Week-by-week, night-by-night, Ibiza is never short on firepower. Our party calendar is living proof as to the concentration of world class DJs playing on the island in any given 24-hours.
Each year, we see some incredible line-ups, but even we can be floored by the wealth of riches some supply. Week three of RESISTANCE Ibiza's 2026 campaign at Amnesia - its fifth season on the island overall - was certainly one of those.
Featuring a stacked bill of Adam Beyer, Maceo Plex and the long-awaited return of Eric Prydz - his first since the days of Cream, plus Yulia Niko on support meant this line-up spoke to me the first moment it was announced.
Even for the most open-minded amongst clubbers, to have a full seven-hour programme cater to you like this is a rare luxury. There was no doubt in my mind. Any other commitments were sidelined. I just simply had to be there for this one.
Eric Prydz electrifies on long-awaited return to Amnesia
As is often the way, the good intention to arrive early was met with its usual niggly obstacles. Nothing this seasoned club reporter cannot handle, yet I'd be fibbing if I said I wasn't feeling frustrated. When you want to get into the club so badly, every minor inconvenience can feel like a conspiracy against you. Finally, the disco bus stopped opposite Amnesia and it was go-time!
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Having entered the Terraza, I found a position at the back of room to observe everything in front of me. Quad CO2 cannons pointed outwards from the stage into the crowd, but this old hand knew the big daddy would be in operation at the back. Within minutes, I take a blast to the back.
Already in control, Maceo Plex was working up through the gears.
Although I'm not as much of a disciple as I once was, I still hold a very soft spot in my heart for Maceo Plex. He has given me many fine memories down the years - including multiple times in this very room. Conjure Balearia is an Amnesia classic in my eyes and still sounds so good.
It was around this point that bumped into a stream of familiar faces: Pete Byun (once of the Ibiza Spotlight parish and now pulling the shots at RESISTANCE), Eoin Smith from Game Over, Vass from Urban Rebel PR. It seemed everyone appreciated the significance of Prydz's return.
27 August 2015. That was the last time Eric Prydz played Amnesia. Over ten years in the making, it had a lot to live up to.
As is customary for Prydz, a short period of silence builds the tension in the room as the configuration in the booth is adjusted. Then the Mouseville logo glows green on the screen at the back of the stage, silhouetting our next headliner - and it's straight into the first track with gusto.
When is an Eric Prydz set, not an Eric Prydz set? When it's a Cirez D set! For the next hour and three quarters, Prydz played probably ninety per cent of music from his harder-hitting alter-ego, reading the brief flawlessly. That is what RESISTANCE should be about.
This was followed up by a mash-up of ON/OFF with Harvard Bass and Green Velvet's Lazer Beams - and we were revelling in our element. I had already made my mind up: this was the best Eric Prydz set I had seen in years.
Whilst I appreciate his boundary-pushing, effects-laden spectacles, his sets had started to feel predictable with the big moment synced with the production. In contrast, this felt like the chains were off with Prydz DJing with more artistic freedom.
Of course, you could not say that RESISTANCE was lacking in production. Far from it. But it certainly felt like less of a distraction. It was a part of the night, not the focus of it.
Those in the crowd who had been patiently waiting for all his classics, were rewarded for their staying power in the final 15 minutes.
Pjanoo lit the room up as it always does - a true Balearic anthem, before giving way to the rabble-rousing Allein. Dopamine levels spiked.
The night was not yet done. There was still time for Adam Beyer to send us home on a high, although the bar that his peers had set was sky-high. A lot is said about his ever-shifting sound and his drift to more commercial waters, but let's make no mistake: he's still a class act.
The lesson could not be more simple: when a line-up catches your eye, drop everything. Even if you can't convince your pals to join you, you'll end up bumping into some familiar faces or even making new friends. Some things are too good to miss.
RESISTANCE returns tonight with Boris Brejcha, Adam Beyer and KOROLOVA, before returning for another five weeks up to 16 September.
Tickets and line-ups can be found below.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Crea Siempre
