Top raver, booth infiltrator and our very own AM to PM girl, Lissy Lübeck is back for summer 2023, sharing her thoughts, experiences and inner musings from Ibiza's clubland. A year older, but a year wiser? Probably not.
If you heard it from anybody else, you'd dismiss it as hyperbole, but Lissy Lü's real life is like that.
Partying as a profession is a hard life... but somebody's got to do it!
Sunday 24 September | Ben Hemsley closing party
With only three more weeks left of Ibiza life for 2023, I'm determined to make the most of it on my day off. Using our trusty events calendar, I decided to pop down to a local market in San Antonio.
After a light brunch at Mundo, I headed to mine and Steve's secret spot M Hotel to catch some rays. It's so peaceful up there and you can almost always guarantee a sunbed. There's no minimum spend, you can just wander up to the rooftop and use its pool. Brilliant.
I didn't last too long up there however as I forgot to bring sun cream and it was roasting!
Daniel arrived in the afternoon, and we headed to Ibiza Rocks to see Ben Hemsley on the last day of his residency. To say its been a successful year for the talented starlet would be an understatement. The kid has managed to sell out Ibiza Rocks almost every week.
From a young age, I've always really enjoyed Trance as a genre, having grown up listening to it in the car with my sister. To see someone who's a similar age to me appreciate it and bring it back to the dancefloor is pretty cool. I think the BPM rose every quarter of an hour to be fair. By the end of the evening, the music was like something I'd never heard.
Maybe not quite Gabber, but definitely breaking out of the Trance bracket.
The energy levels were high and Ben's entire Geordie entourage were on top form, possibly helped by the fact that Newcastle were up eight-nil up away to Sheffield United.
We finished the night at our favourite Chinese fusion restaurant, Chi Kee Wun. I hadn't been since last summer so I was interested to see if it still lived up to the high standard it had set then. It had. The food was delicious and the service was great. Props to the chefs.
Monday 25 September | Amnesia Presents closing party
Monday was spent working from The Standard's rooftop in the sunshine, ensuring I got those votal vitamin D rays in before summer ends. Here, I bumped into LaLa, who I had met at Glasto, before her set at Circoloco. Not only is she very friendly, but hilarious.
The pool looked very inviting, but unfortunately my swimmers were at home.
In the evening, we arranged a lovely group dinner at Okasan. It was great to sit down down with some of my favourite people and a few faces I hadn't seen in a while - one being my photographer friend Will and another Jaguar, who I hadn't caught up with since last summer.
I'm glad we chose Okasan, as the maître d' informed us the restaurant was closing for the season by the end of the week.
I tried out some of Okasan's signature cocktails, including its Lychee Martini, Blueberry Mule and ate lots of spicy edamame beans as an appetiser.
Tonight's party agenda took us to Amnesia Presents and the masses were out in full force from the moment we walked through the door. Having sold out online, we had predicted it was going to be a busy one.
Danny Howard and Gorgon City went back-to-back before Sonny Fodera closed the night and the season with a special unannounced guest PA from Clementine Douglas - the vocalist of his smash hit, Asking.
I enjoyed various wavy chats with some new faces and caught up with some familiar. The drinks were flowing, the music was great and the vibes were superb. Amnesia Presents over and out. Until next year.
Tuesday 26 September
Help. I know it's basic to utter the words "I'm never drinking again" on a raging hangover, however this time I really, really mean it. I'm not sure why this one is so bad, but boy it's hit me like a ton of bricks.
We dragged our sore heads out to breakfast where I ordered a full fat coke, agua con gas (x2) and smoothie all to myself. Replacing lost electrolytes is key. Looking around the restaurant, it appeared I wasn't the only one suffering. Presumably the couple sat next to me had either been at Amnesia or DC10, couldn't even touch their food. It was a sight for sad eyes.
Luckily, we had a lovely getaway to Six Senses Resort & Spa planned for the night as an end of season treat. I didn't know what to expect, but, wow, I was amazed. From the moment we set foot onto the premises, I knew it was a special place.
On the way in, I bumped into Quidel, the son of my colleague Kt, who gave us a wink and told us "you're in for a treat." And so we were.
Our room overlooked the tranquil waters where super yachts dropped anchor, as well as the hotel's famous infinity pool. Fresh fruit and sweet treats were laid out in the hotel room, and we had our own free-standing his and hers bathroom.
Eager to make the most of the sun, we explored the grounds. Naturally, I popped into the boutique which had an Annie’s Ibiza concession! I mean, what?! I fell in love with some Loewe bags and the bespoke jewellery, but sadly my funds do not reach that far. A girl can dream.
There was a four poster bed with our name on it. We stayed in here until sunset and managed to get a little siesta in. The staff were so attentive and supplied us with sun cream and drinks.
When I say this place is peaceful I mean, so peaceful your anxieties float away over the horizon. Later, we strolled down to the beach. By this point, the hangover from hell was a long forgotten memory.
We made our way to the luxurious spa facilities, starting off in the whirl pool, followed by the tropical shower and then the steam room. One thing about Ibiza, is that no matter where you are there's no escaping fellow music industry heads.
Pete Tong, of all people, strolled on in with his wife and daughter which was pretty comical. We gave him a knowing wave, as we didn't want to disturb his stay any more than he wanted to interrupt ours. Like us, he was probably going to get away from everybody else!
Still shattered from last night, room service was chosen as the preferred option over dining in the restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious regardless. We shared chicken croquettes, homemade pizza and some gorgeous tomato pasta, finished with a tiramisu and the sweet treats.
Wednesday 27 September | El Cielo closing party
Milking the opportunity to enjoy the luxury lifestyle, I was granted permission to work from Six Senses, instead of theHUB. After last year's appalling attendance record, remarkably, this was the first time I'd missed a team meeting this summer. Shocker.
Am I a reformed character? Seems unlikely.
Back on the four poster bed with unobstructed views of the pool and the clear waters of Portinatx, I caught up with some writing in the sunshine. After lunch, we took a stroll down to the private beach and took some cool photos for memories. The clarity of the water was simply breathtaking.
Checking-out at 17:00, I headed back to Casa del Spotlight to get ready for the party I've been waiting for: ANOTR presents No Art at 528, with Toman and special guest Marco Carola. Three of my favourite DJ acts in one, right there.
Upon arrival we bumped into Darius Syrossian and his wife Lauren. I decided to dress down the occasion in a t-shirt and trainers. Lauren however looked her usual glam self in a maxi denim skirt with heels and a gorgeous Gucci bag.
We stuck together backstage most of the time. Of course Carola's Music On crew was out in full force, swamping the DJ booth. Either way, the music was amazing.
I bumped into Rossi. and Franky Wah, as well as some of my fellow island girls. Before the manic rush when it shut, we left ten minutes early and beat the madness.
The night wasn't over though, as we made the short trip to Pikes to meet Jaguar for her final Utopia of the season. I have never actually seen her play before, so I was looking forward to it. Kiimi warmed up Freddies perfectly, before Jag took over with a fast 140 bpm set of pure old school mash-ups. It was brilliant.
Ultimately, hunger pains got the better of me, so we headed into San An to grab a cheeky kebab. Hayley and Steve had also been there since leaving 528, ordering bottle after bottle of wine at Que Pasa by The Egg roundabout and watching the world roll by.
Unfortunately, this meant we didn't make it to FISHER's closing party. I always assumed I would be there. Though absent, I was there in spirit.
Thursday 28 September | Solid Grooves closing party
I'm glad to say that I wasn't the only one feeling rough this morning. All three of us were on the same level. Somehow, we not only made it to Kt's on time for our team meeting, but were the first to arrive. Well, we are professional clubbers after all.
Luckily the others wanted to grab some food straight after. Can you guess where they wanted to go? Back to Que Pasa! Four buttermilk chicken burgers and a platter of chicken shawarma fries please. We were overloaded with food, but it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Back to the scene of the crime - Que Pasa? San Antonio
Danny was supposed to be flying home this morning, but after seeing what was going down at DC10 later, he decided to extend another night. The emotionally-charged return of Michael Bibi was imminent. He had posted a photo on a plane with the 'sssh' emoji that afternoon. You didn't need to be sleuth to determine this could only mean one thing.
He was the yet identified special guest at the Solid Grooves closing party. This was going to be comeback of the century.
We headed down there for 18:30, possibly the earliest I've ever been to the club, where we met Arielle Free and saw the boy Max Dean open up the garden. What a moment it was. His fan base were out in full force, with a group of lads at the front singing his tracks word-for-word.
PAWSA took over until 22:00 when the special guest was due on. The news spread fast that Bibi was returning and the crowds were ready and waiting, chanting his name. Understandably, backstage was cleared to make way for him.
Room Service was followed by Octave One's Black Water as the outro to PAWSA's set, as slowed it right down. Emotions were high and the suspense was real. He was visibly tearing-up.
Bibi appeared from behind the decks and it was by far the most magical moment of the year. This is what clubbing is all about - bringing people together.
My favourite part of Bibi's hour set was him playing his unreleased track Sun Gazing, which I first heard at Solid Grooves during OFFSonar. The lyrics are so powerful.
The whole experience was incredible. I really hope he manages to stay strong and fight his way through. We are all behind him. Not only was Bibi making his emotional return, it was Jamie Jones' first time returning to DC10 since 2019. An all round pretty epic evening if you ask me.
Friday 29 September
After such a special closing last night, an after party was guaranteed. This is one of my favourite times of the season, the afters for closing parties are always next tier.
After a chilling by the pool session at Las Mimosas hosted by Beat Hotel's The Residence, I got ready and followed the secret pin-drop to Santa Gertrudis. It's never a given as to whether you're actually going to be able to get into these places. Half of it comes down to who you know, and the other half is pure blagging.
It's safe to say that the latter was definitely the case this time around.
Down some windy camino in the middle of the countryside, I pulled up to see half a dozen fellow would-be partygoers attempting to get in. Charlotte had already been trying her luck for the last half an hour with no joy.
Despite being on the guest list, the security staff were adamant the villa was already at full capacity and advised us to come back in a couple of hours. Doing so would've felt like admitting defeat, so we stuck around for a bit longer and tried calling friends inside.
We ended up meeting three girls from Manchester who were also getting rebuffed. Persistence pays off. In the end, I think the guy on the door admired our determination and finally relented. Many more people got turned away, but god loves a tryer. There's always a way.
Once inside, the music was pumping, the drinks were flowing and there were even pasta and pizza stalls - stunning. PAWSA was back on the decks with the biggest smile on his face. I can only imagine just how buzzing he must've been to have been back at DC10 with his best buddy.
ANOTR and Dennis Cruz eventually took over and played a banger-filled set.
The music got turned off eight to nine times throughout the course of the party, as the police kept turning up to try and shut it down. It was quite amusing. I met some interesting people, including a new bestie that turned out to be Black Coffee's stylist!
Let's see what other parties I manage to work my way into over the next few weeks.
Saturday 30 September | Mon Cheri closing party
Today started with another trip to the Galeno clinic. This time, I saw a different doctor - a sweet little old Spanish man. "What's a young, fit and healthy girl like you doing here on a Saturday morning?"
I explained that my ear infection didn't seem to be getting any better. He took a look and confirmed he saw no sign of infection, but some inflammation. The new antibiotics seem to be working a little better, but frustratingly my ears are still as painful.
Maybe I've overdone it in the clubs or have some water trapped in there? It's a self-diagnosis at this point.
Our plans for the evening didn't go according to script, but in these moments you have to learn to adapt. On Ibiza, there's always an option if plan A falls through. A villa pre-party for elrow's closing turned into an impromptu dinner at nearby Can Tixedo. From there, we had a decision to make. In the end, the choice to stay local won.
Mon Cheri at Eden got the honour of hosting us for the evening. One of the island's newest club nights, our support is much welcomed and it's always nice to be greeted at the door with smiles, hugs, banter and the offer of a few complimentary drinks.
After an end-of-season catch up with the Mon Cheri boys Gaëtan, Idris and Benny, it was time for me to call it a night. Against their better judgement, the boys tried their luck heading off into the night. I got some sleep. As it turns out, I made the right decision.
Such were the crowds elsewhere, Mr. Guestlist had shut-up shop for the night.
Thirsty for more misadventures in clubland? The next entry from Lissy Lü's dancefloor diary is online now, as our heroine hits more Ibiza closing parties.
Read previous weeks' capers here:
Looking after Cleo
Storm clouds gather
Lissy makes her O Beach debut
Wedding of the century
For daily insights, you can keep up to date with the life and times of Lissy Lü by following our TikTok channel here.
