RA Ibiza Weekly: Going live

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    Fri, Jun 24, 2011, 09:30
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  • The ultra-competitive island is increasingly looking past DJs to entice clubgoers this year.
  • RA Ibiza Weekly: Going live image
  • The term "live" is banded about in electronic music circles with increasing frequency, albeit with simultaneously increasing confusion as to what it actually means. I won't go through the variations of what "(live)" after an artist's name could actually entail. But it's suffice to say that new and innovative ways of presenting electronic music live in Ibiza is arguably the most en vogue trait in trying to make your party appeal. Ibiza Rocks trailblazed this to some extent. This year it's moved away from the "Rocks" and more towards the "Pops," which by definition means a lot more electronic music, such as Magnetic Man, Example, Chase & Status, 2 Many DJs, Fatboy Slim and other more interesting stuff like azariiii" data-artist-news-link="true">Azari & III or Metronomy. While some of these acts don't adhere to the "live" concept—Fatboy Slim played a DJ set this week for example—the principle of a whole series of events dedicated to live performances has still been a very much unique idea. I Want My MTV Ibiza (Fridays at Amnesia) and Privilege Live (Sundays at Privilege) will undoubtedly challenge that monopoly in 2011. The former has gone to town on everything from Plastikman to Duran Duran, with Snoop Dogg and Primal Scream bookending the shows. Privilege meanwhile, the club most suited to large scale performances, has drafted in Underworld, Jamiroquai and Digitalism so far. The fundamental issue though is getting the product right. Is it a gig or is it a club night? Can they co-exist peacefully? How do 4,000 people up for some Snoop action translate into seeing Magda in the other room? Well, you could do worse than take a leaf out of We Love's book, who last week slotted 2020 Soundsystem onto the Space Terrace with no negative impact upon mood or vibe. This week they go one step further by having Caribou go all out with a full band in the Discoteca. Space offers solutions (thanks mainly to its various rooms of various sizes)—albeit not always ideal ones—to accommodating live music; Laurent Garnier's LBS show, for example, is a very different proposition at the Playa D'en Bossa club for We Love than it will be when he does the same for Pete Tong at Pacha. The famous two-cherried club, and others, have typically got around logistical problems of how to stage things live by stripping back and investing in pop star PAs; Usher, Will.i.am and Kylie Minogue have set a trend, which is this year followed by urban-focused nights like Twice as Nice (Thursdays at Eden) and Urban Heroes (Sundays at Es Paradis) who bring in Busta Rhymes, Sean Paul and Tinchy Stryder amongst others. The list of DJs "going live" is endless and too confusing to even begin to unravel. Is Reboot or Guti playing live comparable to what Mathew Johnson does or even in the same ball-park as A Guy Called Gerald or anywhere near what happens when Francesco Tristano plays classical piano alongside Carl Craig? Gaining competitive advantage and trying to offer something unique have long been two core requirements of successfully promoting a party. On that basis—and given the lengths many are now going to—some knob tweaking and button pushing just ain't gonna fly this year in Ibiza.


    • Sun, Jun 26, 2011

      We Love... Space

      Caribou, Joris Voorn, Blondes, Jem Haynes, Simian Mobile Disco, Audiofly, Pier Bucci, Smokin Jo, PBR Streetgang, Jonathan Ulysses, Jason Bye, Camilo Franco, Mr Doris, Andy Baxter, Trojan Sound, Ben Terry, Brinsley, Tom Frank, Ryan O Gorman, Alfredo, Ian Blevins
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    • Sun, Jul 24, 2011

      We Love... Resident Advisor

      Derrick May, Joris Voorn, Agoria, Jem Haynes, Âme, Dixon, Henrik Schwarz, Tensnake, Ryan O Gorman, Colin Peters, Jeff Automatic, Mr Doris, Phat Phil Cooper, A Guy Called Gerald, Alfredo, Ian Blevins, Ben Korbel
      Person
      44













    • Sun, Sep 4, 2011

      We Love... Space

      Tensnake, Paul Woolford, Ivan Smagghe, Jem Haynes, Laurent Garnier, Scan X, Steve Lawler, jozif, Riotous Rockers, Colin Peters, Mr Doris, Mark Rae, Guy Williams, Ryan O Gorman, Ben Korbel, Alfredo, Ian Blevins
      Person
      37

    • Sun, Sep 18, 2011

      We Love... Space

      Carl Craig, Francesco Tristano, Michael Mayer, Ewan Pearson, Groove Armada, Tensnake, Ralph Lawson, PBR Streetgang, Jason Bye, Funkagenda, Alex Taylor, Jem Haynes, Mr Doris, Phat Phil Cooper, Lexx, Alfredo, Ian Blevins, Ben Korbel
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