Photography by Ana Lui
Let me tell you, it isn’t often Miss W goes ‘off duty’ but there are indeed some days here in Ibiza (just a few, mind you), when I like to give the laptop a rest, leave the iPhone at home and totally disconnect from it all. Last Saturday was due to be one of those rare days…
There I was, bikini, kaftan, sunglasses and the latest edition of Vogue at the ready, all technical equipment officially shut down and en route way to my favourite ever secret Ibiza beach (and no, I’m not telling which one!) when the pestering little voice of my conscience started to whisper, ‘Wax Da Beach, Wax Da Beach, Wax Da Beeeeeeach!’
I mean really, who am I to argue with that?
So a speedy detour around a conveniently placed roundabout and it was off to Sands in Playa d’en Bossa (still early enough to nab a rock star parking space!), where the ever-so-lovely Sands on Sabado (aka SOS) crew were hosting Wax Da Beach, who had the honour of presenting the Ibiza debut of none other than Massive Attack’s Daddy G.
Not a bad day off if you can get it!
We arrived to be seated at a premium beachside table for two – yes, I’ll admit I broke the tech-ban and borrowed the BF’s phone and call ahead to book a table – surrounded by the who’s who of Ibiza, out in force for the occasion. Seems you don’t really need your phone in a place like this, seeing as everyone you’ve ever met is pretty much within shouting distance.
On the makeshift stage were two super-amazing, jaw droppingly talented Flamenco guitarists, very well endowed in the dreadlock department, encouraging plenty of applause and whoops of appreciation from the rapidly swelling crowd. George Evelyn, aka DJ E.A.S.E of Nightmares on Wax informs us he first heard the papa and son duo, Gino and Giri, on a campsite at Cala Nova and now they’ve just scored a well-deserved major record deal. Nice spotting!
The man they call Negghead (though apparently his mum calls him Dan Ward) took over, with his signature smooth grooves and dubby beats setting the perfect scene for a long lazy lunch – we shared a sushi roll and tempura battered fish and chips after much deliberation over the tasty menu – then we hit the sunbeds for a few hours, near enough to appreciate the tune-age, but close enough to the water to catch the sea breeze… it was HOT out there. August has well and truly arrived!
Nightmares on Wax were up next, with Shovell and Wolfgang Haffner accompanying E.A.S.E, building up good vibes the dance floor in anticipation of Daddy G’s imminent performance. I have to admit to being a little star struck on this occasion… Massive Attack have been one of my favourite bands since, like, FOREVER, so I was more than a little nervous in his company! Who’d have thought, Miss W lost for words!
Once he was behind the decks however, I shed the nerves and hit the dance floor, to the hip-hop, soul and groove laden set – the perfect soundtrack whether you were on a sun bed, at a table, having a chat at the bar or throwing some shapes! With smiles all round, an almighty cheer went up as Grant Marshall (yes, that’s his real name!) dropped the Massive Attack classic, Unfinished Sympathy. I almost cried. Really. What an amazing end to an amazing set and an amazing day on the beach.
Just a shame I didn’t have my phone to start bragging about it!
THE LOWDOWN
THE GOOD: Given the major changes at some neighbouring Playa d’en Bossa beach bars this summer, it’s great to see some amazing music-driven parties are still free to one and all on the beach, embracing the true spirit of Ibiza and capturing those summery, Balearic vibes. And the good news is, it’s happening every week – with the added bonus of the Wax On gang making an appearance twice a month!
THE BAD: It was – dare I say it – just a little too hot at some point! Too hot to sunbathe, too hot to dance… but rather than complain about it, we just ordered icy cold mojitos in order to deal with said heatwave. Of course, then there was the problem of the ice melting too quickly… Our solution? It’s pretty obvious – drink faster!
THE GOSSIP: Did I miss the phone? Was I craving my camera? Was it hurting me not to check in at the event on Facebook? Yes! But then again, sometimes it’s refreshing to experience an event by being completely, utterly, wholly and soul-ly involved in it, rather than tweeting, posting, snapping and recording the day’s events as they unfold. Refreshing in fact… getting back to basics! Shame the memory banks aren’t as reliable as my notepad however, when it comes to remembering tracks played… Anyone got a live recording knocking about?
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