We’ve been to and reviewed some excellent gigs in 2015. Here, in reverse order, are our favourite 15.

15. The Flower has the Power!

Flower Power at Pacha has been a mainstay in Ibiza for years. The most beautiful club In the world decks out the club weekly with colourful and funky hippy paraphernalia as everyone in attendance dresses to the max in flower attire to create a special unique party and atmosphere.

We attended on June 24 to witness a live singing Amy Winehouse tribute act, girls dancing in cages, a live drummer and a John Lennon lookalike being hoisted through the club to his track ‘Imagine’ whilst smoking and giving peace signs. Throw in great décor, confetti and it was a real fiesta feel and spectacle. Flower Power at Pacha – what a bonkers, enjoyable and different night out in Ibiza! Every Tuesday at Pacha, an event we would definitely recommend you checking out at least once whilst on the White Isle!

 

14. Pukka Up boat party

There’s not many better things than partying under the hot Ibiza sun. We climbed on board the Pukka Up boat to see Chicane rocking it, playing a brilliant set of beautiful & melodic trance in June. We thoroughly enjoyed our 3-hour journey (as did the hundreds on the boat who all had a great time, it was a brilliant atmosphere!) and to finish upon returning towards San Antonio we were greeted by Ibiza’s world famous sunset with a backdrop of Balearic beats.

13. The Courteeners @ Manchester Apollo

Having seen The Courteeners rock Ibiza Rocks closing party in September, when back in Blighty we didn’t need asking twice to go and see them in Manchester in December. Opening with ‘Are You In Love With A Notion?’ before playing the likes of ‘Acrylic’, ‘Kings Of The New Road’ and the excellent ‘Take Over The World’. Frontman Liam Fray then sang a few solos including the highly popular, ‘Smiths Disco’, before the band ended on anthems ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ and ‘What Took You So Long?’, with their infectious lyrics and melodies.

Every song was a sing a long and there’s no doubt The Courteeners are one of the biggest bands in the country at the moment and a band on top of their game. The gig was superb with anthemic tracks and their devoted following going bonkers to every single one.

12. Faithless live 2.0 tour at Manchester Arena

Prior to this gig we previously saw Faithless ending BBC Radio 1’s 20th Anniversary year in Ibiza on a hot and balmy August night at Ibiza Rocks. At this gig in December a large and loud crowd at Manchester Arena – the biggest indoor arena in Europe were eagerly anticipating Faithless’ arrival. The crowd didn’t have to wait long to hear anthems such as ‘This Is My Church’, and arguably their biggest track ‘Insomnia’. This was a bouncing hands in the air crowd to the backdrop of lasers, lights and their impressive 2.0 album logo above the stage.

They ended on ‘We Come 1’! It was the track that superbly ended the 20th anniversary year of BBC Radio 1 in Ibiza back in August and again in Manchester it was a sea of hands and singing to the very end.

11. Liverpool Sound City 2015

The UK’s biggest city festival, Liverpool Sound City 2015 boasted a variety of bands playing at the new specially erected festival venue on Liverpool’s iconic dockland over a 3 day period on May Bank Holiday weekend, and was attended by thousands of music fans from across the city and further afar. It was a thoroughly entertaining few days. A unique festival, organised by locals providing great music, artists, crowds and atmosphere.

Without doubt Liverpool is one of the world’s most exciting and welcoming cities, and Liverpool Sound City is an important yearly fixture of that. With dates confirmed for 2016 (27th-29th May at the same venue), here’s hoping the festival will return even bigger and better. We can’t wait!

10. Space Ibiza closing fiesta 2015

Space Ibiza closing parties are a must for any Ibiza fan as the club is considered a mecca in electronic music. Providing 5 rooms of music and an outdoor festival type stage, there were DJs in abundance. DJ Mag hosted the Main Room, Space Saturday regulars El Row were on the Sunset Terrace, plus the Premier Etage, El Salon and Terrace were full to the brim for one last party in 2015 at the world’s most awarded club.

Space Ibiza will be back for its last summer in 2016, we were left with the following message upon leaving “Because it is not the end, the beginning of another chapter in the history of the best club in the world, thank you all, we shall see you next year, thanks Ibiza.” See you next summer Space Ibiza!

9. Solomun @ Pacha Ibiza 2015 closing party

They say they leave the best till last, and certainly Solomun’s All Night Long closing party at Pacha on October 11 2015 was one of the best parties of the summer. It was also the last party of the Ibiza season 2015. All summer Solomun brought his +1 party where he played alongside the likes of Sven Vath, Pete Tong, Audiofly, Dubfire and many others, but for the closing party he played solo all night until the early hours.

It was packed to the brim with free entry for residents of the island. On this warm October night there was a great crowd and atmosphere against the back drop of some simply brilliant sexy house music.

8. Hardwell’s Revealed party in Amsterdam ADE 2015

With thousands in the city for the annual Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE 2015) conference and festival, Hardwell put on a party with his record label Revealed at the brilliant Heineken Music Hall venue on Wednesday 14th October. Hardwell was joined on stage for short back to back sets by first Martin Garrix and then Tiesto, where the pair picked up to a more driving pace. Hardwell and Tiesto have a great chemistry together, they’re two great friends having fun and bounced on stage.

This Revealed event provided a great party in a top venue to a sell out 5,500 crowd complete with big room tunes and a hands in the air buzzing atmosphere with some of the world’s finest DJs!

7. Connect Ibiza in Privilege’s Vista Club

We love a night of quality trance, so when we heard Paul Oakenfold was playing for Connect Ibiza at Privilege in August, we were there! We arrived for Oakenfold’s set and witnessed a true lesson in trance from one of the biggest masters of the genre. Other DJs may have sold themselves to play more commercialised music, but Oakenfold has remained true to his roots and played a set of driving and melodic beautiful tracks. A great performer to watch, Oakey constantly interacted with the crowd, who replied by raising their hands for every track. Combined with the fact that Vista is such a good room to party in (and offers great views of the distance and the sun coming up), Connect Ibiza at Vista Club @ Privilege was one of the best trance nights on the island in 2015.

6. Happy 21st Birthday Cream Ibiza!

Cream Ibiza’s 21st Birthday at Amnesia boasted a strong line up full of heavyweight DJ talent, in the likes of Paul Van Dyk in the main room, and Eric Prydz and Sasha on the Terrace. Prydz’ set was brilliant. He started on a track that simply repeated the words, ‘house music’ over and over. It was simple yet hypnotic and built and built until a crescendo that sent the thousands in attendance into raptures. He played Cream Ibiza 6 weeks in a row over the summer months of July and August, this was a massive coup for Cream, and we certainly hope it is repeated next summer!

This party at Amnesia was rammed, with a great atmosphere, hands in the air crowd going wild to some brilliant DJ sets from some of the best in the industry. Cream Ibiza is Ibiza’s longest running weekly party, and it’s easy to see why.

5. El Row/Kehakuma at Space

On September 19, we headed to the infamous El Row/Kehakuma party at Space, most certainly one of the most popular and innovative events on the island. Barcelona’s El Row hosted the main room – think of a party full of confetti and bouncing plastic giant inflatables to the backdrop of some brilliant tech house. This is a bonkers and mad circus like production.

Over in the Kehakuma room one of our favourite new DJs Kolsch was destroying it, playing a set full of melodic tracks. He has such a beautiful new and fresh sound, and as he bounced gracefully around the DJ box, you could tell he was loving it. Afterwards, he received a clapping ovation from the crowd, who had witnessed one of the best sets of Ibiza 2015.

4. Ants @ Ushuaia closing party

Ushuaia is one of our favourite Ibiza venues, and there were some great events we attended there in 2015 such as Armin Van Buuren’s A State Of Trance and Hardwell’s Carnival parties, but our favourite of 2015 was Ants closing party in late September. Ants at Ushuaia was one of the best and most popular parties on the island in the summer. A big hit with the workers and techno lovers alike, Ushuaia’s only underground event was packed out each and every week through 2015.

Ants’ brilliant PR, alongside their excellent music policy and great DJ bookings at one of the best venues in the world makes it a clubber’s dream. We will definitely be back for more in 2016!

3. Creamfields 2015

The UK’s best dance music festival had an excellent line up for 2015 with the biggest names in the industry performing for 3 days in late August on 2 massive outdoor stages at opposite ends of the festival holding tens of thousands, complete with various arenas in between. We seen the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Eric Prydz, Steve Angelo, Kolsch, Afrojack and Pete Tong all deliver unforgettable sets.

Creamfields 2015 was a brilliant weekend complete with massive visual screens,  lasers, lights, confetti, fire and smoke cannons. Add to that awesome music, brilliant DJs and most importantly, a crowd of tens of thousands providing a fantastic atmosphere, we can safely say we cannot wait  to get back to Daresbury for Creamfields 2016!

2. Ibiza Rocks 10th Birthday with The Libertines

We attended some tremendous gigs in summer 2015 at Ibiza Rocks, not least the likes of Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Courteeners, Fatboy Slim and Rudimental (& Ed Sheeran!) but the one that stands out is Ibiza Rocks 10th Birthday in July with The Libertines. Their set started when Pete Doherty ran and jumped straight into the crowd during the first song, it was amazing to see and complete rock and roll. A ripped shirt and broken guitar from the off, it was complete mayhem. Doherty and Barat have a brilliant on stage presence – an unbeatable lead duo that are clearly still best mates on stage.

From singing Happy Birthday to Ibiza Rocks, Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger and a load of their classic tracks, such as “What Katy Did”, “What Became Of The Likely Lads”, “Time For Heroes”, “Can’t Stand Me Now”, before ending on “Don’t Look Back Into The Sun”, which absolutely tore the place apart! Ibiza Rocks 10th Birthday with The Libertines was a party that will be remembered on the island for years to come.

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1. 2015 BBC Radio 1 weekend in Ibiza 20th anniversary

Anticipation built massively on the island in the run up to BBC Radio 1’s annual trip to Ibiza. 2015 was Radio 1’s 20th year broadcasting live events on the island with three big events at Ushuaia, the sunset strip outside Cafe Mambo and Cafe del Mar, and Ibiza Rocks on the first weekend of August at the height of the summer.

2015’s BBC Radio 1 20 weekend in Ibiza set the precedent for years going forward; it was such a brilliant, amazing, awesome, enthralling and exhilarating week full of well produced events with the world’s biggest DJs that it would be a crying shame not to replicate it every summer. Quite simply, it was one of the best weekend’s the island has seen, complete with a great vibe and atmosphere set to the soundtrack of sets from some of the biggest and best DJs in the world. Roll on next year!

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