Mass tourism has changed Ibiza irrevocably, and nowhere is that more apparent than the sunset strip in San Antonio.
What was once a sparsely populated section of rocky coastline occupied by the Café del Mar and a hostel or two is now a buzzing slice of real estate stretching from Sugar Sea in the south to Kasbah in the north. It takes in Savannah, Mambo, Rey de Copas, Coastline, SunSea and Kanya.
And although the aforementioned Café of the Sea lent its name to the long running chill out series, the locale is now more of a party area, especially after dark.
Food ranges from affordable to pricey, but the bars charge reasonable rates (4€ approx. for a 400cl bottle of beer). If you’re on a tighter budget you can get a big one litre from the off licence for a buck and a bit.
Getting squiffy is important but music is still central. However position yourself injudiciously and the experience is more akin to a reggae sound clash than a soothing blanket of song.
Even though viewing the sunset in this part of San An has become more of a social event, there’s still plenty of horizontal tune appreciation going on. The djs are some of Ibiza’s finest and they spend their professional lives searching for the combination of beats and melody that will make your soul soar.
Each venue occupies a special place in the hearts of the wide variety of visitors and regulars who flock to them every night.
Its appeal is indeed universal, opines the White Isle’s only trumpet-playing dj, Gordon Edge (left).
“It’s a really good mix of people who come here. From when I played at Savannah they invited me back and I became a resident at sunset so I used to meet everyone. People working at Savannah, people coming through, clubbers, people you’d seen out on the dance floor the night before who had come to see the sunset, families with their children, a real mix. I’d say almost everyone.
Is it still a chill out zone?
Gordon Edge: At sunset it is. Then all the pre-parties start. To me this area here now has got the feeling of the cross roads where people are chatting about where they’re going to go tonight, what they’re gonna do, talking to people. It’s like having your ear to the ground. In this area. You’ll get a vibe about what the big nights are gonna be and you can work out who the best djs are gonna be on a certain night.
Can you remember your first sunset?
When I brought the trumpet out on my second night in Ibiza, I went down to Savannah said ‘I’ve got a trumpet’ and they said ‘Play’. So the second day I was here, I played.
How did you first hear about Ibiza?
From friends. Because I’ve been involved in music so long people were saying ‘You haven’t been to Ibiza, have you?’ A guy called Adam Ralph always said to me ‘Go out to Ibiza.’ I came in ’98, because I lost my drivers license for speeding. I got banned for six months and at that time I was running my own record label and releasing two or three records a week. I needed my car so they completely screwed me basically. So I thought ‘What am I gonna do?’ So I thought for six months I’ll go out to Ibiza and see how that is. And I stayed. If I could thank the magistrate now for banning me from driving, I would. I’d shake his hand. At the time I wanted to wring his neck.
When I first came here I had been djing a lot in Germany, and I was playing really hard techno in big German raves. And I completely stopped djing when I came to Ibiza because at the time none of my records fitted in with what was going on. The last few years I’ve put the trumpet together with the djing. A tour in China was one of the times I really got it to meld together. For me it’s quite fulfilling to be able to play the trumpet and dj my own music.
How did the reality of Ibiza compare with the actuality?
I’d seen a bit of Ibiza Uncovered, but I hadn’t seen a lot of it. I just flicked on and saw the end of it a couple of times. I got a vague impression from that, which a lot of people have I s’pose. I thought ‘Shall I bring my trumpet? Maybe I’ll get into a situation where I’d want it.’ I’m so glad I did. I spent my first day with it in the hotel and the second day I thought ‘I’ll just give it a try’. And I ended up playing in Privilege that night, and the next day in Space.
Do you ever get the security guards shaking it to see if you’ve secreted anything in there?
No they never do that. It’s quite a good trick actually. You’ll get everybody coming here with trumpets now.
Or other wind instruments.
You need something with a good cavity.
What’s your favourite sunset café?
Probably Savannah ‘cos I’ve played the most times there.
Favourite club?
Pacha.
Favourite tune?
I’ve got a track with Gee from Bora Bora. It’s called ‘Wanna Say It’ by La Bossa. That seems to be getting a great reaction.
Have you ever broken or lost your trumpet in an epic caning session?
No. When I came out here in Ibiza I thought about bringing a little bike lock or something so someone wouldn’t run off with the trumpet in the middle of a session you go to the bar and have a drink and your trumpet’s gone. And then I realised Ibiza’s not like that at all. So far.
Everybody will be after it now if you keep on talking about the cavity.
- Gordon Edge will next be appearing at Dusted @ Eden on August 26 and elsewhere in Ibiza. Recently he blew away (sorry 'bout that) the terrace at Space on Sunday
