As is often the case in the entertainment business, EDM mecca Ibiza has grown past the stage of hip obscurity, and with raised prices and beefed up regulations, it has the current EDM crowd in search of a new home. Here we look at some of the possibilities.
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Guest post by Bobby Owsinski of Music 3.0
There’s a lifespan in the entertainment business where something is small and hip than not many people know about, then it’s discovered by the press as more people flock to it, then it’s homogenized by large corporations wanting to get in on the trend, then it ends up pricing out the very people that started the trend in the first place. This happens with conferences (case in point, SXSW) to artists and actors to music genres, but the chances are pretty good that if they get popular, they’ll rise in price until only the well-off can afford them anymore. Such, apparently, is the case with EDM mecca Ibiza.
The island off the East coast of Spain was an 80’s landing spot for the jet set, but became the home of the most coveted pilgrimages in dance music with the arrival of British DJ Paul Okenfold. 2003 sparked the rise of American VIP money, thanks to a visits from Sean “Diddy” Combs and Paris Hilton, and prices have been steadily climbing ever since. Add to that a conscious effort by the government to beef up regulations on clubs to keep control on the influx of party goers and outdoor venues, and now everyone involved in the scene is looking for a new place. Here are 5 contenders that are vying to take Ibiza’s place.
1. Croatia – This country has low-cost operations, not many regulations, and 24 hour operation licenses. It’s currently the location of Ultra Europe, Hideout Festival, Outlook Festival, Dimensions Festival, Barrakud Festival, Lighthouse Festival, Love System, Echo Festival, For, The Garden, Electric Elephant, Soundwave, Suncebeat, Stop Making Sense, Sonus, and Unknown, so it’s the leading contender.
2. Mykonos – This Greek island still has low costs, and many new clubs are opening.
3. Brazil – Especially viable in the southern regions of Sao Paulo and Florianopolis, where new clubs are popping up with more frequency. The EDC and ID&T festivals are there, while Balneário Camboriú (located in the southern state of Santa Catarina) has been named the best club in the world by DJ Mag polls for the two years in a row.
4. Tulum – Already noted as a tourist attraction thanks to its Mayan pyramids, this town on the Mexican Riviera is picking up steam as a party town as well.
5. Budapest – Who doesn’t love the city? Easily one of the most beautiful in Eastern Europe, it’s already home to the Sziget Festival and Balaton Sound.
Even if dance music is not your cup of tea, it’s interesting to see how the genre is evolving. As that happens, it’s venues are evolving as well. Will one of the above become the genre’s new mecca?