back | search     5: Amnesia Words: djmag Possibly the most misleadingly named club on the planet, a journey to Amnesia is still one of the most unforgettable experiences around. Ibiza's original hedonistic wonderland, the venue's magic has been rooted in acid house folklore ever since 1987. For it was then, on Amnesia's star-lit terrace, that the London rogues of Paul Oakenfold, Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway and Johnny Walker were first seduced by the Balearic charms of open-air raving, virginal Ecstasy experiences and a certain Alfredo blending early acid house classics, Chicago tracks and songs like Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' and even Phil Collins' epic rock anthem 'In The Air Tonight'. Well documented, the experiences inspired the quartet to export the Balearic vibe to the capital with Danny Rampling's Shoom! and Paul Oakenfold's Spectrum becoming London's first legendary acid house clubs. But whilst those names exist in legend, San Rafael's Amnesia remains at the heart of today's scene. With guests like Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Ricardo Villalobos and Mathew Jonson, Sven Väth's Cocoon (Monday nights) remains one of the most hedonistic big room techno celebrations you can find, whilst Cream (Thursday nights) caters for the populist rushes of trance and electro-house from Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten, Eric Prydz and The Swedish House Mafia. As for the venue itself, the magic is still in the air. Amnesia's atrium-like terrace might now be covered but it still possesses that uniquely Balearic vibe thanks to its verdant plumage and stoned Finca-styled walls. Refurbished last year with a relocated DJ booth at the head of its epic 2000-capacity space, the terrace has been described by Pacha resident Erick Morillo as the best room on the island. Contrastingly, the main room is now a space-age surge of LED screens, booming custom-built sound and the most intense dry-ice cannons on the planet. "There's so many things that make playing Amnesia what it is," explains Above & Beyond's Jono Grant. "It feels like an international meeting point for the dance music community. You go there every summer and see people that you've been seeing all year from all corners of the globe."