OPENINGS

Generally it's agreed that the summer club season kicks off 'officially' with the opening of Space, on the nearest Sunday to the 1st of June. This doesn't mean that the island is club-free before then, as Pacha and El Divino stay open at weekends throughout the winter - though both will have opening parties early in June at the start of their summer calendars - and most of the big venues will have New Year parties.

The opening parties for each of the 7 big venues (Space, Amnesia, Privilege, Pacha, El Divino, Eden and Es Paradis), are then followed in turn by the opening parties for the headlining nights for each day of the week, a minimum of seven opening parties for each venue, plus more on nights where two clubs are jointly hosting the venue (e.g. White Party and Made In Italy, both at Amnesia on Friday nights)*. A good opening party can make or break a promoter's season, so it's best not to open on the same night as any of the competitors, and definitely not the same night as La Troya or Manumission's openings!

My first opening party in Ibiza was probably Anfora in May 2000, but that doesn't count because (a) it was Anfora, (b) I broke my ankle, and (c) it was Anfora! My first real taste of the opening party experience was for Amnesia in June 2001, followed a few days later by La Troya Asesina's opening party, and I've been back to both every year since.

2002 was my landmark year, however, as I was at Space's opening party for the first time, and I suppose I got to see what all the fuss was all about. It's one for your diaries, so book your trip to Ibiza now. Be there for the Sunday nearest the 1st of June and see if you can last the full 24 hours at Space. I only managed 12 hours that first time, which was kind of a poor show since I wasn't working and had nowhere else to be, but me and Jasmine kinda ran out of everything by 9 o'clock in the evening, and quite frankly sometimes you need everything to keep on going! It was also the last time I saw the gorgeous Carlos out clubbing in Ibiza, my fantasy man from the 2001 season...

DC10 opens the day after Space, but after that things tend to tail off for a couple of weeks, which is when you make the most of any good weather and hit the beaches big time, as you may not get another chance until October!

Just don't get me started on reopening parties, as these were invented to break the will of even the most hardcore of clubbers looking forward to a post-season respite!

Marti
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*Is it just me, or is this starting to sound like the 'I met a man going to St. Ives...' riddle?