As we went to press for the August edition of Ibiza NOW magazine the latest victim of the recent clampdown on island music venues was Kumharas in the bay of Sant Antoni.

We understand that this latest closure came about because someone was caught smoking cannabis at a licensed ‘Legalise Cannabis’ event some three years ago. Although the heavy fine imposed at the time was duly paid and the local Guardia Civil are housed next door to the venue, this popular family favourite for a fabulous view of the sunset was ordered to close for 2 months.

This seems a little excessive in light of the well publicised deaths caused through the abuse of drugs at other larger venues around the island but, no doubt, the truth of the matter will rise to the surface in the near future.

In the meantime the punters are heading to Chirincana at Cala Martina on the east coast. This alternative to Kumharas is similar and bound to benefit in the face of the latter’s closure.

It has the sunset, which is unusual for an east coast venue and a similar grungy, holistic vibe. If anything the vibe is even more ‘roots’, as the hippies from the old Camping Florida camp site all seem to have returned.

Good luck to them, it was probably more ‘ambient’ than the eponymous event taking place simultaneously at Café del Mar… We got so sucked into the spiritual ambience that we were late for the evening’s gig by Ibizarre at the Atzaro country hotel featuring Eva Pacifico…