE, but it wont be on this level of existence, but the next, so in the mean time house on this level will slowly decline. Its not snobbish, merely a fact.

Um...*pause*...erm....OK!

im going godskitchen global gathering on saturday and they expect to sell out (35000 ppl), I also know of other clubs, raves, events happening all over the country that will be busy.

Now if this is the club scene in crisis then I love it

That's the attitude!!

I hope all the doom and gloom that has been talked on here recently is a bit exagerated

Don't worry yourself, you'll still have a blinder! It hasn't lost it by any means.

 

[ascendia]

i mean this is not something that is gonna happen tomorrow or very soon, but gradually over a period of a few more years. it might sound totally unbelievable now for many, but people who are perceptive to whats going on in the world, will have an easier understanding of it being inevitable. its not like its just the clubscene that is going. its the whole frigging world as we know it. call me a freek or nut, but in time my words might seem more relevant to some people. its still early doors for most.

 

[Jonny Litts]

I'm coming to Ibiza for the first time this year and it's disheartening to hear things are quiet, but not unexpected.

Tourism is down dramatically all over the world following much publicised world events......of course that will have an impact everywhere. Clubbers are no different to any other person.....people are just not travelling overseas at the moment and it will take a long time for things to get back to normal.....if they ever do.

As i say, i can't comment on the micro aspect of how clubbing has changed on the island, but i think the lack of crowds this year may have more to do with the macro world tourist situation than any 'clubbing' related reasons.

I think you've been doing too much Economics mate, just like me!

 

[Howie]

i got back from ibiza saturday and i cant believe how quiet it was!

i spoke to one lady there who has lived on the island for 34 years and she said "this is the worse season ever"

dont get me wrong guys - you'll still have a good time its just theres less people around!