A few years back the April edition of then style bible the Face magazine showed a picture of an empty White Isle beach accompanied by a story entitled 'Ibiza's been cancelled'.
Perhaps understandably the local tourist industry didn't react well to the April fool's "joke" but who's laughing now? The Face is three years dead and the number of clubbers and others coming to Ibiza continues to increase. Ha ha ha ha.
According the Spanish airport site Aena.es, plane passenger numbers in 2006 were almost four and a half million (the total of both inbound and outbound passengers), up 7.1% in comparison to 2005. Almost two million more leave and arrive by boat.
As reported earlier on Spotlight local politicians are bullish about the White Isle's international appeal and Turespaña is targeting the vast and virtually untapped markets of China, Japan and India.
Agra in India 2006
Club wise the mood is positive, with San Rafael's Privilege repeating its early opening of last year. The world's biggest club throws its fiesta apertura on Saturday June 2.
San An's Eden nighterie pops its cork the day before, and the mighty Space in Playa d'en Bossa are so well organised they announced their opening date about a week after they closed last year.
Space opening 2006 (Photo: www.space-ibiza.es)
Space opening 2006 (Photo: www.space-ibiza.es)
day before Space opening 2006 (Photo: www.space-ibiza.es)
The big news there is Fritz Pangratz (above, in the white shirt) is the man in charge no longer. After more than 15 years at a venue commonly regarded as the best of its kind in the world, he's relinquished the reins. Now the responsibility for running the show has been lifted from his shoulders will he be partying hard? Be there to find out.
Cream in the UK might have gone all rock with their new Knowsley Hall festival featuring the disinterred Who and Keane but trance tykes fear not, Paul Van Dyk has already announced eight dates at Amnesia, starting Thursday June 21 and finishing September 20.
Cocoon at the same club commences on Monday June 18 and ceases on September 24. Amnesia's opening date hasn't been announced but will probably be Saturday June 16.
The BBC's Radio 1 have laid two of their cards on the table - Friday August 10 and Saturday August 11. Expect more events as they realise that once again Ibiza's a swirling whirlpool of that all important wasted whippersnapper demographic.
Via his online forum, Beeb jock Pete Tong has suggested Friday June 8 as the likely date for the first Pure Pacha party.
Erick "Dude, where's my jet?" Morillo will initiate the Subliminal Sessions' proceedings on Wednesday June 6, and every Wednesday after that till September 26. August 22 will be a horrendously busy combined gig with David Guetta's Fuck Me I'm Famous. For the first time the French fashionista will be doing as many as eleven others, starting Thursday June 7.
For more line ups check the printable party calendar
Local newspapers report Pacha bought the temporary casino on the outskirts of Ibiza Town and plan to turn the games room into a club.
Rumours have been circling like vultures round Dc10, the rave shack near the airport that appears dangerously proximate to the massive roadworks that have ripped open the island's red earth.
aerial map at the Consell Insular - 2006
However aerial maps do not indicate the home of the Italian production Circo Loco is in danger, and last year the woman in charge of the project, Stella Matutes, told Spotlight the newly widened airport road is intended solely to bypass San Jordi, to Dc10's east.
Assuming no digger crashes thru the walls, they'll be opening the day after Space does, on Monday June 4.
