Trees can sleep easy, the future is here. In years past attracting plenty party people required traditional promotional techniques such as the distribution of posters, flyers and magazines. But not in 2006, as evidenced by the numbers who flocked to Bora Bora's opening party on Friday.
Bora Bora opening - May 26
"We did nothing," says resident dj Alex Miles. "I posted the line up for the opening party on Spotlight. And I posted on
Dontstayin but that was only to my personal list. And it was in two of the local papers. And also Jet printed out a couple of bits of paper and stuck them along the
street in Playa d'en Bossa."
Spotlight spoke to
Alex (right, in the red shirt) last night over a pizza at beach front restaurant Tur Palas. We were joined by fellow resident
Will Johnston (centre) while a bit further along the
playa Gordon Edge kept the people entertained on the
Sunday before Ibiza's big opening weekend.
This is Englishman Alex's second year at the world's best beach bar and it's not likely to be his last, judging by the successful start to the
2006 season.
"The apartment we've got is right next to Bora Bora. The dividing wall is the girls toilets and the kitchen. We got a knock on the door at half past eleven and they said 'We need music now'. We ran out, I played for an hour or two then Will played, then Oliver [Lang] turned up about two or three then Gordon. We played back to back for the whole day, we did half hour or an hour each.
"It was really friendly, adds his American associate. "A really beautiful vibe a perfect start to the season."
Bora Bora opening - May 26
There was one notable absentee - Bora Bora resident for most of the past decade Dj Gee. We asked the guys where the blonde
bombshell had got to.
Will Johnston: "We heard that he wasn't going to be around and we know from past years he wasn't very happy with how things were going. I know he went out to
Brazil last winter and I heard from people he was doing great out there - lots of gigs, romance and exercise."
So how did the lunatics take over the asylum? Did you put yourself in charge or did someone give you the power?
AM: I was resident last years and Will has been resident since 2003. And Oliver and Gordon
(below) have played here for about four years so the management just asked us to continue.
Gordon Edge @ Bora Bora opening - May 26
How did you get the job?
AM: I was licensing records and I was talking about licensing tracks to Gee's Bora Bora music label. So it went from there.
How did your debut go?
AM: It was really good. I played a lot. I arrived two days after the opening and I played almost every day. Sometimes 14 hours a day. A long time.
Had you been down much as a punter?
AM: No, never. I used to go to the tour dates. When I was in London I used to go all the time to them.
So last year was your first year ever in Ibiza?
AM: Yeah.
WJ: He was here the entire season last year from June till October and besides going and forth to the airport, he actually left
d'en Bossa twice. I took him to Talamanca for his birthday.
AM: I was allowed two hours off that day.
WJ: And I took him another time to Ibiza Town. Even when the residents were playing he was responsible for being there.
AM: I said 'I never want to come to Ibiza unless I'm playing'. I wouldn't have been able to take it. So that was my chance.
Bora Bora opening - May 26
What makes Bora Bora work?
AM: It's a combination of the sun, the people, everybody's carefree when they're here. It's mixture of holidaymakers and workers and general freaks. They've had such a good
time if they've been in Bora Bora they come back again. And they tell everyone it's brilliant there.
Describe your music style?
AM: It's pretty eclectic I think. I like to play housey - from the really chilled out stuff to the hard tribal and everything in between.
Who's on when? Do you have a roster?
WJ: He's warming up for me.
AM: Everyone gets an equal amount of time. It's split between four of us - there's me, Will, Oliver Lang
and Gordon Edge, Trumpetman.
Does your license always go till six?
AM: No, just the opening and the closing. We have special permission for those. Every other night for most of the season the club is only open for two hours, from midnight
till two. We don't want to go in direct competition with the clubs. But in August we go till three, because it's busy enough.
Bora Bora opening - May 26
WJ: At the opening it really started to take off about seven. it was going before that but the critical mass was reached at seven o'clock.
AM: From then on it just got more and more crazy, people just appeared from nowhere. In the club we were only expecting to play until two. I went to get in there and I
couldn't actually get in because there were people all on the terrace trying to get in too.