IBIZA ! Where is the Party ? by Bruno from Ibiza
Most people recognize me as a DJ and music producer, more specifically from the iconic CafĂ© Del Mar Albums that I produced several years ago. In the last 20 years, I’ve performed in bars, trendy restaurants, private parties and beach clubs on the island. Since I won’t be playing as much this summer, I would like to share some details about Ibiza with you.
Last year, I wrote and published a book called LIVING IN ANOTHER WORLD which described the evolution of tourism and lifestyle in the magic of Ibiza. (more details here : www.livinginanotherworld.com).
In this blog, I will write about the current situation in Ibiza during this unusual summer.
The lockdown in Spain was incredibly bad as we had more severe restrictions compared to other European countries. I was lucky enough to be in Asia when the pandemic started and I have decided to extend my stay in Thailand after I finished my South Asian tour in March.
The situation in Ibiza was pretty good during the lockdown and the numbers of people affected decreased quickly. In fact, the Balearic Islands were one of the safest areas in Spain and that’s why they were the first ones to receive tourists by the end of June. Obviously, the risk of new pandemic was real if the major clubs would operate on a full activity so the local government decided that they won’t open this summer.
Ibiza is famous worldwide for the parties, it has DJs playing everywhere in bars, restaurants, hotels, villas, boats etc. People on the island thought that it could be an opportunity to go back to the “real thing” and that the local DJs would get more job and exposure. Unfortunately, it didn’t long before some places were caught by the police for failing to comply with the post-COVID rules on social distance and capacity. Basically, the only way to listen to a DJ is by sitting at a table and practice social distancing.
Villa parties soon became the only option. I was lucky to be at a villa party before things got really serious. The organizers did it in the right way: only donation at the door, open bar, free shuttles, limited sound levels, everything was under control. Unfortunately, the government learned about them and found out that a company was providing services on its website to include all facilities, including DJS, to set up private parties.
The same night, there was a private party in Amnesia, they kept going until the morning, and the neighbors soon figured out where the music was coming from. When the police arrived, 120 people were still in the club. The problem is that they had a private party in a club that was supposed to be closed and did not respect the sound level and the number of guests allowed.
With the increasing number of tourists arriving on the island and no tests done at the airport, the numbers of COVID affected increased gradually. The authorities have decided to take stronger measures to deter all parties. Since 13 July, people who plan or assist a villa party will be subjected to a serious fine.
In addition, wearing the mask is mandatory in public areas except beaches, pools, restaurants and sports activities. There are police controls all over the place and everything closes at 2 am! This situation is quite unbelievable knowing that there are open-air parties anywhere else in Spain and Europe.
The popular Djs, who normally live here during the summer, relocated to Saint Tropez or Mykonos. Getting a DJ job this summer is a nightmare, there just aren’t many places available, and the new rules make it even more complicated.
I understand that avoiding another pandemic is safer, but people here are not used to too many restrictions. In the book LIVING IN ANOTHER WORLD, I explained why Ibiza is a symbol of freedom and hedonism. I hope that these times are not over and soon we will get back to enjoy total freedom.
Bruno from Ibiza.
More stories about IBIZA in my book: www.livinginanotherworld.com
Listen to my mixes : www.soundcloud.com/brunofr
Follow me on my fan page: www.facebook.com/BalearicDJ
