I'm Sad.

Scorchio

Scorchio

Active Member
I've debuted Ibiza back in 2005, when I was only 20 years old.

Back then it was the place where there was always a party going, and nothing could stop it.
We went to Matinee on Saturday at 10AM and started Sundays at 12PM on the terrace, went out for the break (Back when you still had the wristband) and came back to rock the terrace until 7 AM.

Back to the hotel for a refresh, and onwards to DC10 at 13:00 until midnight, straight to Cocoon from there, In Bed with Space on Tuesday morning... break, sleep, Cox in the evening... and you know the rest of the story. Friday at Cafe Mambo with the sunset and the Sangria, everything felt so fresh, and it looked like it would last for decades to come.

I've been in Ibiza many times since, 9 times overall, last time was last year. I'm 31 today, my body may be older but my spirit stayed young but unfortunately, I won't have the chance to go to Ibiza this year and experience the Space closing party.

I know this topic has been widely discussed, but man, I just feel sad. Sad that Ibiza has restricted so many rules, sad that it's now regarded as a VIP destination, sad that although I love it and enjoy going still, it will probably never produce the same feeling that blurs night and day. That endless feeling of the party going on has been replaced with nouveau riche hotels and luxury clubs and won't ever come back.

I love Ibiza, I will probably want to go again, but every time I go, I can't stop thinking about the past and how good it's been, the memories I had. It's almost like your first time being on... (You know...). It's the best thing in the world, you try to relive it, but it's not it, it can't ever be that again.

Space is gone this year, a place which was so iconic to me I can't even describe how much. And all I keep thinking about is, will anything be able to match it in the future? Will I get to recreate these memories?

What do you guys think, how do you feel about what's going to come next? Is there still hope to Ibiza? You probably have more info than me. Sorry if this post sounds a bit depressing, I just had to share it.
 
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I agree with everything you've said.

Usually things go in cycles and the VIP driven 'scene' would result in underground venues / parties springing up however the authorities seem intent on preventing this through licensing restrictions.

I'm always wary of jumping on the 'it was better back then' bandwagon as everything is about time, perception and experience but in this case your probably right.

Maybe Ibiza has had its day? Anyone been to Mykonos?
 
I think Croatia is slowly taking over the mantle, the Garden has great festivals on almost every weekend, and there's that new Obonjan island bought solely for parties. The vibe isn't exactly the same, but it's getting there.
 
I agree with what you say too, but its the old rose tinted glasses effect, you always look back fondly on memories (mostly anyway), for example you don't remember the rainy Sunday as a kid where you weren't allowed out with your friends to the park, you remember the sunny ones!
With regards to Ibiza, it was different back then, but not a whole lot different really, you still have the sun, beaches, beauty of the island, the vibe is still there too... I first went to Space in 2000, and it was a whole lot different back then, so was Amnesia, DC10 also, I seem to have blanked out the crowds and not being able to move, which everyone seems to complain about these days, but it was the same back then too!
Part of the 'its not as good as it used to be' issue is that no it wont be, you were younger, experiencing new things, trying things for the first time, meeting new people, for me I have been to Ibiza 15 or so times now, I recognise bar staff, waiters, hotel staff, and they have recognised me, Ive also done all the clubs to death, nothing is new anymore, I also find it sad Space is closing, but you gotta think, at least I did it!

I'm not going to the closing, mainly because I have done several closings, I was chatting to a spanish bar girl last year and asked her if she had gone to Space closing the previous night, she smiled and said no, its just the same every year!

I'm really starting to ramble on now haha
 
This morning i was in my bed, watching the last hour of Carl Cox....when Carl played "The End" of the Doors like last tracks and the music stop....i'm very sad.....
I will arrive next wednsday for my 21st trip on the island... and i will go to the closing Space, off course...
The end of an era? Yes, probably.
Life goes on. Yes. I don't like the fu**ing Vip mood.
It's totally empty of good vibes, good sensation, good people, good atmosphere....no buena onda. Only ostentation.
But...
I think is also a good moment for the reneissance of a new clubbing, alternative to the Vips....maybe outside PDB that will be transformate in a Luxury place...
I hope that the real spirit of Ibiza (love, share, stay toghet, no table Vips, only good vibes) don't die the 2nd of October!
come on beautiful people! :)
 
ibizainside said:
I agree with what you say too, but its the old rose tinted glasses effect, you always look back fondly on memories (mostly anyway), for example you don't remember the rainy Sunday as a kid where you weren't allowed out with your friends to the park, you remember the sunny ones!
With regards to Ibiza, it was different back then, but not a whole lot different really, you still have the sun, beaches, beauty of the island, the vibe is still there too... I first went to Space in 2000, and it was a whole lot different back then, so was Amnesia, DC10 also, I seem to have blanked out the crowds and not being able to move, which everyone seems to complain about these days, but it was the same back then too!
Part of the 'its not as good as it used to be' issue is that no it wont be, you were younger, experiencing new things, trying things for the first time, meeting new people, for me I have been to Ibiza 15 or so times now, I recognise bar staff, waiters, hotel staff, and they have recognised me, Ive also done all the clubs to death, nothing is new anymore, I also find it sad Space is closing, but you gotta think, at least I did it!

I'm not going to the closing, mainly because I have done several closings, I was chatting to a spanish bar girl last year and asked her if she had gone to Space closing the previous night, she smiled and said no, its just the same every year!

I'm really starting to ramble on now haha
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Good post here :) Of course I always say to myself "Hey at least I was there many times", something that many people have not experienced. It's just hard to see a place you love to much change in such a way. I guess you're right and I just miss that feeling of "New". Life is all about change at the end, but there are some things you want to stay the same.

Ibiza was one of these for me. I know it's impossible, but I want to be that 20 year old again, out to discover a whole new scene/world. I dunno sometimes I just feel "scened out", like I don't even belong there anymore. Again I know I'm still young, 31 isn't old. 45 year olds are still going strong and clubbing there every year, but lately I find it very hard to shake that feeling.

Probably the classic age 30 crisis.
 
Well I'm 40 now, and have done the Ibiza clubs many times, Space and Amnesia the most mind, but still when I go to them I get that 'wow im here again'! That won't change, the other thought is 'god im here again, theres another 6 hours to go, my legs ache, I'm feeling spangly, I'm gonna regret this in the morning' hahaha but soldier on through, no regrets! (not many anyway)

Not sure how long I will carry on having these sort of holidays, there is a lot more of the world I want to see, that's a lot cheaper too!

Weirdly, Ibiza has made me appreciate the cost of other places in the world, like going to the US, I take the same sort of spending money I would if I was going to Ibiza, but I'm always surprised when I get home with change haha, rather than in Ibiza scraping together the last pennies just to buy a beer at the airport!

God I am rambling again hahaha slow day at work!
 
I first went in the early 90's and whilst I think some of it is perception (I mourn the old Kanya but in reality it was a dump and the pool was 50% piss) it is true that none of the current clubs hold a candle to daytime sessions in Space and DC10. Personally though I still love the island completely , just in different ways with clubbing being less important now (that said the closings of El Chiringuito and Amante last October were some of the most fun I have had in years).

Anyway, f**k all that, see you in the car park next Sunday, old , spangled and proud!
 
Space Closing will be my 25th trip to Ibiza spanning a period of 22 years and I can say that throughout my clubbing life (which started in the UK in the early 90's), there's rarely been a point when someone hasn't told it me 'it's not as good as it used to be!'

At first, I remember the older fellas back in '92/'93 saying 'it's all going downhill now that house is being played in commercial clubs...'.

Before I took my break from Ibiza in '99, I remember people saying (some of my friends amongst them) that Ibiza was dying and that it was getting too commercial.

I probably even bought into the hype myself and yet, when I came back in 2007, I rediscovered the magic and I've been twice a year, every year, since.

Do I miss things? Of course I do, I was very sad when I came back and found Space changed. I miss Manumission, I miss the Clockwork Orange nights at Es Paradis and I could go on and on. I've tried to like Ushuaia (it was tough for me as I stayed there when it was a budget hotel in 2007!) but I don't like the emphasis on VIP there. I hated Booom for exactly the same reason. I prefer a club where everyone is equal, sharing the experience together on the dance floor.

And yet, when I take someone there for their first time, I see that wonderful look in their eyes and realise that for them it is special. I've taken friends to Ants at Ushuaia and they loved it and so I've had to accept that life moves on.

It's easy to look back and see Ibiza as some free, uninhibited paradise in the past but certainly from my experience of it in the 90's, it wasn't that way. The police for one were vicious, I saw several cases of guys being beaten there. The bouncers too could be seriously aggressive. The sound systems are infinitely better today than they were then. The choice of restaurants is fantastic nowadays as well.

I hope that Ibiza doesn't go the same way as Vegas as I really didn't like the clubbing scene there (and I've given it several attempts!), but if it does then I'm optimistic that the underground music scene will find another outlet somewhere else. Probably without me as my days hitting the dance floors are definitely coming to an end. But then as all my friends tell me, I say that every year ;-)
 
Bonzo said:
Space Closing will be my 25th trip to Ibiza spanning a period of 22 years and I can say that throughout my clubbing life (which started in the UK in the early 90's), there's rarely been a point when someone hasn't told it me 'it's not as good as it used to be!'

At first, I remember the older fellas back in '92/'93 saying 'it's all going downhill now that house is being played in commercial clubs...'.

Before I took my break from Ibiza in '99, I remember people saying (some of my friends amongst them) that Ibiza was dying and that it was getting too commercial.

I probably even bought into the hype myself and yet, when I came back in 2007, I rediscovered the magic and I've been twice a year, every year, since.

Do I miss things? Of course I do, I was very sad when I came back and found Space changed. I miss Manumission, I miss the Clockwork Orange nights at Es Paradis and I could go on and on. I've tried to like Ushuaia (it was tough for me as I stayed there when it was a budget hotel in 2007!) but I don't like the emphasis on VIP there. I hated Booom for exactly the same reason. I prefer a club where everyone is equal, sharing the experience together on the dance floor.

And yet, when I take someone there for their first time, I see that wonderful look in their eyes and realise that for them it is special. I've taken friends to Ants at Ushuaia and they loved it and so I've had to accept that life moves on.

It's easy to look back and see Ibiza as some free, uninhibited paradise in the past but certainly from my experience of it in the 90's, it wasn't that way. The police for one were vicious, I saw several cases of guys being beaten there. The bouncers too could be seriously aggressive. The sound systems are infinitely better today than they were then. The choice of restaurants is fantastic nowadays as well.

I hope that Ibiza doesn't go the same way as Vegas as I really didn't like the clubbing scene there (and I've given it several attempts!), but if it does then I'm optimistic that the underground music scene will find another outlet somewhere else. Probably without me as my days hitting the dance floors are definitely coming to an end. But then as all my friends tell me, I say that every year ;-)
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Great post, thank god someone who at past can see past the normal VIP / photo / Instragram boring jump on the bandwagon snipes and see that things also continue to get better' the road network, restaurants, new bars, sound systems, places to stay, etc.
 
Great post. It's essentially a post about life, nostalgia, growing old, change of times...
I don't think a new NICE meca of underground electronic music can easily be found. Electronic daylight music can survive with festivals. There are thousands of them. And some of them bring great value for money.

Nevertheless I agree on everything you've commented.
All the Ibiza thing is about dancing on the tables, not sitting on vip tables. :)
 
I hear ya. Age and the seismic happenings such as the closure of Space as we know it and the scenes at Carl Cox this morning will bring things to the fore and evoke special memories. But find some peace in the fact you got to experience what you did. There are young new arrivals who are experiencing the things that frustrate you. They'll never get the chance to experience the simpler times. But they will still absolutely have the time of their lives. I'm speaking as someone who lived through a roofless Space and DC10, Manumission and so on. Aka the olden days. Life changing moments. And we all have our olden days moments from whatever era we visited the island. Alas things change. Who knows what awaits club land for 2017 with Space etc. Pockets of great things still appear like Woomoon and other interesting parties of note, but no matter what, and some people who do take the piss with Ibiza forget this; the island itself is the most VIP of all. I visit every year since 1998 and choose not to experience any sham glam VIP OTT nonsense. Each to their own. But I still, as I see it, live like a king for a couple of weeks travelling round the island eating incredible food, drinking sensibly priced beer and wine and the whole family loves it. I have just as fond memories sitting on a tranquil beach with my family having a long lunch in a restaurant or a bocadillo and estrella from the cool bag as I do of some of my best nights/mornings/afternoons clubbing. The good thing is you have this new stage of the island love affair to experience in your twilight years! It's amazing. Don't give up on her completely, the island really does keep on giving.
 
Space Opening/Closing parties are a big reason why i come to Ibiza (in the summer season at least), so it's just gonna be weird when it is gone... Coming to Ibiza for Amnesia Opening as the start of the season just doesn't have the same ring to it... The season has always started and ended with Space...

Matutues!! You arsehole!!!! Why have you gone and ruined everything!??!?! :mad::mad:
 
Nothing will beat the first few times you went, but I have still enjoyed every visit since I first went.

Ask the first timers who crammed into Space last night, probably partied on somewhere and are now stood in the garden of Gala/zoo project waiting for Carl Cox to come on if Ibiza has died!

Looks bouncing on Ibiza Sonica's link
 
Amigo said:
I hear ya. Age and the seismic happenings such as the closure of Space as we know it and the scenes at Carl Cox this morning will bring things to the fore and evoke special memories. But find some peace in the fact you got to experience what you did. There are young new arrivals who are experiencing the things that frustrate you. They'll never get the chance to experience the simpler times. But they will still absolutely have the time of their lives. I'm speaking as someone who lived through a roofless Space and DC10, Manumission and so on. Aka the olden days. Life changing moments. And we all have our olden days moments from whatever era we visited the island. Alas things change. Who knows what awaits club land for 2017 with Space etc. Pockets of great things still appear like Woomoon and other interesting parties of note, but no matter what, and some people who do take the piss with Ibiza forget this; the island itself is the most VIP of all. I visit every year since 1998 and choose not to experience any sham glam VIP OTT nonsense. Each to their own. But I still, as I see it, live like a king for a couple of weeks travelling round the island eating incredible food, drinking sensibly priced beer and wine and the whole family loves it. I have just as fond memories sitting on a tranquil beach with my family having a long lunch in a restaurant or a bocadillo and estrella from the cool bag as I do of some of my best nights/mornings/afternoons clubbing. The good thing is you have this new stage of the island love affair to experience in your twilight years! It's amazing. Don't give up on her completely, the island really does keep on giving.
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Amen brother
 
Very much an outsider looking in here having seen so many on here who've been Ibiza regulars for 10+ years and in many cases more, but I'm definitely getting the vibe that this season is the changing of the guard, the last hurrah of the old school Ibiza in the face of Paris Hilton and Champagne spraying VIP's. Almost sacrilegious to admit it on here but I've never been that much of a fan of Carl Cox but catching some of his stream from yesterday and you could just sense the enormity of the occasion. Being on here for a few years, reading books some of you have recommended and seeing people reminisce has me both extremely jealous of those who went before me, but also appreciative that I've been able to hear about their experiences.
 
its mainly peoples reviews and experiences on here that make me think maybe i should get on that plane. even if it was only to go to one party and chill the rest. In my head im very much 'aint what it used to be' and sadly i do believe it but theres a whole new generation discovering it and having time of their lives and i dont want to take away from that
 
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