A huge grey cloud has engulfed Ibiza today, it seems even the weather is not happy that Café Mambo is about to close for the season. The popular beach café at towards the end of sunset strip offers a truly unique experience; from the stunning view it delivers of the famous Ibiza sunset to the weekly pre-parties that see some of the world’s biggest DJs perform in the most intimate setting they will ever perform these days, Mambo is like no other bar!
Café mambo has become one of the most important bars on the planet, years of delivering amazing experiences has seen the small bar at the end of the sunset strip become a focal point for people travelling to Ibiza, no matter where they are from in the world. As clubbers get on their respective flights to head to Ibiza, they have a check list of things that they have to do when on the island, more often than not Café Mambo is right up there, along with all the biggest clubs and the coolest beach parties. The Café Mambo residents are providing the entertainment for the closing party, and, after a summer where they have warmed up and played alongside representatives of the hottest clubbing brands, I woukld imagine they’re looking forward to having the booth to themselves. Matthew Charles has returned to Dubai to carry on his extensive DJ diary in the region so it’s left to remaining residents Jason Bye, Andy Baxter and Alex Wolfenden to send Mambo out in style.
This summer has seen yet another stack of memories made as mambo went about its business; pre-parties for the likes of Tiesto, Together, Subliminal, FMIF, Pete Tong and Defected saw many of the world’s hottest talents pass through and perform. It was a big year for the Swedish House Mafia as they said goodbye to Ibiza as a combo but Axwell, Ingross and Steve Angello all made appearances at the bar, playing to the smallest but most ardent group of fans they will have all year! Mambo always has a habit in doing something memorable on an annual basis and this summer seen the launch of Mambo In The Mix, where DJs mixed drinks and clubbers took over the DJ booth, all in the name of charity, raising over 28,000 euros for the Ibiza & Formentera Red Cross.
As the weather has been dreadful all day, we missed the sunset, guessing it may not have been the seasons finest but arrive shortly after. The terrace is packed with people sampling the extensive Mambo menu and residents Andy Baxter and Alec Wolfenden are in the booth spinning some of the tunes that have had us dancing all summer. The majority of the tourists have gone home now; only the hardcore are still here, having rinsed the very last out of the closing parties before they admit defeat and head home for the winter. Workers that are still on the island are passing through saying their goodbyes and grabbing one last Mambo fix before they call it. You would think the mood would be a sombre one but as subdued as the numbers are, the atmosphere is still a happy one and people have started dancing inside the bar, behind the famous booth.
About eleven o’clock, after some dramatic thunder and lightening, the heavens open and the rain starts to fall. This does nothing to dampen the spirits, merely moves everyone inside where the party is really starting to gather momentum. Jason Bye has joined the boys in the booth and they take it in turns entertaining the crowd. The staff are on a high, it has been a long, hard season for them, Mambo is not an easy shift, it’s one of the most popular bar’s in the world so you know you’re going to be kept on your toes. After a season of delivering a high quality of service, they are letting their hair down for a night, and rightly so. They’ll need a winter of R&R to get ready for the demands of next summer, roll on Ibiza 2013!
MAMBO MEMORIES IBIZA 2012
