Last month in Ibiza NOW we reported on the International Music Summit and the eternal strife that seems to exist between the established ’superclubs’ and the rest of the music and party organisers on the island. Since then DC 10 and
Kumharas have subsequently been shut down, so those in power would appear to have won. But have they…?

Reports are now beginning to filter through of alternative events that some at the conference predicted would occur. Their predictions anticipated a market that will develop over the summer involving 4 x 4 police chases into the depths of the campo.

It would appear that a rethink might be in order…

This report came in recently in response to concern expressed by foreign observers at the conference. They were worried that Ibiza’s previously tolerant and welcoming attitude to foreigners had been crushed. We felt this report worthy of
publication to illustrate the fact that the island’s spirit will not be crushed.

Interestingly, the majority of the participants were residents and almost exclusively Spanish. The party clampdown is not being fought by Italians, or any other organised group of foreigners. These are the legislator’s own children… Is anyone
surprised?

The venue was in Ibiza Town, but to be honest from the outside you would never have guessed it was a club. It was only the two meat-heads standing outside a door that gave it away. We were charged 5 euros to get in and were then led down some stairs through a series of blankets which were doubling up as makeshift soundproofing. Very old-school.

The club was in a dark, musky basement and was already very busy with a predominantly young Spanish crowd even though it was not long past kicking out time at the big clubs.

The fug of marijuana smoke was as unmistakable as it was overpowering and people were openly taking drugs - well, I’m no chemist, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t sherbet dib-dab they were snorting off the tables that’s for sure. The walls were wet with condensation and a DJ was playing dark minimal house which suited the surroundings perfectly, but it wasn’t quite loud enough to dance to (they obviously didn’t trust the makeshift soundproofing).

There was a bar selling reasonably priced drinks and the crowd in there were smiley and relaxed - very relaxed actually. Basically the whole experience was as far away from the big clubs as you can get. These parties are obviously in their infancy and the low volume of the music did reduce the atmosphere to little more than an after-hours bar than a proper rave. But I could tell kids in there were getting off on the fact it was illegal, they seemed excited just being part of it. I’m sure that eventually they’ll get braver and start turning the sound up which will give it the atmosphere the punters were looking for.

I didn’t stick around for very long - it was just my curiosity that had taken me there in the first place - but I’m sure that more and more of these parties are going to start popping up around the island. And maybe the music might get so loud that the politicians might even start hearing it.

Please don’t ask where this venue is…

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 2:50 pm and is filed under after hours, after hours ban, ibiza. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.