Dates you were there: Sep 7 -12 (Me and four friends)
Where you stayed (resort/hotel): Apartment in Figueretas, very reasonably priced and didn’t tell the others that it had a rooftop terrace with spectacular views over the harbor, the look on their faces when I showed them was special.
Club nights visited:
5 nights and 6 parties. I managed the lot with gusto and felt absolutely fine until a day or two later back home when it caught up with me.
Monday -
Cocoon: astonishing. Having spent the summer pottering around UK festivals, hearing Sven on the terrace at Amnesia reminded me why there is nowhere that even comes close to what you can experience in Ibiza and Cocoon especially. Perfectly busy, great crowd. Checked out Scuba in the main room who was laying down some beastly techno, I was surprised as didn’t think that was his “sound”, loved it and ended up staying for longer than intended. Sven on the terrace though in the later stages was something else. Unforgettable.
Tuesday –
Carl Cox: very busy yes, so we staked a spot in advance for Marco Carola on the terrace. After about 30 mins of people shoving to get their spot it settled down and I could enjoy the set. Personally not a huge fan of Space’s terrace, I think there’s much better rooms in the island (next door especially) and don’t get the fuss over Carola, very dry, little movement or emotion in the music. Enjoyed the set though but find it odd that Music On is such a roadblock these days. Carl on the other hand was fantastic, pure power, Main Room packed well after 0700hrs and that’s when he really went for it and turned up the energy. Wasn’t in the main room at around 0330hrs when he came on which was apparently a nightmare but then I knew it would be so stayed at Carola.
Wednesday -
La Familia: There’s not a huge amount that appeals at Ushuaia so jumped on this party as I love the venue, just not most of their parties. Nice warm-up from Martin Buttrich who really got going towards the end of his set then Joris and Nic played a blinder, I normally hesitate when it comes to b2bs as think the whole is less than the sum of its parts, but thought this was a great one, both DJs taking a chance to have their moment but also working together well
Wednesday –
Paradise: busiest party I’ve ever been to. Took a very long time to get in and spent a short time in both rooms before heading off relatively early. Couldn’t concentrate on having a good time as too busy planning how I was going to avoid this group of people shoving past or stepping on my toes. A shame.
Thursday –
Enter: Caught the end of Richie Hawtin b2b with Maceo Plex. Enjoyed Subb-An on the terrace, went to see Chris Liebing in the discoteca but he was banging it out too hard, too soon so we retreated back to the terrace for Heidi, which was fine but her sound isn’t my cup of tea. Hawtin was brilliant. I love his sets at Enter, the way he seems to be turning the kick drum and heavy bassline on and off as he works through one 4 hour track. I love how the ice cannon rolls over the crowd. I love the seriousness of it all.
Friday –
Insane: Great party. Here’s what I thought:
http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/night/2015/09/review-insane-pacha-11th-september
(Apologies, couldn’t resist putting in a link!) It bears repeating how good I thought Dennis Ferrer was, a perfect set for Pacha, worked so well with the club, vibe and crowd.
Best night: Cocoon spoils you for anything else. For me, there’s nothing better.
Worst night: Paradise. Far, far too busy and I don’t understand why. From what I caught of the music it was plodding (but I’m not Jamie Jones’s biggest fan admittedly). I read a book by Malcolm Gladwell recently – “Tipping Point”, and think that’s what’s happened here, it’s just somehow caught the zeitgeist this year and so all the (mainly) Brits are heading there. I suppose it’ll settle down in future seasons, only then would I go back.
Best bar: Didn’t spend too much time in bars. Friendly, helpful staff at the Box bar next to Sankeys. Had a look in at Dunes too for an evening beer, and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere at The Other Place which was right by our apartment. We also popped over to San Antonio to catch the sunset and watch the England game in one of the West End bars. 2.50 euros for a pint of Estrella, suited me!
Best place to eat: Tended to grab and go rather than fine dine on this trip but I liked Fusion on Figueretas beach, don’t think there’s a huge amount of difference between those places lining the promenade there though. Had a lovely time at Sa Trinxa too.
Money spent: Not too much as I’m pretty thrifty, what with the size of my mortgage. I’ve had so much of it that I reckon I could work as a sommelier for Ibiza nightclub tap water. Not paying that much for bottled water, rather risk my life!
Biggest regret: Not picking the right six numbers on the lottery every week so I can’t buy a villa and live out there, but I’ve got a good feeling about this week’s draw!
Weather: Bleeding awful on the first day! It seemed as though everyone else was happy with the novelty of drizzle but I’ve had enough of that this “summer” in London. Cleared up nicely though from Tuesday onwards and I was able to get my obligatory vest-shaped sunburn, looked a right pillock at Enter that night, cared not a jot.
Going back?: Got a little bundle of joy on the way so might have to cut down on the caning. Wife and I are already agreed we can pack him/her off to the grandparents for a long weekend next summer though.
Top tips:
- Make a small effort and learn a tiny bit of Spanish. The difference it makes is vast and it's fun. One of my group (native Spaniard) said he found it funny how every bar maid in the clubs smiled and were pleasant when they served me a drink because I made the effort rather than grumpy with the people that just shout: “Yeah, can I get a…” And funnily enough, everything seems to go so much smoother with bar staff, taxi drivers, doormen, etc.
- Plan your night. Use the forums here for tips. I’ve seen and heard of far too many people clearing out of (for example) Carl Cox early because it was very crowded at 0330hrs when he came on. Of course it was, it always is, that’s when you check out another room. Then get back in for Cox for a couple of hours later when it’s less packed and he’s really going for it!
Best Moment(s): Thought I’d give this a mention as these are what tend to live longer in my memory than anything else:
- A Tyrion Lannister look-alike with his hand down the knickers of a gorgeous, 6ft model-type in Space’s terrace VIP, good for him.
- Well past 0700hrs, Carl Cox turns the energy in the main room up to 11 when he gets on the mic, says: “Oh yes, oh yes Space, here we go, 1, 2, 3, 4” then the kickdrum comes back in and it’s total pandemonium.
- The absolute pinnacle though was when Sven played this, it was pure magic on the terrace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq2Oq1J6t70
I swear that all the iPhones and go-pros got simultaneously sucked out of the room into a black hole, people in wheelchairs were able to stand up and dance, a child was immaculately conceived, I dropped my rubik’s cube and it completed itself. Stunning.
