Ibiza Spotlight went to Amnesia this past Thursday to join ABODE for the clubbing and lifestyle brand's closing party. Celebrating achievements both here and around the globe, here's what went down…
London | Sunday 22 September | B S T
What a week it has been for ABODE. Coming out of the weekend, the London party walks away from the triumphant third year of its annual festival. ABODE In The Park 2019 saw 12,500 die-hard fans descend on Finsbury Park.
Riding the wave, the party has had little time to absorb the ongoing success on home soil. The important matter of its Ibiza closing party was just days later.
We'd always maintained that the boldest, most interesting bookings were lined-up for the second half of the season. MK, Skream and DJ EZ now going under the name Elvin Zedo, all performed there in the last few weeks.
The closing party itself would subscribe to that same formula.
ABODE resident GW Harrison, Amnesia resident Cuartero and party favourites, Secondcity and Danny Howard were all in town for the occasion.
Most excitingly of all - and perhaps the biggest booking in the party's history - was the headline act, Kerri Chandler. Making a rare appearance on Amnesia terrace, catching the house legend at the closing party was an opportunity too big to miss.
Ibiza | Thursday 26 September | C E T
Danny Howard has come along way in the space of eight summers. In 2011, he won a DJ competition that gave him the chance to jet out to Ibiza and play alongside superstars at Radio 1 weekend. From that launch pad, he later bagged himself a presenting role.
Today, he hosts the flagship show on the station's legendary dance music marathon. He's also a familiar face at ABODE, curating his own Nothing Else Matters stage at last weekend's festival. At the closing, he showed how far he has come.
There are few bigger honours than warming up for Kerri Chandler. Some DJs might have lost their nerve, but this was the best we've seen him play. There was actually a point where we thought Kerri had started half an hour earlier than advertised.
It was the perfect set-up for our headliner. Danny is back playing for ABODE in the UK at its annual fright night this Halloween.
Busier than he's ever been, in his own words Kerri Chandler has undergone somewhat of a renaissance. Not that he ever fell out of popularity. His win at the DJ Awards picking up the gong for House DJ proves how highly regarded the veteran is more than ever.
Sometimes there's a danger that presenting the masters of the scene to younger audiences doesn't always translate well. But there was no sign of an intergenerational gap here.
Forever passionate, Chandler delivered a peak-time set lapped-up by the floor below him - the occasional blast of CO2 gratefully received.
Keep an eye out for our interview with Kerri - landing soon.
After the masterclass, closing duties fell to GW Harrison. A vital cog in the ABODE wheel since day dot, he has journeyed with the brand going from relative unknown to one of the hottest young names in the business.
2019 saw him chalk off further career landmarks: debuting at Hï and appearing for Toolroom. However, he is always best received in front of the ABODE crowd. They have shared his journey, after all.
ABODE may have had an indifferent season last year, but in 2019 the brand has not only steadied the ship but improved exponentially. It now feels like an Amnesia party.
Going up against Music On and Afterlife on Thursdays was the tallest of orders. It needed loyalty from the British contingent to compete. Not only did it get it, but its dance floor was more multinational than ever before. Credit where credit is due.
Uganda | November | E A T
As summer draws to a close, ABODE turns its attention to another exotic location. This time Uganda, where Kai and the rest of the outfit will be returning to continue their charitable endeavours.
Committed to using ABODE's profile as a force for good in the world, the humanitarian effort will also see preparation for the region's first electronic music festival. Ugandance is in the pipeline for early 2020.
We wish them all the best.
Recently celebrating its fifth year of existence, ABODE continues to fly the flag for the UK on Balearic soil. And that's not all. With Malta already being mined as the next emerging Mediterranean clubbing destination, it's just a question of "where next?" on the road to global domination.
To relive ABODE's 2019 Ibiza season, listen to the now complete Spotify playlist below and subscribe to our channel here.
ABODE may have wrapped up its campaign, but you can find information on the rest of Amnesia's listings on our party calendar.
IMAGES | by Renata Subić
