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The art of the after party

Here in Ibiza, at this time of year, there is ALWAYS an after party going on! Unfortunately, I am not typing this from said after party – though this is perhaps a skill I could look to perfect next summer via my iPad – even though my favourite DJ (and no, I’m not talking about Luciano or Richie in this instance, I’m talking about the amazing DJ W!ld) is just about to start playing (damn you Facebook for your pesky after party posts appearing in my newsfeed!) but it did get me thinking about the art to throwing a good after party in Ibiza.

Now let me just say this about that. When I say after party, I don’t just mean a bunch of people sitting back in a random hotel room knocking back the contents of the mini bar. Nope. I’m talking about those expertly executed events that include mega-famous DJs on the decks (for free!), free flowing booze, a special wristband, tattoo or password to gain access and usually a pretty spectacular venue, draped in camouflage netting and with boxes of fancy dress gear conveniently in reach. In these cases, this is when a promoter goes above and beyond the regular call of duty, by basically planning two events in one night/day. Your pioneering this season has unofficially helped bring back daytime clubbing, and for this, masters of the after party, we salute you!

1. Luciano. Well, OF COURSE it stands to reason I would nominate my hero for his hard-partying stamina, but I can tell you right now, that this is not favouritism talking. For me, nothing beats seeing Luciano reign over a rapturous after party crowd with a little bit of a gurn on and a whole lotta love behind the booth. I started my season of after-partying on a sunny Monday morning at the first Cadenza Vagabundos after party in the roped-off back section of Ushuaia while Luci, Reboot, Cesar Merveille and co played the happiest of happy music (Good life, good life, good life) and I considered chucking a sick day every Monday for the rest of the season. There’s something about being at Ushuaia in the mornings, minus that big stage and huge production, that feels like you are part of a resistance against the commercialism of the venue (as much as I love it). We revisited those same memories (erm, and good life) this week as they did it again post-Cadenza closing. This time complete with pink balloons in the pool. Heaven…

2. Marco Carola. I am starting to suspect the man is a machine. Really – has anyone actually ever seen him sleeping (photographic evidence on a postcard please)? 2012 has definitely been the year of Carola in after party circles, and La Plage in Playa d’en Bossa has been the place. After his mammoth sets at Amnesia, Carola would hit the beach and play for another five, six, seven, eight, nine hours more… surely until his mum called and told him it was time for bed? This year’s post-Amnesia closing has got to have been some kind of record, when he segued from Amnesia to La Plage, then La Plage to Sankeys for a secret Music On after-party. My advice? Get some sleep this winter Marco, because next year you’re going to have to step up even more!

3. Richie Hawtin. Is there anything the man can’t do? Nope, I thought not. Though most people might imagine Richie and his Enter co-horts keeping the after party action exclusively contained around the Enter.Pool, there were more than a few occasions when bigger venues beckoned. Namely, a cove in San Miguel (which I have to admit right now, I actually stumbled on by mistake, after hearing the rumblings of the bass over the water where we were doing a photo shoot that day, talk about luck!) and of course, the amazing Exit sunset after party at Cala Conte, where you needed to be sporting a white dot to gain access and the amount of Facebook flurry about it caused traffic jams and all kinds of chaos in the area. Don’t you guys know that the first rule of after parties is you don’t Facebook post about after parties? Take note for next year… it’s much more fun to gloat about them later!

4. Sven and co. Ah Sven, the original king of the after hours. Papa Sven has been known to DJ for more than 27 hours straight* without even taking a toilet break so when this summer the Cocoon gang started taking over La Sal Rossa in Bossa, things were going to continue well on into the next day. Just add Ricardo Villalobos and Loco Dice plus the beautiful beach, the sunshine and a laidback, cool crowd – a welcome change from the dance floor at Amnesia – and there were times when I seriously started to think there was no point in going to Cocoon at all, when the best part of the party happens here for free and after midday so I can get a good night’s sleep and make the most of it.
*urban myth alert

5. Circo Loco. We all know Circo Loco at DC10 was the most authentic Ibiza after party back in its heyday, so it makes sense then that these guys can keep the dream alive long after the club doors have closed. HOWEVER I’m going to have to be honest here and admit that Miss W Ibiza has never actually been to a DC10 after party, because they just so happen to fall on my deadline day (see opening statement!) and I can never make it. So my information is just seemingly reliable hearsay. And what I hear is this: there are a couple of mystery ‘Australians’ with a mega McMansion somewhere in the hills who play host to the post-Circo Loco shenanigans. Nobody actually knows their names. All they know is ‘some Australian gave me these Gucci sunglasses at a DC10 after party,’ or ‘Some Australian had this amazing party with Seth Troxler playing all day,’ or ‘Some Australian knew a friend of my friend and drove me back to the villa for the party,’ and so on, and so forth. Although you do have to wonder how accurate post-messy-DC10-after-party hearsay can be… Will the real ‘Australians’ please stand up?

6. Jamie Jones. As part of the aforementioned DC10 gang (and this year’s winner of the young-Brit-raver’s choice award), and a DJ with seemingly endless stamina, it’s no surprise Jamie’s always been an after party favourite. The man knows how to turn it on – and up – for the right crowd in the right venue, whether someone’s living room, villa or, where the biggest and most impressive Paradise after party was held this year, La Plage. The place was so packed we couldn’t help but wonder if Jamie should switch to day parties next year… and then perhaps his legions of female fans wouldn’t feel the need to wear so much make-up. I mean really girls, sunshine and a full face of foundation just don’t mix. As you may have noticed at said after party.

7. We Love. The crew behind Ibiza’s original Sunday morning rave-athon certainly know a thing or two about hosting a carry-on, but usually keep their after parties to a very tight knit crew of people each week, which is why you don’t hear a lot about them. For the closing party however, an after party of epic proportion was held, encompassing the entire hotel at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel and was basically the best day of my life. EVER. Fact. But I can’t tell you why. Because what happened at Pikes, stays at Pikes. Including my voice, as nine days later I’m still kinda croaky.

Now, before completely closing this chapter, let’s see what Sankeys Ibiza has got in store for us tomorrow morning… are we there yet?