Ibiza 2019 is sadly over. The next in our series of retrospective features, clubbing intern Jo explores the summer of the throwback.
Everybody loves a comeback. Seemingly, Ibiza is no exception. This past summer especially, we have seen the return of parties of old, rekindled love affairs with veteran DJs and danced to some top guilty-pleasure tunes.
Being a mere 20-year-old here on Ibiza, it's been insightful to see purveyors of the old school and rave icons from back in the day still getting their dues. Despite the new wave of talent coming through, dance music's pillars were constructed by these founders.
Personally, I've had an absolute blast getting down to some retro beats amid all the upfront trends. It's been both an education and entertaining. Let's take a look at our top throwback moments of the summer. Get ready to feel some serious nostalgia.
Kraftwerk's long overdue Ibiza debut
Cocoon's season-long 20th birthday celebrations were always going to be special, but one moment stands out. On Friday 13 September Sven Väth and the team removed all the stops to bring electronic legends Kraftwerk to Ushuaïa.
Hailed as the pioneering inspiration behind today's modern crop of dance music producers, the four-piece made their long overdue Ibiza debut. The concert was already one of the hottest dates of the season, months in advance of the day itself.
Ushuaïa's grand stage became a 3D spectacle and Kraftwerk's iconic discography of tracks brought in a loyal following of music lovers, old and new. As a child of 1999, I spent my time in the crowd imagining how groundbreaking it must have been hearing Kraftwerk for the first time back in the 70s with their futuristic vision. Check out the photo gallery.
IDOL-ising Orbital
Rave masters Orbital lauded us with a handful of appearances, returning to the island for three exclusive dates. Headlining Eden's progressive night IDOL, Paul and Phil proved that the craft of DJing is timeless.
Experimenting with not only sound techniques but visuals as well, Orbital earned a reputation as boundary pushers back in the '90s. Their imprint on the festival circuit, including historic sets at Glastonbury, helped cement electronic music's status on a global stage.
Landmark sets aside, they also created some pretty great music. Tunes such as Chimes and Belfast can still cause a ruckus on the dance floor, as witnessed at Eden this term. Hopefully we'll see more of the Hartnoll brothers rolling back the years in future summers.
DJ Harvey grooving on at Pikes
DJ Harvey is the master of all things groovy. The unflappable wildman continued his tenure as Pikes' cultural attaché on Mondays, mid to late summer. After falling in love five years ago, Pikes and Harvey have been inseparable and we wouldn't have it any other way.
This summer DJ Harvey has kept the intimate party Mercury Rising alive with classic disco, soul and funk tracks from bygone decades.
Pikes holds an air of mystique, emboldened not only by its legendary status, but its strict door policy. But the charm of this most sassiest of selectors has the ability to send even the most reserved of dance floors to hedonism.
Keeping the legacy of these old records alive and sharing them with younger generations is something we're forever thankful to DJ Harvey for.
Turning back the Clock with the Orange army
Ibiza's face may be constantly changing with each new generation, but some things never change. Clockwork Orange's infamous weekend has become one such permanent fixture.
Largely (but not exclusively) frequented by the old guard, white hair and wrinkles are not an uncommon sight. Though don't be fooled, the Orange Army can party with the best of 'em.
2019 marked quarter of a century for Clockwork Orange. The celebrations included Clockstock at Benimussa Park, the after party at Es Paradis, the Shhh! all dayer at Amnesia and the closing sunset at Café Mambo. Across those events, the likes of Danny Rampling, Jeremy Healy, Graeme Park and more were responsible for the tunes.
Crucially, Danny Gould has kept his diehard following happy by announcing 2020 plans early. In case you missed them, those zesty orange dates are Thursday 9 to Monday 13 July. That's a week earlier than this year.
2020 promises a much called for return to the beach, plus a party on the Saturday for the first time. Here's to another 25 years of Clockwork Orange on Ibiza!
Judgement reunion
Holding out to the bitter end of the season pays for itself when parties like this pop up. One More Time brought a five day fiesta to the island, but the date that caught our attention was Tuesday 1 October.
Old Ibiza hand, Judge Jules returned to San Antonio. His high-energy trance party returning to Eden was the equivalent to catching up with an absent friend. A wild night out for old time's sake.
Always a pleasure to see old faces return, for an Ibiza newbie like myself, I appreciated the opportunity to experience parties that shaped today's clubbing landscape.
Stayed tuned to our club magazine for more Ibiza 2019 retrospective features coming soon.
