WHITE PARTY

Amnesia
Tuesday

Okay, the secret's out, La Troya Asesina wasn't my first party at Amnesia, as four days before I discovered the joys of La Troya in September 2000, I'd been to Amnesia's White Party!

It was purely intented to be a night of reconnaissance, in advance of Heaven's closing party at La Troya that week, which is my excuse for dancing very little, instead snogging a really cute skinhead for pretty much the whole night... and I do wish I'd thought to get his number before he flew home to Berlin the following day!

That first White Party was a one-off, to raise money for an island-based AIDS charity, but it proved successful enough to return for a further 3 dates in 2001. The first White Party of 2001 wasn't particularly fantastic, sharing the Friday-night with Dance Valley, and to a mixed bag of music, but the second of 2001, on a Saturday night with Zenith, was a lot more fun, and gave me a taste of Zenith that would stick for the rest of the season. The third wasn't scheduled until September, but when Privilege held its own White Party, with legendary New York DJ and producer Victor Calderone at the helm, Amnesia slipped an extra White Party into its August schedule to compete! As if the parties aren't confusing enough in Ibiza, without the two biggest clubs both holding one by the same name... The biggest winners that summer were clothes shops which hadn't run out of white outfits on the days of any of the parties.

2002 saw a slight change of tack for Amnesia's White Party, with the promoter changing his name to Jimmy White, which appeared to put on hold any legal challenges from the American White Party Committee as to his right to use the name. The White Party also went weekly, and must have done well as it was back in 2003, this time sharing its weekly Friday night slot with the hugely successful Made In Italy. After a break of a couple of years (I had other things to do), I made it down to a few of the final White Parties of 2003, and was most impressed by the music, especially White Party resident Paul Lomax, one of the best DJs at Amnesia that year.

It will be interesting to see if White Party survives another season, having inherited the impossible Tuesday night slot - with Manumission or Cocoon on Mondays, and La Troya or Subliminal Sessions on Wednesdays, sane people sleep on Tuesdays - and also up against Carl Cox and Underwater with their second season Tuesday-nighters.

I still think that first White Party in 2000 was my favourite, I just wish I could remember more of it...

2004 saw a slight change of tack, Jimmy's Tuesday-night parties taking on the ungainly name of White Ibiza Night, which I guess owes more to someone from outside the island issuing a writ than any thought that it could possibly be a good idea. Still, Paul Lomax was as good as ever at White Ibiza Night, so some things didn't change!

It was, however, the final nail in the coffin, and for 2005 Armada are sharing Tuesday nights at Amnesia with Sundown, and Jimmy is just holding three parties at Space during the height of the season.

So, it obviously wasn't all white on the night!