Summer clubbing in Ibiza has become synonymous with Space Ibiza, no clubber’s visit to the White Isle is complete without at least one Space Ibiza session.
Yet what is it about this unassuming building in the middle of an enormous concrete car park in Playa d’en Bossa that makes it so special? What kind of club can generate such loving adoration that thousands of clubbers make the pilgrimage every year to Ibiza, just for their Opening and Closing parties?
In 1989 the owner Pepe Rosello took over and completely refurbished the failing conference hall/discotech Space in Playa d’en Bossa.
A complete musical devotee, Pepe was well aware of the lengths to which people would go to listen to music they like, and immediately saw the potential for opening when everyone else had shut. Spanish licensing laws say that an establishment has to close for a minimum of 2 hours a day, so Space Ibiza opened right from the word go with two sessions – a night time and a day session with 2 hours in between to restock the bar and to clean up before letting the people back in again
The entertainment policy was a varied one in those early years – Mr and Mrs Space, Miss Ibiza and Formentera, live bands, Flamenco shows – a far cry from the electronica of today, yet it was a formula that worked and the club’s popularity grew.
1991 a young British DJ by the name of Alex P had the idea to put a set of decks behind the bar and to play for the people otherwise quietly enjoying drinks on the Space Ibiza chill out terrace. He was joined by DJ Brandon Block two years later and this is how the Space Terrace was born.
Alongside the growth of clubbing, came the cult of the DJ. As early as 1993, DJs gracing the decks at Space Ibiza included Smokin’ Jo, Ricky Montanari, DJ Dag, Sven Väth and Marc Spoon
The club became so successful that club promoters began approaching Space Ibiza with parties from Up Yer Ronson with Sasha, Renaissance with Dave Seaman and John Digweed, React with Carl Cox and even a live performance from Erick Morillo as Reel 2 Reel.
And the now legendary Sunday Space Terrace residents, Brandon Block and Alex P, who were fast turning their Sunday morning Sessions into the island’s favourite club event.
Just when we thought Space Ibiza and clubbing could not get any bigger, Space Ibiza turned traditional clubbing concepts on its head in 1999 by announcing a 22 hour non-stop party on a Sunday. In a joint collaboration between Darren Hughes (the man behind Homelands), Danny Whittle and Space Ibiza, these 22 hour marathon sessions were born, from 8 am Sunday morning until 6 am Monday morning. The party was like nothing Ibiza had seen before, the DJ line up was like a festival gathering, and the atmosphere was electric both inside and out. So good in fact that We Love Sundays @ Space Ibiza (as it became known two years later) won the coveted Best Club Night award at the 2002 Dance Music Awards!
One hot Sunday afternoon in August of 1999, to celebrate the Radio 1 Weekend a separate DJ stage was erected at the far end of the Terrace. Carl Cox, Mousse T and Boris Dlugosh played to an ecstatic crowd. Carl’s set won BBC Radio 1′s Set of the Year
The 2000sSpace Ibiza brand continued to grow throughout this decade and had now become an iconic brand in club culture and Ibizan heritage. With its incredible parties We Love Sundays @ Space Ibiza, Be @ Space & Carl Cox & Friends, Space Ibiza was known all over the globe as the best club in the world, and won many club industry awards to prove it.
2009 DJMAG Top 100 Clubs 2009’ and Space Ibiza third position in the prestigious ranking. An absolutely honour for the Club
2008 Deejay Awards, Spain ‘Best Club – Space Ibiza’
2007 Burn FG DJ Awards ‘Best Summer Club – Space Ibiza’
DJ Mag Awards 2007 ‘Best Global Club – Space Ibiza’
2006 DJ Magazine Awards ‘Best Ibiza Club Night – Carl Cox at Space Ibiza’
M8 Ibiza Dance Awards ‘Best Ibiza Club – Space Ibiza’
House Music Awards, Winter Music Conference, Miami ‘Best Global Club – Space Ibiza’
2005 House Music Awards, Winter Music Conference, Miami ‘Best Venue – Space Ibiza’ & ‘Best Global Club – Space Ibiza’
2002 Dance Music Awards, London ‘Best Club Night – We Love Sundays at Space Ibiza’
2001 Dance Music Awards, London ‘Best Club – Space Ibiza’
The Opening Party kicked off on Sunday 31 May to launch the Ibiza summer season with it´s busiest opening yet, more than 20,000 clubbers came through the doors on the day. Carl Cox & Friends, now in its 8th year residency at Space Ibiza continued on Tuesdays and We Love Space Ibiza Sunday´s had one of it´s greatest years, with appearances from the legendary Grace Jones and The Chemical Brothers.
2009 also seen Space Ibiza’s celebrate it’s 20th Birthday… The party on Friday 14 August was a great success, with over 15,000 clubbers uniting to celebrate a momentous occassion. 2009 has proved that Space Ibiza is undoubtedly still at the top, Space Ibiza, the world´s discotheque!
