Ibiza: a jewel of the Mediterranean blessed with clear waters, white sands and secluded coves. Let’s not forget though that the Balearic island is, of course, the definitive part hotspot. Every year clubbers from all over Europe flock here for it’s winning combination of beautiful local surroundings and it’s absolutely topnotch club scene.
Planning to head to Ibiza yourself this year? If so, you’ll want to know all about 2011’s hottest club nights and big name DJs. To give you all the information you need to make the most of your Ibiza experience, we consulted an expert on the matter. Rory Palmer is the Operations Manager for Cream, a night held at Amnesia, near San Antonio.
Working while you play, sounds like the ideal job, but what does it actually entail?
“Good question! Hahahaha! During the week I manage all the promotion, postering, merchandise and ticket distribution on the island as well as liaising with our artists when it comes to sound checks and airport collections. On Thursdays, the night of our event, I do all this and then manage the terrace, so it ends up being a twenty two hour working day!”
Wow, so it’s actually quite hard work then. How long have you been doing the summers there?
“This will be my seventh summer working on the island and my sixth year working for Cream.”
Any changes in the scene you’ve noticed since you’ve been working in Ibiza each summer?
“The biggest difference I’ve noticed over the years is the change in laws regarding after-parties. It used to be the case that you could go out on a Sunday night, head straight to DC10 on a Monday morning, then carry on from DC10 to Cocoon on Monday night. Now there can be no music between 7am and 4pm, and any music outside has to stop by midnight. I can definitely see a lot of the reasoning behind these laws but at the same time I can’t help thinking that some of the spirit and freedom that was so unique to Ibiza has been lost.”
Any changes in the scene since last summer?
“House music is most definitely back!”
“DC10 have changed their residents to reflect this trend with Jamie Jones, Dyed Sondorom, Kerry Chandler and Seth Troxler. Kehakuma at Space is also pushing the house sound with Maya Jane Coles headlining the opening.”
Which are the hottest clubs in Ibiza this year?
“Firstly I’ve got to mention the home of Cream, Amnesia. They’ve spent hundreds of thousands over the winter fitting it with a new rooftop smoking terrace, brand new sound system in the main room as well as a full LED light show on the ceiling of the terrace. Although not technically a club, the new Ushuaia Hotel has brought a slice of Miami to Playa Den Bossa with its daytime pool parties, hosting the likes of Usher, Luciano and The Swedish House Mafia.”
and the club nights people should go to in 2011?
“The Zoo Project has gone from strength to strength with parties on both Wednesdays and Saturdays.”
“They’re offering some cutting edge house and techno line ups as well as the rare opportunity to dance, dressed as an animal in an old zoo!”
“David Guetta’s F**k Me I’m Famous is still the hottest party in Pacha with big name guests and tickets regularly selling out in advance.”
“Speaking of selling out, we had to close our doors at Cream last week as we had reached our official capacity. Both rooms were full to bursting, rocking to the sounds of Paul Van Dyk and Calvin Harris, so i guess that makes us a hot party too!”
Which notable big name DJs will be playing at Cream?
“This summer we’ve got some really special artists gracing the decks at Cream.”
“In the main room we have Paul Van Dyk, Above and Beyond, Eddie Halliwell, Ferry Corsten and Sander Van Doorn, whilst headlining the terrace we have Calvin Harris, Laidback Luke, Deadmau5, Dirty South, AN21 and Max Vangeli plus a special live performance by Example.”
Can you recommend a chill out bar for recovering after a party session?
“I’m really lucky this year to be living right next to one of Ibiza’s best chill out spots, Kumarahs. This little gem is located in San Antonio Bay and is like a slice of Thailand relocated in front of the famous Ibiza sun set. After dark, KM5 is still the best place to go for food and lounging in their Bedouin style encampment. The Argentinean fillet steak is incredible! For those of you confined to San Antonio, you can’t beat the day beds and cocktails at Bay Bar.”
So there you have it, all the practical info you need to know for your clubbing trip to Ibiza. But what about the music? For the run up to your holiday, Rory has picked out some of the summer’s most defining tracks. So sit back, put on your headphones and mentally prepare yourself for what could be a pretty wild summer…
If you haven’t yet booked your flights to Ibiza, there’s still time as the season goes on into the beginning of October.
Have you got any insider tips on clubbing on the island?
