Here we are, recovering after a massive weekend seeing Sankeys open its doors for summer, Pacha hosting a huge pre-season party with Maceo Plex, and beloved venues like Pikes and Blue Marlin ushering in a new season. It must be time to give you guys the lowdown on what to expect from Ibiza 2016.
THE BASICS // SEASON FORECAST
After a winter that seems to have been warmer and busier than ever, we predict an extremely strong summer season in 2016. With Spain generally being considered a safe place to go on holiday, all of the Balearic Islands are looking ahead at a very busy season, and Ibiza especially just keeps on thriving - bookings for hotels, villas and club tickets are up pretty much everywhere.
Families, clubbers and the jet-set have long discovered the attraction of Ibiza, but lately people have realised it's also a great destination for active folk. Mountainbiking, scuba diving, free diving and kayaking are just a few activities that are being practiced much more than in the past. Plus you have the mind, body and soul sector very well represented on the island - there are a ton of very popular yoga retreats, and the spiritual character of Ibiza is absolutely perfect for that. And even though this piece is mainly about Ibiza's nightlife, I'm pleased to see more people come to our island for other reasons too.
Generally, the pre-season vibe has been very positive and it's not only tourists who are excited for another magical Ibiza summer, us here at Ibiza Spotlight are too. The season is kicking off earlier than ever, so it's time to have an in-depth look at what's on the cards in clubland Ibiza 2016...
AMNESIA
The club's name stands for loss of memory, but the truth is actually pretty much the opposite; this venue creates lots of great memories for thousands of clubbers year after year, and by the looks of its 2016 programme, Amnesia is gearing up for another strong summer with very few line-up changes compared to 2015.
Monday nights on Ibiza mean Cocoon, just the same as a green traffic lights mean you can firmly step on that gas pedal. Having just turned 20 and heading into their seventeenth Ibiza season, Cocoon is back with a bang with some of its best and most diverse DJ line-ups we've ever seen. I won't even start giving examples, but in Cocoon's longest season ever (19 dates this year), you have to search long and hard to find a date where you think 'oh OK, this one I could actually consider giving a miss'. It's impressive to see that on an island that's now filled with techno nights, Cocoon stands as solid as a rock, and I predict a very good summer for them. Let's go defining the dancefloor united then.
Together is back on Tuesday nights, but without 2015 sparring partner Defected, who will only run their disco night Glitterbox at Space this summer. Running both floors on their own, the Together team have done a great job in terms of line-ups and are presenting an attractive combination of bass / d'n'b sounds in the main room, and house in various facets on the terrace. Tuesday nights are no easy game on the island, especially not this year (read on for that), but Together have pulled all the strings and the result is nothing to sniff at.
HYTE is ready for round two. After last year's debut season on the island, HYTE will host the same Wednesday night slot for 2016. Championing its residents Loco Dice and Chris Liebing, as well as partnering up with popular UK promoter FUSE on a number of dates, plus bringing in a few very interesting artists such as Caribou and Schwarzmann (both live!) and DJ Harvey, HYTE are set to fully take hold on the island. Maceo Plex isn't playing there this summer and they still go up against Paradise over at DC-10, which will be no walk in the park, but team HYTE are determined to build on last year's experience and convert the night into one of those 'can't miss' parties.
Thursday nights at Amnesia are all about Cream. The longest running night at the club and an institution in clubland generally, Cream still moves the masses. The main room headliners are similar to past years: Paul van Dyk (he should be fit just in time for his first appearance on 23rd June after his accident at the end of February) and Above & Beyond both play lots of times. Apart from them a few other trance legends are back: Armin van Buuren, Markus Schulz, Ferry Corsten, Aly & Fila and Paul Oakenfold. Add to the mix younger guns like Jordan Suckley, Bryan Kearney and Will Atkinson and you've got a trance party you just can't miss. Over on the terrace, the sound varies from house to EDM, with the biggest news being Fatboy Slim has his first ever Ibiza residency over seven dates. Other than Norman Cook, you'll have Mark Knight, Duke Dumont, Steve Aoki, Diplo and many more to please your ears.
Friday means Amnesia's biggest night of the week is upon you. Marco Carola's Music On has broken all records of late and I don't think it will change much this summer. The concept's simple: Marco and one guest on the terrace, and there'll be no amendments to that this year. But there is one significant change on the other floor - Joseph Capriati, who had turned into a very solid main room Music On resident - isn't part of the family anymore and will be playing elsewhere on the island. But Don Carola brings in two popular replacements for JC: Paco Osuna and Apollonia play multiple dates spread out over both rooms. Just to add that if you plan on going to Music On, do yourself a favour and get your tickets beforehand - this night does sell out.
Amnesia Saturdays are a happy and fun affair. The terrace is again run by gay-friendly Barcelona promoter Matinée, whereas the main room will be home to the island's only foam party, Espuma as well as...yes you got it, Paris Hilton of course! She's back with her Foam & Diamonds for a total of 10 nights in peak season. Think she can't DJ? Well, go and see for yourself.
The week ends with Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike's House of Madness. Happening on the terrace, this EDM-fest has turned into a powerhouse in the matter of just one season. DM & LV are playing every Sunday and guests so far announced include Steve Aoki (playing together with the duo as 3 Are Legend) Armin van Buuren, Nicky Romero and DVBBS. Over in the main room, Amnesia resurrect their inhouse production People From Ibiza - more on this soon.
Another member of the Amnesia family - Cova Santa, close to San Jose - is also preparing for a big summer. So far they've announced Rhythm & Waves - three live shows in collaboration with Together, and we've heard more stuff is in the pipeline. A lot of fine tuning at the venue should make it a must-visit destination this summer - be it for a superb dinner or a boogie at one of the parties. Stay tuned for more news about this unique venue.
BENIMUSSA PARK
Closing out the 2015 season with a Cocoon afterparty that will be remembered for years to come, lots of people saw the venue's potential. This is how an open-air club should look, with various dancefloors, a swimming pool you can dive in, an open fire BBQ should you get hungry, and lots of comfy space to chill should you need a little rest. For 2016, two weekly events are planned but don't be surprised if suddenly more stuff pops up.
Holi Garden Festival is back on Mondays, converting Benimussa Park into a beautiful warfield of colours. If you've never attended to a Holi party, this is your chance!
Saturdays is the main day at Benimussa Park with The Zoo Project. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary this summer, this is the party that allows the venue to shine in all its glory. DJ line-ups aren't out just yet, but the Zoo team always have a good hand at picking some real pearls, and lately they've also started to bring in some special unannounced guests, so rest assured your auditory canals will be treated with utmost care.
DC-10
The venue located on an airport approach presents a similar, but not identical, programme as in 2015.
Circoloco is of course back on Mondays, starting late afternoon and running well into the night. Last year was the first time ever Wednesday nights overtook Mondays in numbers, but Circoloco keeps being the original event at DC-10. Coming of age doing their 18th season this summer and serving as a warm up before Cocoon to many a clubber, Circoloco still attracts hordes of holidaymakers, workers and locals alike. DJ line-ups always get released only in the week before the event (apart from the opening and closing party), but if the opening party line-up is anything to go by, we can expect some fantastic Monday evening sessions again this year!
The aforementioned Paradise night is obviously back for 2016, on the same Wednesday night slot it's been sitting in since its birth in 2012. With Jamie Jones at the helm and just about every big name in the more underground realms of the house scene as well as a lot of tech heads making guest appearances, it's no wonder Paradise has turned into a massive force. Line-ups still to come, but we've heard this is where Joseph Capriati will be popping up lots this summer.
As you surely remember, Life & Death had their own night at DC-10 last summer. Tale Of Us and co. are off to Space though, so this night won't be back, but we do think there might be a few parties at the club on weekends in peak season. More as soon as it's confirmed and good to go.
DESTINO
It was uncertain whether Destino, Pacha's gorgeous clifftop hotel in Cap Martinet (at the far end of Talamanca), could actually throw big events this year, as the Santa Eulalia town hall isn't a big fan of outdoor parties in hotels. But it seems an agreement has been made and a total of 10 big events over the summer will be happening. Solomun will be back with his Solomun + LIVE concept and the other big artist still to be announced has also had a big presence at this venue before. Other than those big shows, Guy Gerber's RUMORS is moving to Destino for a 22-week season with a very interesting format that will involve brunch and a hippy market. So rest assured there will be a good few parties happening in that beautiful location!
EDEN
Completely refurbed in 2013 and since then having a somewhat rocky ride, Eden is trying its best to get into quieter waters. Again, an almost completely different programme compared to last year, this summer sees a choice of nights to cover almost all bases.
On Mondays, Liverpool promoter Mansion take over Eden. No details on the line-ups of this night are available yet, but we think it's going to be a pretty accessible housey affair.
Tuesday nights will be one for the urban lovers with HY-PWA bringing some non-electronic beats into Eden and providing a bit of a musical alternative.
Wednesday nights haven't been announced yet, but we've heard on good authority that Windtalkers (last year in Privilege's Vista Club) seem to be the promoter coming in on that night.
Thursday nights are still TBC, but Fridays are confirmed and even night by night line ups are out for that one already: Judge Jules is back with Judgement. The Judge plays every week and gets support from the likes of Sander Van Doorn, Eddie Halliwell and Jaguar Skills.
Saturdays are all about Sintillate. Info about the night is still scarce apart from the fact Prok & Fitch are down to play for two dates. More about this soon.
The Eden weeks ends with the only promoter coming back to the club after last season - and it's quite probably the club's most promising one - Nick Warren's Soundgarden Sessions. Nick will be joined by Hernan Cattaneo, Henry Saiz and Kate Simko just to name a few.
ES PARADIS
Still one of the island's most beautiful venues, Es Paradis is eating humble pie these days, in much the same way as its neighbour, Eden. Too much of the clubland's focus is currently set on the other side of the White Isle.
The paradisaic week starts with the return of Retro to the island on Monday nights. Then, on Tuesdays and Fridays every week, the club will host famous water party, Fiesta Del Agua. On Wednesdays, Garlands returns to Ibiza with a Mardi Gras theme; Thursdays and Saturdays are yet to be confirmed; but the Es Paradis week will conclude with another pillar for the club - GLOW, the neon paint party, which is back on Sundays.
HEART IBIZA
The newest kid on the clubbing / entertainment / high-end gastronomy block is heading into its second summer. Having publicly admitted last year a few things didn't go the way they planned, things can only get better, can't they? The dinner format has been changed a bit and is now split up into three price options, varying from 175€ to 250€ per head plus drinks.
On the events front, party newcomer of summer 2015, Acid Sundays, will be back. But there's more; Robert Miles' OpenLab Sessions will take over Thursday nights and we've heard some tasty rumours about guest appearances for that one. Team Heart are working hard on the events programme as we speak and we expect more parties to be added to the calendar soon. Generally, same as last year, the venue kicks off as a restaurant with some pretty amazing shows in the evening and then transforms into a nightclub after midnight. If you only come for the party, then 1am is your moment of glory, that's when things properly kick off on the dance floor.
IBIZA ROCKS GROUP
Having celebrated their 10th anniversary last summer, team Rocks have been busy putting together another belter of a season programme for all sorts of tastes.
At Ibiza Rocks Hotel, you've got the already traditional Ibiza Rocks on Wednesday nights as well as We Are Rockstars on Fridays. Wednesday highlights include live performances by LCD Soundsystem, Faithless and the Kaiser Chiefs plus there are still a few 'TBA dates' on the calendar so expect more to come. Meanwhile, the electronic Friday evenings include a #MERKY mini-residency by Stormzy, the return of David Rodigan's Ram Jam as well as takeovers by Hannah Wants and Rinse FM. DJ EZ, Example & DJ Wire and Sigma, plus lots of other artists to grace the stage on Fridays, makes a line-up not to be scoffed at.
The big news for Ibiza Rocks is on Sundays though. Craig David brings his Miami-born baby TS5 to the balearic shores and instead of throwing his party in Tower Suite 5, he'll get comfy right on Rocks' centre stage. Ticket sales for those eight afternoon pool parties have taken off like a rocket. The second release goes live on 5th May, so get those tickets before it's too late, ladies and gentlemen...
Part of the Rocks group for a few years now, the beautiful countryside Hotel Pikes will be the setting for many a memorable party this summer too. Event highlights include Rock Nights every Wednesday (Ibiza Rocks' after party - get within touching distance of the bands playing at the hotel!), the return of DJ Harvey's residency on Monday nights in August and September, the island's fave disco party, Melon Bomb, and last but definitely not least Pikes on Sundays - the daddy of all Sunday roasts with a poolside soundtrack to die for. Read more about Pikes' plans here.
OCEAN BEACH IBIZA
One of San Antonio's only daytime clubbing spaces (apart from the boat parties, Ibiza Rocks Hotel and Benimussa Park), Ocean Beach is already open on weekends and will have its official opening party on 20th May. See our separate Ocean Beach preview for an overview of their events.
PACHA
Much discussed in our forums, Pacha has given its programme a few tweaks for 2016, and even though we haven't seen any of the season yet, I'm still just gonna put it out there: Pacha will have its best season in years.
The Pacha week starts with Flower Power this summer. Traditionally a very strong night and happening on Tuesdays until last year, team Pacha have moved it to the one night that worked least for the club in recent years. But with the uniqueness of Flower Power, it's pretty certain that this party will be in safe waters on Mondays as well.
A bomb in the news and a stroke of genius for Pacha, the cherry club has secured Maceo Plex's services this summer. Previously averse to having his own night on the island and doing mini-residencies within other nights instead, Eric Estornel has now made the next step and presents Mosaic by Maceo on Tuesday nights. Now, as you've already read in this piece, Tuesday's generally no easy prey and even less so this year, so I think expectations probably have to be realistic for year one. But team PP (Pacha/Plex) have done a sterling job on the line-up end of things and Maceo will be joined by an impressive list of artists. You've got people like Damian Lazarus, John Talabot, Kölsch, Adam Beyer and Agoria who play various Ibiza venues every year. And then there are artists like Conforce, XDB, Axel Boman and Steffi who hardly ever hit the decks on the island. An extremely interesting night musically, that much is sure!
On Wednesdays, Martin Solveig is back with his My House party. Debuting last year and quickly turning in a well-oiled machine of a party, Solveig and his crew (guests confirmed so far include Boys Noize, Dillon Francis, Diplo, Mark Ronson, Shadow Child and more) are certainly going to rock that house of cherries.
Thursday nights. Pacha. Well, what can I say? F*** Me I'm Famous. David Guetta. Supermodels desperately trying to sort non-existent guestlist. Frustrated VIP clients not able to believe there aren't any tables available on the night. First timers forming an orderly queue, proudly showing their pre-sale tickets at the door and then, once they've passed the gates, high-fiving each other, hardly able to contain their excitement. A quick selfie in front of the Pacha photo wall and onwards into the mayhem that is Pacha's biggest night of the week. F*** Me I'm Famous lives up to its hype in every aspect. Sold out every week apart for the four dates in September when David has his Ibiza sabbatical, this party just keeps on giving.
For the fourth consecutive year, Friday nights at Pacha are Insane. This summer's Insane menu is an especially tasty one as it includes takeovers by four different brands. First and foremost, Luciano is back at Pacha, along with his clan of Vagabundos for a total of seven nights. Then, MK turns Pacha into Area10 on six dates. Get Knee Deep in Sound with Hot Since 82 on three nights and celebrate the fact that We Are The Night with Nic Fanciulli on five dates.
On Saturday nights, you can experience Pacha in its purest form. Pure Pacha is the longest running night at the club apart from Flower Power and to many a clubber, Pacha has been the destination for Saturday nights for years. Again hosted by Bob Sinclar this year, the night will see guests reaching from house veterans such as Todd Terry and Armand van Helden to young EDM stars such as Kryder.
The week ends with the fourth consecutive Pacha season for Solomun. His +1 night has turned into a compulsory night for revellers over those summers and is now one of the club's most important pillars. The simple concept of having him and one guest only on the bill and both those artists playing long sets caught on very well with the crowd, and is testament that you don't necessarily need six DJs lined up to make one night a success. The night by night line-ups for Solomun+1 is out already and guests include debuts from Richie Hawtin, Black Coffee and Joseph Capriati, as well as the return of Sven Väth, Mano Le Tough, Dixon and many, many more. An extremely strong night that's bound to keep on thriving this summer.
PRIVILEGE
The second San Rafael club sees quite a few changes compared to its 2015 programme. The 'Privi' week starts with a new EDM night on Mondays called No Xcuses. Main man of the night is resident EDX, and guests will include Nora En Pure and more to be announced soon.
Tuesday nights are bound to be a very colourful affair with Ibiza Paint Party invading Privilege's massive main room. 2015 already saw a paint party that worked pretty well in the club, this year it's the Midnight team (the ones that did a night at Eden last year) taking care of it. DJs Juicy M and Luka Caro are residents, and guests will include Mike Candys, MATTN and more.
Wednesday plans are still in the works, but we should know more soon.
Thursday nights see an exciting addition for Privilege's Vista Club. UK promoter, Solid Grooves, so far always seen at Sankeys for a few one-offs, is now in for a full season. Music-wise pretty much taking over from where Do Not Sleep left off, this night might as well be the perfect replacement for DNS. With guests such as Subb-An, Dense & Pika, Anja Schneider and Steve Bug all confirmed (and many more), this looks like a tasty Thursday nighter.
The biggest change is the fact that longstanding Friday night promoter SuperMartXé is moving to Saturday nights this summer. Already announced are guest appearances by Steve Angello, Afrojack and Chuckie, with more to follow soon. Combine those big room DJs with one of Ibiza's most spectacular shows and you've got the biggest weekly Privilege night secured for another summer. The plans for Friday nights haven't been announced yet, but from what we've heard it looks like we'll get an alternative to all the electronic music played at the club for the rest of the week.
Another new night is planned for Sundays as Marco Bailey launches Materia. A proper techno bash and perfectly suited for Vista Club, Marco will be joined by guests Carlo Lio, Sam Paganini, Shlomi Aber, Paul Ritch and many more. Full line-ups coming out very soon.
SANKEYS
The Playa d'en Bossa venue has been open all winter, throwing Sankeys Sabados every week, plus a monthly midweek Unusual Suspects session. A very smart move by the club, Sankeys has turned into a firm winter favourite for locals and was a proper alternative to Pacha and other smaller venues open in winter. Taking this momentum right into springtime, last Sunday saw Sankeys officially opening for summer (see review here). Sankeys' 2016 programme is the most diverse we've ever seen.
Mondays will see the return of The Redlight. Turning into one of the club's most popular nights in just one season, The Redlight is moving right to the start of the week and keeping the rejuvenation of UK garage at the club alive, with resident Matt Jam Lamont and guests such as DJ EZ, Todd Terry and many more.
Throwing in a proper curveball, Tuesday nights welcome Applebum to Sankeys. Going down the old school hip hop route, the full line ups of this night are out already and include appearances by Grandmaster Flash, Coolio and the Sugarhill Gang. Massive!
Wednesday nights also raised a few eyebrows as Sankeys bring back the golden years of acid house and balearic beats with Dance 88/89. With DJ legend Alfredo and longstanding island local Bushwacka as resident DJs for the night, as well as guests such as Danny Rampling, Mr. C, 808 State and Graeme Park just to name a few, this is your chance to delve into past times and relive this great era of music.
On Thursdays we'll see Unusual Suspects going weekly after doing a monthly series over winter. Presenting a very interersting line-up including artists such as Thomas Melchior, Margaret Dygas and the Romanians (Petre Inspirescu, Praslea, Rhadoo), this one will surely attract a music-savvy crowd of both workers and holidaymakers. Two thumbs up from our end - this one looks super tempting.
But the good news continues. UK promoter of the moment, ABODE, is doing Sankeys on Friday nights. Line-ups have just come out and include artists such as Citizienn, Ejeca, Ben Pearce, Max Chapman to name a few. Of course, Friday nights have quite a bit of competition, but ABODE seem to have a very loyal crowd and seeing the success of their parties in London we can only imagine they'll be doing well here too. Abode also run a monthly boat party this summer by the way, read on for this.
Saturday nights at Sankeys are Tribal Sessions. Moving from Tuesday nights, TS gets Saturday night fever this summer. The line-up consists of both international guests such as Miguel Campbell, Riton, Tube & Berger and Hector on the one hand, and island residents Manu Gonzalez and Kellie Allen on the other.
The Sankeys week ends with its traditionally strongest night - Steve Lawler's Warriors. Bringing Santé and Sidney Charles back to the club as well as lots of other high calibre guests such as Skream, Groove Armada, Hot Since 82 and Eats Everything, this night just keeps on giving.
SPACE
As you've certainly all heard already, it's Space's last season as we know it. I won't delve into telling you about any future plans (or shall I say rumours), I'll stick to what's publicly known: after this summer, Space's lease runs out and it won't be renewed. Instead, the owners of the land, Palladium Group (running Ushuaïa, Hard Rock Hotel and more) will take over control of the land and the venue. We'll speak about the future at length after the season, but for now let's just simply focus on the fact that it will be the last summer for Space the way we've experienced it for 27 years.
Space's week starts with a surprise. Last year, Mikaela's 'Love The Underground' crashed on to the island. She's back this summer, moving from Destino's Tox club to Space on Monday nights. The party's called ONYX and represents the darker spectrum of electronic dance music. Going up against two of Ibiza's underground behemoths Circoloco and Cocoon, you'd think it's a crazy move to even try it, but focusing on even harder beats and presenting artists that seldomly ever set foot on Ibiza (the likes of Surgeon and Dave Clarke) as well as combining it with some popular faces such as Fritz Kalkbrenner and Josh Wink, it might as well attract a decent crowd.
Tuesday will easily mean the weekly climax for Space. Directly after the last summer had ended, Carl Cox announced that if it's the last season for Space, it will also be his last summer having a proper residency on the island. Carl and Space owner, Pepe Roselló, have such a close relationship and the big man has been very vocal about his era on Ibiza coming full circle with the closure of Space. Now go figure. Coxy has been filling Space for years now, but this year, it'll be madness. Firstly, everyone and their dog will want to see king Carl rocking the discoteca one more time, of course including the mandatory 3:30am 'OH YES OH YES' wake up call. Secondly, team Cox have pulled out all the stops for his Final Chapter and will be bringing a lot of legends back to the club, some of them haven't played Space in a while. Sasha. John Digweed. Danny Tenaglia. Francois K. Masters at Work. And that's as well as the biggest names of the moment, like Marco Carola, Joseph Capriati, Adam Beyer etc. What I'm trying to say is, can you actually imagine the magnitude that night will have this year? I'll be brutally honest, don't expect to have a lot of room to dance at Space on Tuesdays this summer as it'll be extremely busy. But if you man up for it, I promise you'll experience a night you'll look back on in years to come, no matter which of Coxy's Tuesdays you choose. Extra brownie points to those already having tickets and brave enough to face the closing party on 20th September!
Wednesday will see the return of La Troya. Making its way from San Rafael's Amnesia, the island's most travelled promoter is back for Space's ultimate summer. It's not the first time La Troya has been at Space, but I'm fairly sure it'll be a very special year for them too, celebrating the venue's last summer with a flamboyant fiesta.
Space's Thursday nights made big waves on the sea of rumours this winter. Just after New Year, Richie Hawtin announced he won't be bringing back his ENTER. party to Space (or Ibiza in general) this summer after four seasons on the island. What ensued were almost three months of guessing about who or what would fill the Thursday night slot until at the end of March, Space finally broke the silence and revealed plans about Afterlife. A new night, a collaboration between three of the currently most successful labels in dance music - Life & Death, Innervisions and Dystopian. Curated by none other than Tale Of Us, Space will experience 13 more Thursdays for the history books. Live performances by Howling and David August early on on the sunset terrace, intimate sets in the 'Chamber' (El Salon's name for that night) and deep thundering sessions on the terraza, Afterlife is bound to be one of the island's most exciting new offerings.
Friday nights are all about classic house. Defected's house and disco department, Glitterbox, is back to rule the terraza for another summer. And with Defected not having a second residency at Amnesia or elsewhere on the island this season, we can rest assured the label's complete efforts will be ploughed into Glitterbox. With so many people coming to Ibiza this summer just to have one last boogie at Space, I imagine Glitterbox will be the destination for thousands of more seasoned ravers to remember and cherish those magic moments had in years gone by.
The Space week ends with two very strong nights. On Saturdays, elrow will turn the venue into a manic funhouse again. Having debuted in Privilege's Vista Club, but having really found its Ibicenco home at Space, the team from Barcelona will be pulling out all the stops for their last ever shows at the Playa d'en Bossa location. Taking over the full club this summer, and presenting three different vibes over three dancefloors, elrow will be another very strong horse in Space's stable.
Sundays have been all about Space for decades...and so shall be the case in Space's final season. Sadly it's not the original We Love crew running Sundays this summer (let's be honest, this would have been the icing on the cake), but Space themselves have done a sterling job of putting together a very interesting programme for Sundays at Space. The sunset terrace always opens at 7pm so everyone can get some sunset vibes to reminisce those glory days. And then of course the whole of the club is open with lots going on in all the rooms. Details to come very soon!
Let me add a few final thoughts about Space's final year...
1. Ibiza Spotlight will be hosting the beloved El Salon room again on a few dates this summer: 5th June, 10th July, 2nd August, 14th August and 25th September. We'll let you know our detailed plans soon, but come say hi, have a few shots of hierbas with us and have a boogie.
2. A word of warning in a positive sense. EVERYONE going to Space this year will be aware that it'll be their last ever visit to the venue as they know it. We're all in the very same boat here. Expect smiles, tears, hugs and kisses from strangers and a vibe you've never experienced before inside the club. Simply put, no matter what day you go, expect a party like no other. And don't even get me started on Space closing party on the first weekend of October 2016...
See you at Space my friends, this year more than ever; it's the place to be.
USHUAÏA & HARD ROCK HOTEL
The Playa d'en Bossa top dog is raring to go for another season. Sure, the main attention belongs to its neighbour Space this summer, but at the same time Ushuaïa will be putting on a lot of colossal fiestas this year too. Only a few minor changes in programming have been done:
The Ushuaïa week starts with the longstanding Monday evening roadblock, David Guetta. The theme for this year is simply, BIG. A very suitable name as everything about this event is big: the production, the queues to get in as well as the prices for VIP tables, the hype about the excpected and unexpected surprise artists, and lastly the success of this stalwart party.
Back for his third season with his own residency at Ushuaïa, Hardwell sits comfortably on his Tuesday slot. Tuesday is bound to be one of the biggest days of the week this year in terms of parties, and especially big daddy Carl Cox next door, who'll have a huge summer. This could mean Robbert's party might not be Ushuaïa's busiest of the season, but having a huge fanbase, Hardwell will do just fine.
Wednesday is all about Axwell and Ingrosso - no changes there. Having been on the Wednesday slot since day one (2011, Ushuaïa's first summer), when they were still performing together with Steve Angello as Swedish House Mafia, this party is a rock solid option and has a loyal following of punters coming back year after year.
Thursdays contain the biggest news for the venue. Armin Van Buuren focuses on his 'Armin Only Intense' world tour this summer and has so far five dates announced on the island, of which only two will happen at Ushuaïa (29th July and 11th September). While the omission of ASOT is quite a blow for Armin's faithful fans, a new target group is more than excited about the replacements on that day. In comes BLUE, a new party around headliners Robin Schulz and Oliver Heldens as well as three separate parties for Kygo (14th and 28th July, plus 25th August). Thursdays are definitely going to see a change in the crowd it attracts, as the newly announced events are very popular with the young people.
Debuting with his own bash last summer, Martin Garrix is back for seconds. It's still to be announced who he'll be Multiplying with this year, but we'll do the additions on our party calendar as line-ups get divided and with that, any doubts will be subtracted. Result!
Same as in the past three seasons, ANTS on Saturdays is the only weekly event at Ushuaïa that caters for the more techy and underground loving crowd. Having broken the venue's attendance record last year, Ushuaïa is surely going to be a very busy anthill this summer too.
The Ushuaïa week will end on a climax as Avicii is back on Sundays. Shocking the EDM world a few months ago by announcing his retirement from touring, expect his eight appearances to be sold out in advance. Period.
Apart from all those weekly Ushuaïa residencies, there are a number of mini-series this year too, most of them just before and after peak season.
- Steve Aoki is in for a total of 5 dates in June and September
- EDM label, Revealed gets two Tuesdays in June before brand owner Hardwell starts his own series
- Tinie Tempah is moving his Disturbing Ibiza party from Hard Rock Hotel for six dates (no afternoon affair this year)
- NERVO will be back with their Nation for six dates
- Armin Van Buuren does two takeovers.
Over at Hard Rock Hotel, there will be one weekly event this summer. Last year's novelty Children of the 80s did amazingly well and is unsurprisingly back on the party calendar. A fairly more serious affair, the 10th edition of the IMS International Music Summit happens at HRH from 23rd to 25th May.
DAYTIME CLUBBING - BOAT PARTIES & BEACH CLUBS
The whole beach club sector exploded last summer and has turned into its own world of parties. At the same time, quite a few of them burnt their fingers by having insufficient licences, and that caused closures left, right and centre. It's been a tad quiet on this front so far, so we'll see how this goes. Of course places like Blue Marlin will have their big weekly fiestas, but it's yet to be seen whether the whole of Playa d'en Bossa will turn into one big daytime party along the beach. The most famous of last year's beach bashes, Guy Gerber's RUMORS, has just announced its move to Destino, so this is one migration away from PdB.
On the boat party front, it's a full roster compared to two years. In Playa d'en Bossa, the main brands are Cirque De La Nuit - well-known for their inclusive packages, Beautiful People Ibiza - famous for being the only boat party that includes Formentera in their daytrips, as well as running the official ANTS boat party too, plus Oceanbeat Ibiza. From Ibiza Town you can hop on the Pacha 67 sailboat and this includes entry to one of the Pacha nights afterwards.
Over in San Antonio, both Float Your Boat and Pukka Up offer various sunset cruises combined with entry to some of the most popular club nights. Then there's the Zoo Project, with their own boat party, Noah's Ark - perfect for a Saturday afternoon warm-up before hitting up Benimussa Park. There's Lost In Ibiza, the island's original underground boat party, which will soon launch for this year. And last but not least, Ibiza Rocks still have their boat parties, which they'll launch any day now.
Having reached the end of this massive list of events, it's obviously clear that what's on offer during the day and the night is massive again this year. Pretty much every facet of electronic dance music is covered and increasingly, other sounds too. I'm sure Ibiza will still be the world's dance music capital in 20 years to come, but if it more generally turns into a global music melting pot then that can't be a bad thing. Now have fun perusing our party calendar and we'll see you on the dance floor, because this is where the magic happens.