It was only a matter of time but we found one:

more ibiza rocks videos from this summer: here

September 1st was the big one… the most eagerly awaited gig on Ibiza for 19 years, according to Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe.

That last occasion (we worked it out) must have been when Freddy Mercury and Monserrat Caballe unveiled the theme song for the Barcelona Olympics at Ku in 1987. Sadly Freddy died before the Olympics in 1992 so the song was never performed live at the opening ceremony. It still makes it a big gig though.

Despite the history, times and tastes change, so we’ve heard dissension from ardent fans of Faithless who paid that same accolade to the last MTV extravaganza on the island at the same venue, although by then known as Privilege.

Nonetheless tonight’s was a big gig – as at Kasabian there were several hundred people outside the venue either prepared to make do with the sound and no sight of their heroes, or to pay for one of the tickets, which were allegedly changing hands for 2.500€.

The support band, Reverend and The Makers, certainly got the audience going, at least imploring them to love each other and be nice.

Zane Lowe then stepped up to deal with the set changeover and roused the crowd still further while the security held up signs informing us all that ‘Anyone caught throwing their drink in the air would be escorted from the premises’. Meanwhile we were advised that no photographs of the band were to be taken, because the Arctics like to personally control all pictorial evidence of their antics…

This might have worked twenty years ago, before the invention of camera phones, but became farcical as they descended the stairs to the stage in a blaze of flashes from the accumulated paying punters. There followed a succession of their greatest hits, but no banter with the audience. No empathy, just lots of hit songs for the audience to sing along to.

It may just be that the Arctics are too big nowadays to enjoy performing at an intimate gig designed for bonding with their audience, like Ibiza Rocks… You can maybe see though how perfoming to 50,000 people 2 nights running might make you forget what you used to do….

Technically, the sound was really good, the world and his wife turned up, but sorry - we like bands with a bit more passion…

It’s a real shame because *every* ibiza rocks gig so far has been fun and full of feeling - tonight that was lost

So roll on the fratellis - shame that it seems that one of the dates was cancelled

Mike (Manumission) & Lenny last night

On a plus side we ran into Lenny twice in a week - if you dont know Lenny but like pure original Ibiza chill out - then you wont go far wrong with his music. He also co-founded the DJ Awards and we are hoping that Ibiza Rocks gets recognised in the 10th anniversary DJ awards at Pacha at the end of the month.

Hot off the press - Manumissions night at Amnesia, following their move from Privilege sees Fatboy Slim, The Arctic Monkeys as well as Zane Lowe, Mark Ronson and Steve Lawler all dj’ing…. not one to miss we think:

There was a report in this mornings Diario de Ibiza about the ending of Ibiza Rocks gigs. They stated that “Manumission have announced that thay have ended the Ibiza Rocks gigs and that the last gig was supposed to have been Dirty Pretty Things on Tuesday so the Arctic Monkeys which was to take place on the 1st September won’t happen.”

The Diario also said that the Dirty Pretty Things gig on Tuesday night was cancelled - since we were actually at that gig alarms bells started to ring and so a call was made to Manumissions office to clarify what was going on. Manumission tell us that this is not the case – so perhaps it’s wishful thinking by the authorities, but then again, they’ve been perfectly happy with live gigs at Bar M for the last two years?

One wonders why after quite a bit of good coverage by the Diario of the Ibiza Rocks gigs so far they would go this route. In hindsight an article over last weekend probably hinted at their direction when they said that the DPT gig would be at Bar M and the final gig would be the Arctic Monkeys on the 1st of Sep - both facts they (alledgedly) knew weren’t true. A conspiracy theorist would have a field day - manumission move to amnesia - ibiza rocks gets shut down…

Strange goings-on and mysterious influences at work, but we have it from the head honcho’s mouth that all gigs will go ahead as planned – you’ll just have to get to Bar M for 7 pm and catch a coach for your mystery tour…
For the Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and The Fratellis, we wouldn’t miss it, how about you?

A clue to the future, certainly for the west of the island, was given in a recent interview with the Diario de Ibiza by the newly appointed Councillor for the Interior and Tourism of Sant Antoni, Josep Ramon Serra. Previously in charge of “Maintenance and Cleaning” for the town, he confirmed that his spare time was spent cultivating his fields and following ancient Ibicenco traditions.

He summarized the early days of his new responsibility by congratulating his legal department on having closed four entertainment establishments and sealing the musical equipment at five more. He went on to point out that their flouting of license restrictions was unfair on those other businesses around them who were obediently obeying their own license restrictions.

Admirable sentiments one would have to agree, but with a serious clampdown going on in Sant Antoni and a rush for the door to neighbouring municipalities by major players in the attraction of tourists to the island, one can only hope that our man in charge is fully acquainted with all of the potential risks involved in changing the Mediterranean party capital of San Antoni too quickly. Closing a west-end bar that does all you can drink for 15 euros is one thing - hampering high end restaurants and venues that don’t attract those very same people is another.

The views of his “friends” and neighbours could rapidly change if the views of the observing outside world are not factored into his decisions.

click on the images for larger versions

All change at Ibiza Rocks tonight as this week’s two gigs were rolled into one, with The Twang
and Dirty Pretty Things sharing headline at the new venue enforced by the last minute antics of the San Antonio authorities.

We’ve been relocated to an ex-zoo a few kilometres away in the hills at the back of nearby Ses Paisses. Because it’s a little hard to find Ibiza Rocks have laid on free coaches from their traditional home, at Bar M on the beach of San Antonio, but the message is equally traditional - the party will go on…

The local police turned up at 10:30 (maybe they got lost ?), by which time the gig was well underway, and imposed a fine on the promoter, Ibiza Rocks, but decided against trying to stop the show and invoking the wrath of the hundreds who had turned up to watch these two major indie bands of the
moment who, after all, had taken the trouble to come from the UK to entertain us all and brought an army of new tourists (their fans) with them.

Head honcho, Andy McKay, confirmed that all of the remaining Ibiza Rocks gigs for the remainder of the summer would go ahead, but several will be at other outdoor venues in other parts of the island. Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys will be at the same venue (not sure if we can say where yet).

All of those wishing, or already booked, to attend need only go to Bar M before the gig. From there they will be bused to the ’secret’ venues.

It would appear that the loser in this crazy scenario will be San Antonio - the winner will be live music in the open air.

It’s almost a breath of the sort of fresh air that we used to breathe at the hill parties not so many years ago…

One has to wonder what San Antonio are thinking…

click on any of the images for larger versions

 

We couldn’t not put this pic up of our favourite bunch of guys, the Hungover Stuntmen at Ibiza rocks last night….