What makes a good party? Is it the music? The friends you're with? The production? The antics? In truth, all play a vital part. The only real metric is, is this a party you're going to still be talking about in six months, a year, half a decade's time? Those are the kind of parties I'm talking about.
With these factors in mind, let's get into what I would rate as my top five parties of summer 2022 so far. It wasn't conscious, but judging by my choices, I dispel the myth that none of the best parties happen in August.
Then again, maybe my brain is so fried, I can't remember much of what happened earlier. In any case, summer has been a blast so far.
Ibiza 2022 was always shaping up to go down in the history books.
1. Repopulate Mars | Eden
I've had several great nights at Eden this summer, especially at Defected which is always guaranteed vibes both backstage and on the dancefloor. Yet it's another party that stands out in particular for its notoriety…
Lee Foss' long awaited return to Ibiza was always going to be something and his Repopulate Mars party has become the place to be on Tuesdays for all of you House heads. All the better for being a cheaper, more convenient alternative to other options.
Having stayed till lights-up at the opening party, I may have ended up at an after party at a villa in Cala Tarida. wAFF and Foss himself played back-to-back for six solid hours. This resulted in me being in absentia for the weekly team meeting. As if reality couldn't hit any harder, I returned to San Antonio later that afternoon to discover that my car had been towed. Whoops!
Putting it mildly, it was one very chaotic 24 hours.
Favourite week: 21 June
Best set: John Summit
2. El Baile | Pacha
New for 2022, El Baile transforms Pacha into an immersive spectacle of colour, light and futurism. With so many elements and a strong narrative behind it, the party has seen incredible turn outs since its launch night at the start of July.
The party has a strong focus on diversity within the music industry, with at least a fifty percent female line-up each week, which is great to see finally being put into practice in 2022. Creative director Doumi's concept, passion and love for the scene shines through with this event, making it a party like no other.
Favourite week: 18 August
Best set: AMÉMÉ
3. Calvin Harris | Ushuaïa
We've all known and loved Calvin Harris ever since his very first UK hit single Girls. He's taken us on a musical journey over the last decade and you'd be lying if you said there wasn't at least one of his songs that has you in a choke hold.
Every Friday he manages to sell-out Ushuaïa, attracting the masses in their thousands. It's a festival-like, nostalgia-filled spectacle; a place to relive your youth and listening to your favourite bangers. If you're lucky enough, you might bump into some A-listers as well. A few weeks back, I ended up on a table with Margo Robbie, Rami Malek and Jason Statham!
I was giddy at the time and I'm still star-struck now to be honest. Kind of kicking myself I was too cool to ask for a selfie now.
Favourite week: 5 August
Best set: the man himself, obviously
4. Paradise | Amnesia
Paradise switched from its renowned home at DC10 to Amnesia this year and, personally speaking, it's bigger and better than ever. For me, the super-club and Paradise go hand-in-hand to form the perfect place to showcase Jamie Jones and his special guests, who he often ends up playing back-to-back with. The big move paid off.
From the podium dancers and the decor, to the elevated DJ booth and mad-for-it crowd, it's like a giant Ibizan Boiler Room session. I've been most weeks since the beginning of the season and it just seems to get better each time.
Favourite week: 10 August
Best set: Jamie Jones (extendeeeeeeeeed)
5. The Martinez Brothers | Hï Ibiza
What I love about this party is how there was a lot of speculation about The Martinez Brothers switch away from DC10 to Hï Ibiza, a newly established club that they weren't previously associated with. With so many die-hard fans flying in to see them, it immediately became their home, with every week close to full capacity.
Part of what makes this night so special is the line-ups, where The Bros invite some of the biggest names in electronic music to join them. Their infectious energy and swagger proves that they can play anywhere and still expect a packed out D-floor.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Chris and Steve backstage after their set gone 07:00. And, yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that I did fangirl a little. They were full of beans and adrenaline-pumped after playing to a full club.
Being a self-confessed groupie, I was pretty psyched to catch the busy boys away from the decks.
Favourite week: 16 August
Best set: Mason Collective
What I've learned is that, whether in an intimate club or in one of the island's glitzy mega venues, each party and promoter is unique and capable of creating memories that'll last forever. The other take home, is that the answer to 'do you want to come to the afters?' is always a resounding "YES!" Forgiveness is always easier to obtain than permission.
The constant stream of parties and how much demand there is for them, just underlines how important music and dancefloor escapism is to people. It's what's made Ibiza what it is today.
When I say the party doesn't stop, it really doesn't (well, not in my schedule)!
To plan your holiday schedule, divert your attention to our party calendar for full club night listings. See you on the dancefloor.
HEADER IMAGE | by PHRANK
