Stephen Corrie caught up with world renowned, Long-time Amnesia Ibiza resident and Wow Records boss man, Mar-T as he heads into this years #Ibiza2016 season. Amnesia, Life in Ibiza, Opening HYTE and playing for DoNotSleep at Space Ibiza and more.
SC: For those who are hearing about you (Mar-T) for the first time this evening, tell us a little bit about yourself.
M: I’m MAR-T, I’ve been DJing in Ibiza since 1998, resident of Amnesia (Ibiza), and have been touring all winter all around the world.
SC: You grew up in a very small town in Barcelona (Spain). I’ve been told this particular town had a great nightlife, tell us a little bit about that.
M: Yeah I was born in Sitges, which is a small town near Barcelona (Spain). There was a very big party scene and that’s where I got my interest for electronic music because I was going out every night and seeing how everybody was partying and getting more and more interested. And then everything grew up, there was Pacha (Ibiza), there was L’Atlantida. The first Pacha in the world was the one in Sitges.
SC: So this definitely influenced your take on electronic music in the 80s and 90s?
M: For sure. Especially in the 90s because in the 80s I was still too young, but in the 90s it was the main reason because the DJs at that time were playing really good music so it caught me.
SC: What DJs back then used to rock the dancefloor?
M: They were not famous DJs. Sometimes they were guest DJs like Toteri and other typical house DJs from that time. I was more focused on the DJs who were playing every week.
SC: Turning to Ibiza; this year Unity Radio in association with Duck and Cover is travelling out there in early September. We’re going out there and doing Ushuaia (Ibiza), Redlight at Sankey’s Ibiza and we’re also hosting the El Salon at Carl Cox’s Music is Revolution at Space Ibiza. You’ve just recently opened up at Amnesia, how did it go?
M: It was really strange because normally Amnesia (Ibiza) closes really late but this year there was problems with the Government and they didn’t give the licence to the club. It was a different opening party; I played back-to-back with Cuartero just after Ricardo Villalobos and before Apollonia from 12-3am which is the earliest I’ve ever played on the opening of Amnesia (Ibiza). When we closed at 6.30, people were wondering what was going on but you cannot control the politics. I hope it changes in the summer, but it was still a great night.
SC: I saw the videos that you posted online and it looked pretty insane. It looked absolutely ram-packed and some of the music you were playing was incredible. You’ve held down your residency at Amnesia since the 1990s, so how would you describe the club for those going out to Ibiza for the first time this summer?
M: Amnesia is the club you go to party hard. You don’t go there to have a drink, you go there to have many drinks, party until the end of the night and listen to good-quality music. You can listen to any style you like, all music types are available there. You choose your night and you’ll have a great time if you’ve picked the right night.
SC: Over the many years you’ve played there (Amnesia, Ibiza), how has the venue (Amnesia, Ibiza) evolved?
M: It’s been changing nearly every year; the sound-system, the bars and the and the layout of the club itself. Everything has been updated so it’s quite a modern club, but it still has the Ibiza feeling.
SC: What do you like about the club (Amnesia, Ibiza) the most?
M: I like that you can be there playing for 2000 people but it looks like an intimate club.
SC: What’s your favourite; the club room or the terrace? (at Amnesia, Ibiza)
M: The main room is the main room. The terrace used to be nothing, it was a place where people would go to chill out. In 1999 if you were going to Amnesia (Ibiza) the terrace was okay but the music volume wasn’t very high, it’d all be in the main room. I like both rooms, they both have a lot of history.
SC: I guess that’s the venue (Amnesia, Ibiza) itself evolving as you see it if the outside scene has got bigger.
M: Yeah, people like to see the sun come up in the morning. That’s probably why the terrace is now seen to be so cool.
SC: For the listeners who may be going to Ibiza for the first time this summer, how would you describe the island?
M: The island of Ibiza has everything you need to have a good time. You can go there to party however you want, you can also go to nice beaches and restaurants as well as places to hang out.
SC: When was the first time you played there?
M: In 1998.
SC: Where was it?
M: It was a party called Amnesia Presents. It wasn’t a very big night but it was big enough to make me nervous. My hands were shaking and it was a total disaster.
SC: What makes it so special for you out there?
M: For that time you’re there you are in the centre of the electronic scene. You’re going to be playing in front of people from all over the world and they will all decide whether or not they like my music. It’s not like playing in a small club in the middle of nowhere where if you do a bad set nobody is going to know.
SC: When you’re not on the turntables, where do you go and chill?
M: If I can convince somebody to come with me to Formentera, I will always try and go there because it is an amazing place. You just need to convince someone who has a boat. If not, you have to get there by ferry which is difficult for me because I have different time schedules every day.
SC: What is there to do over there?
M: Formentera is like paradise; the water and the beaches are amazing, it is definitely something you have to see.
SC: I’ll certainly be trying that out in September. Where’s your favourite place (in Ibiza) to party?
M: For me it would be Amnesia (Ibiza), but I do also enjoy going to Pacha (Ibiza). I will go to Pacha (Ibiza) to ‘party more relax’, I will go to have some drinks but not be dancing like crazy. If I want to party crazy then Amnesia (Ibiza), but if I want to party chill out then Pacha (Ibiza). There’s time for all the clubs in Ibiza, and you have to go them all if you come here.
SC: How would you describe Space Ibiza to people going there for the first time?
M: Space (Ibiza) is quite similar to Amnesia (Ibiza) in terms of the crowd and the party atmosphere. It’s been part of the history of Ibiza but not quite as much as Amnesia (Ibiza) because that’s much older, but since it started in the 1990s it’s always been a very cool club. The sound system is amazing there.
SC: You’ve just done your pre-opener at Amnesia (Ibiza) for HYTE, how did it go?
M: It was really good. It’s the same as before in terms of my hours because we closed at 6.30 again but the night was really fun.
SC: You’re officially launching every Wednesday from the 29th June going in with the likes of Loco Dice, Floorplan and Pan Pot. How is HYTE (Ibiza) going to be different to all the other nights going on in Ibiza this summer?
M: Height has more techno sound in the main room, and the resident DJs playing are exclusively playing at the night. If you want to listen to those guys then there is only one place to go for it.
SC: What can we expect from you guys at the launch on the 29th?
M: You can expect the main room to be playing techno, the terrace to be playing tech-house, cool decoration inside and an amazing performance from the dancers as well. It isn’t a techno dark night, that’s what makes the difference with HYTE (Ibiza).
SC: Is there anyone on the line-up this year that you’re really excited to play alongside who isn’t a resident?
M: I’m really looking forward to see Caribou live. That’s my top pick for this summer. I’m not playing that day but I will be there for sure.
SC: Where else have you played on the island?
M: Normally I don’t play outside of Amnesia (Ibiza) very often because I’m a resident DJ, but because this is the last year of Space I’ll be playing on the Sunday at Darius Syrossian’s DoNotSleep party.
SC: I believe you played at Pacha (Ibiza) over the winter time?
M: It was only about a month or so ago. But yeah that was cool too.
SC: Tell us a bit about Pacha (Ibiza)
M: It’s Ibiza. The club is very very special and quite a unique club. It was one of the first proper clubs in the world, so when you go inside you can feel that it is an old classic club and that’s not something you see in many parts of the world.
SC: Aside from Ibiza, you’re playing at Fabric in London on Sunday 12th. Are you looking forward to it?
M: I’m really looking forward to playing at Fabric. It will be my first time playing there, I’ve only been there to party.
SC: What do you think of Fabric London?
M: The sound is crazy and the energy is top level. I think it’s one of the top places to play in the world as a DJ.
SC: Where else are you playing in the summer?
M: I’m playing at lots of places this season. I will be playing at a festival in Bucharest and lots of other events.
SC: Of all the clubs you’ve played at to date, what’s been your favourite and why?
M: If I think outside of Ibiza, then without doubt it is Warung in Brazil. That’s another place that if you can go as a clubber you must. It’s an amazing club right in front of the sea.
SC: I’ll put that on my bucket list. I know you produce a lot of music; what tracks have you got ready to go into this season with that you’re excited to play out to the audience?
M: I have a new release with my partner Luca Doncelli who I produce a lot with at the moment on the Cuartero Sanity label which I think will work really well. We also have another release with 8Beat with Nick Curly.
SC: Where’s the main place that we can purchase this new music?
M: Sometimes the label makes some premiers but I don’t really know where they are going to be, but I only know about the premiers on my label.
SC: MAR-T it’s been an absolute pleasure. I’m sure you’re going to have a great season in Ibiza and a wicked time in London at Fabric.
M: Thank you. I hope to see you guys in Ibiza or in London soon!
