As Ibiza's super clubs are preparing to bolt up their doors, and the closing parties are well under way, it's with a heavy heart I write this next Gossip Girl column. Every year I say the words ‘this has been my best summer yet' and every year without fail it surpasses the last, resulting that - this summer has been my best summer yet!
Last week's ‘We Love Sundays' at Space closing party was epic. It's without a shadow, my favourite party on the white isle, and with a special closing triple headliner; Fatboy Slim, 2 Many DJ's and Aphex Twin, guaranteed it was going to be sensational, to which it delivered, and was. Norman Cook was yet again shoeless in the DJ box, playing lots of his own tunes and going mental with the air horn. The place was rammed to the max, with a guest list queue that snaked outside the club and I was told by ten o clock had a forty minute wait, and that was for the guest list! El Salon was the easiest to get a drink, to which I had many, and most probably the reason why by at 5am I had to be carried out of the place...
A mere two days later I was back out again, this time for the annual DJ Awards held at Pacha. Emma B and Des Paul hosted and presented the green kryptonite looking trophies to the winners. As far as award shows go it's a wee bit cringey, and they could do with revising the names of the categories, awarding a whole country - the USA, for the best dance nation... and I certainly wouldn't classify any of the nominees in the new listing for best ‘eclectic house' as anything at all housey. (Annie Mac, 2 Many DJ's, Boyz Noize, Steve Aoki, house? Really?!)
The honest truth would be it's not taken very seriously by Ibiza's industry folks, and each year it seems to lose more credibility. It also has a reputation that the awards are all fixed and the winners are decided on who agrees to show up, although this is firmly denied by the DJ Awards team.
The most amusement from my party was spotting Paris Hilton who was there (with her sister Nicky) to present AfroJack an award for best remixer. I was sat on the table next to her and had a really great view of Paris brazenly taking out a compact mirror, pouting like you've never seen anything like it, fluffing her hair and openly posing away. She then proceeded to get out her phone so she could use the light to get a clearer view of what she looked like, and then took a picture of herself for final confirmation! Making sure everyone can see her dancing away and being, well, Paris Hilton, her sister seemed more reserved and content to be in the background; she was way cooler, basically.
On Thursday night (I'm trying to cram in as many more social outing as I can, whilst I can) I popped to Ushuaia for the closing of Sasha's ‘Never Say Never' and I have to say, hats off to the man and his crew, I had a great time. Musically, I appreciate Sasha is somewhat a legend and pioneer for electronic, trance and house music, but my knowledge on the DJ/producer/remixer and his sound are limited to this, so I wasn't sure what I was turning up to exactly. But the tunes were killer and the mood set in Playa D'en Bossa's most glossy resort was happy and enthusiastic, so... party on!
Well I say party on; I've only a couple more opportunities, sob, sob.
So, until the next, and final, time this year...
Besos, GG
