The summer of 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most memorable years for dance music in a long time. With COVID-19 finally looking to be in the rearview mirror, clubs, festivals, and concerts have come back in full force for the summer months. On the European front, Tomorrowland has been expanded to three weekends, Creamfields has extended programming to a southern UK venue, and the best club parties in the world have returned to the White Isle—nature is healing.

With more than 20 clubs that call Ibiza home, the island is packed every day of the week with residencies from world-renowned DJs, singers, and pop-stars. Dancing Astronaut sat down with Matt Robson-Scott of Gorgon City to discuss the group’s fledging summer tour and Ibiza residency at the famed Amnesia Nightclub.

In 2021, Gorgon City began their Olympia Tour in which they showcased their new album of the same name. Olympia was pushed back by more than six months with the tour, due to the ongoing pandemic. As a result, the road stretch the band charted in support of Olympia lasted longer than usual, due to the lack of club programming possibilities in 2020.

Robson-Scott explained that this summer’s tour will, “be a bit different as we’re still playing tracks on the album, but we’re playing new versions of tracks on the album.” Additionally, Gorgon city will play new remixes, new tracks signed to their Realm Label, and unreleased songs that are slated for release before the end of the year.

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One obvious highlight of the duo’s summer is the batch of 16 dates at the iconic Amnesia in Ibiza, Spain. Running every Monday from June 20 through September 16, Gorgon City will play at the 5,000 capacity super club. The clubs in Ibiza had been closed for two years before this May, so a return to a full schedule of club programming across Ibiza’s esteemed club circuit brings a special air of reunion to the island. In fact, it holds an even deeper meaning for Robson-Scott and bandmate Kye Gibbon. Dating back to the mid 2010s, Gorgon City first began a residency at Amnesia in coordination with Defected Records. The year before COVID hit, Gorgon City moved to Eden, though 2022 will find the pair returning to the familiar trappings of Amnesia’s DJ booth, adding a flair of homecoming feels to the mix this summer. Says Robson-Scott,

“It’s definitely up there with the best being the best club on the island. It has one of the longest-running histories on the island. It’s been there since the beginning of the sort of choleric boom of clubbing you know, when the super clubs began to put a roof on top of the clubs. Amnesia was one of the first ones to really kind of embrace that super club culture. Amnesia is still one of the best and it’s got a new sound system. It’s got new production; it’s going to be absolutely sick to get back in there.”

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As any reveler who’s made their way to The Isle, and they’ll confirm there’s never any shortage of DJs looking to take the decks. Curating lineups, however, can be a challenge, as some selectors want to play as much as possible and in many different locations. Gorgon City was able to bring in an amazing group of talented producers for support this summer, including the likes of Dom Dolla, John Summit, Nora En Pure, Danny Howard, and more. Each supporting act will rotate through the array of Monday residency dates, adding a welcomed dose of star power to each of Gorgon City’s summer sessions.

“There’s a lot of different nights and a lot of competition. There’s a lot of people doing different things and you know, it’s tough to get the people you know to commit to one thing,” shared Matt Robson-Scott. In the interest of building an in-demand lineup for each Monday night affair, the lineups became reflections of Gorgon City’s great relationships across the industry, calling on their friends to support the shows and being met by eager excitement from their peers to play alongside them at Amnesia. Additionally, in the interest of making sure everyone on the island gets to hit the decks, Sonny Fodera will also co-host the Monday night residency at Amnesia. Curious as to how that would work, we asked Robson-Scott what this would entail, hoping the answer was a back-to-back every single Monday night.

“Each week we’re going to alternate the set time. Basically the two headline sets at Amnesia are from 2:00 – 4:00 and then 4:00 till 6:00. One week we will do 2:00 – 4:00, and the next week we will do 4:00 – 6:00. We have the other guests playing from 10:00 to [midnight] or 12 till 2:00,” says Robson-Scott, adding, “you need to have a late dinner in Spain or you have a power nap before you go out.”

And while club sets well into the wee hours of the morning may be work for Robson-Scott and Gibbon, the pair still manage to squeeze in some relaxation amid Ibiza’s one-of-a-kind hustle and bustle. The pair make time to take advantage of the island’s second-to-none beaches, culinary offerings, and of course the clubs. Robson-Scott even took a moment to wax poetic about Casa Maca; a beloved restaurant with an amazing view. “It is lovely to walk around and see all the local kind of spots and have some good tapas,” beams the UK producer, ready to set out on his annual summer holiday.

For Robson-Scott, Ibiza has become something of a summer tradition, making the pilgrimage to the White Isle every year since he turned 18. And yet, he’s still able to find new appeal every time he goes. Though, these days, Gorgon City’s trips to Ibiza look a little different. In fact, Robson-Scott even purchased a home on the island in recent years, officially making Ibiza his home away from home this summer with a grip of highly in-demand dates at Amnesia to boot.

Tickets are available to Gorgon City and Sonny Fodera’s residency here.

Featured image: @gorgoncity/ Instagram

Tags: amnesia, creamfields, danny howard, dom dolla, Gorgon City, ibiza, john summit, Nora En Pure, Sonny Fodera, tomorrowland

Categories: Features