Advertisement
With the prospect of the first-ever Ibiza season with no after-hours clubs there is no doubt "do it yourself " is going to be the trend of the summer.
Can't party at Space or DC10? Call your mates, hire a sound rig and play it by ear….
If you're going to venture down the dusty byway of DIY promoting you had better be smart about it - the alternative is short-lived parties, policia getting heavy and a huge hole in your wallet.
It is tricky, but not impossible, to throw awesome parties in Ibiza that hover beneath the radar of authority, and to find out exactly how Ibiza Voice turned to (disc) jock-of-all-trades DJ/promoter/producer Stuart Geddes, one half of the Mulletover team. After creating a series of successful London warehouse parties he and partner Rob brought their underground ethos to the island and threw a handful of outdoor raves that helped define the summer of 2007.
Fancy your chances of emulating that trick? Here's what you need to know…
***
Location:
"It's getting more and more difficult to find places. You need a clear space to set up, plenty of room for car-parking and you need to be far enough away from any locals that no one complains! The problem is a lot of areas have been used before, the accessible places are pretty well known to the police. "
Licensing:
"I don't know if you can even get a license for outdoor parties. I don't think if Rob or I went to the police and asked for a license they'd give us anything, so we just hope for the best."
Logistics:
"To do an event you have to be hooked up. I don't think they have Yellow Pages in Ibiza. We have another partner on the island who speaks Spanish and has been there for years - he knows where to get the generators, port-a-loos, all that stuff. Without him the parties wouldn't happen."
Leg-work:
"It takes three or four days to set up. You have to get all the equipment, get your bar stock together. On the day you set up the soundsystem and the toilets and stuff. You'll need another day after the party to clean up. We have a team of six or seven people who help with all the bartending, etc."
Languages:
"Neither Rob nor I speak very good Spanish, but make sure you have someone who does. Not only will you need it to source your equipment, it's essential if the police do turn up!"
Little things:
"Make sure you budget for car-park attendants and security. Someone tried to steal our generator during a party last year - so it's absolutely vital!"
Legal issues:
"Last year our closing party was shut down after about five minutes and Rob got arrested. We thought we were going to get a massive fine but we were lucky. It helped that we turned off the music straight away and did what they asked. Also, the party didn't look a mess, we were obviously organised, which I think makes a big difference."
Line-ups:
"Sometimes we work out the line-up on the day of the party. We don't have a lot of money to fly people in so I'd just turn on your phone and see who was around."
Leaking the news:
"We promote by word of mouth, emails, texts. It's something we carried over from London, where we never announce the location till the day of the party. It works in Ibiza because we have a good network - you don't want the information getting to the wrong people and the old bill getting a text saying where the party is."
Living for the moment:
"It's a big financial risk because of all the gear you have to hire, but when it works it's amazing. Our party up behind Amnesia was a highlight of last year. I remember standing at the top of the hill and seeing this snake of car headlights coming towards us. It was a moment where you realise, I know why I do this!"
Mulletover Ibiza Party On The Hills Video here »
Geddes and co. have just celebrated Mulletover's fourth birthday in London and will be back in Ibiza for another season's worth of mischief soon. Meantime, check out Rekleiner - Some People on Geddes' new Murmur label from 9 April which includes a Daniel Stefanik remix.
Mulletover throw their last London rave till October on Saturday, 26 April with Dixon and Sebo K
www.mulletover.co.uk - www.myspace.com/stuartgeddes - www.murmurrecords.com