addicted to ibiza

we love space - sunday 9th august

Sunday in Ibiza is all about Space. Undisputed fact. We Love Space, the regular Sunday party running from 4pm until 6am the following day, is the ultimate Ibiza institution and defines the island globally. Every week the line-up reads like a Who's Who of dance music and Addicted headed down to the club on the night which hosted possibly the most interesting line-up of the summer: Sunday 9th August headlined by David Guetta and Grace Jones.

Despite the recession, a fall in visitor numbers to the island and a trend toward cheaper drinks prices than last year, We Love Space have raised their door tax this year to an eye-watering €70. The big question on everyone's lips: is it worth it? Certainly, enough people were prepared to find out - the club was rammed solid from the moment Addicted arrived.

The terrace at Space is possibly the most famous dancefloor on the planet and David Guetta knew how to set it on fire. He played an electro set with less cheese and more edge than his typical F**k me I'm Famous sets at Pacha, and the terrace was jammed solid for the two hours he played. Tracks included a sensational remix of La Roux's "In for the Kill", David Guetta's own remix of "I Gotta Feeling" which really captured the mood of the night, an electro-inspired reworking of his recent hit "When Love Takes Over" (sadly Miss Kelly wasn't in attendance) and a crazy electro track with the vocal 'Michael Jackson is Still Alive!' If the reaction of the crowd is a good judge, it is destined to start appearing everywhere soon. Look out for it.

All tribes unite for Space and the crowd is drawn from the various tribes that descend on Ibiza. Addicted was dancing next to two girls dressed for a Mayfair nightclub in D&G black dresses who looked like they listening to house music for the first time in their lives (they loved it, by the way).

The other big headliner of the evening was Grace Jones. The lady is a legend who needs little introduction. Her inclusion on the line-up was an interesting choice for a club like Space, and provided a source of intrigue that the island was talking about all week in the run up to the night. Unfortuantely, We Love Space put both Guetta and Jones on the line-up at the same time causing much distress for many in the club. After all, if you have paid €70 for a ticket you usually want to see both headliners.

Addicted made our way from the Terrace to the Discoteca at 3am to get a good spot for Jones' set. Jones came on stage half an hour late, but if anyone can be forgiven for being a diva, it's Grace Jones. She bursting out on stage and jumped straight into her seminal hit, Nightclubbing. The crowd approved.

But as the hits went on, the crowd started to get restless with her slow-paced jazz and started to slip away to other rooms where harder beats were being played. Grace Jones was always a gamble in a club like Space full of a crowd geared up for dance music, and ultimately, it was a gamble that Space didn't pull off. The consensus of the evening was that while a brave programming decision, Jones' sound just wasn't right for Space at 3am, and perhaps an early evening set on the sunset terrace might have been more appropriate.

As with all good nights at Space, it ended with a cerveza frio on the premier etage, a great place to meet new people and chill out after a hard night's dancing. To return to the question: is it worth it? The answer is probably yes. It's a lot of money, but at the same time, it's the most famous clubbing experience in the world. And if you come to Ibiza and miss We Love Space, then you are truly missing out.

a day at the zoo via twitter

Why write a review when you can twitter? That's what we thought on Saturday 8th August 2009 when Addicted jumped in the car from Ibiza town and made our way across the island to the Zoo Project. Located at the abandoned zoo just outside San Antonio, the Zoo Project is taking over the reins from DC-10 as Ibiza's daytime party of choice, combining crazy fancy dress and top-notch music as the sun goes down. Addicted twittered our way through the party, and here's a run-down of our thoughts from twitter.com/addictedtoibiza

Novelty animal nose, check! We're on our way to the Zoo Project

In the car and searching for Ses Paises in Benimussa. Where the hell is it? I've been in and out of San Antonio three times now!

Found it, right behind the petrol station on the main road from Eivissa. Nice.

Every voice around me is speaking in English, Addicted has definitely landed in San Antonio! ¿Donde esta los españoles?

Seriously good and inventive zoo costumes all around - everyone has properly gone for it! Impressed.

Decent drinks prices, are we really in Ibiza?

Beware of chavs! Are we in Manchester or are we in Ibiza?

BBQ is amazing! Don't eat before you come here. It's worth it.

Interesting Sangria. Hate to be posh, but it could do with some fruit!

So. Many. Photo. Ops.

Getting a massage next to a zebra (not a real one)

Why did I bring the car? I want a jug of safari-themed cocktails!

Dancing outside to crazy beats as the sun sets. Is this what Space was like in the glory days?

Wishing I put more effort into the costume. Surrounded on the outdoor dancefloor by tarzan, three bodypainted leopards and a legion of girls in various animal bikinis

The sun goes down... and the crowd erupts!

As always, the Spanish arrive fashionably late. I hear español all around. Looks like we're not in Manchester after all!

Discovered after four hours: a silent disco in a bouncy castle maze!

Addicted thinks there is a good case for making every disco silent. Best fun ever.

This silent disco might go down as the coolest dancing moment in the history box.

This place rocks. Don't believe the hype, the island is certainly not dead!

Is this the most exciting club in Ibiza right now? Definitely. By consequence, is this the most exciting club in the world right now? Very possibly.

In conclusion, the Zoo Project is a must do. It's welcome relief from the crazy prices and insane crowds of the big clubs, and more fun than you can possibly imagine. This place is going to become an Ibiza institution in a few years, mark our words. Go before everyone else does.

dirty retro launch in ibiza - with free guestlist for addicted readers

Dirty Retro, a London-based label formed in 2004, are masters at mixing classic retro music from the eighties and ninties with today's dirty electro & house beats. This Friday, they are launching in Ibiza in conjunction with Play Records Toronto (the guys behind Deadmau5) with a dual-venue party. It kicks off at 4pm at Plastik in San Antonio, then after the sunset at 10pm it moves over to Kanya, where they continue until 4am.

They rocked the Miami WMC earlier this year and we have an exclusive Addicted to Ibiza guestlist if you want to check them out in Ibiza for free!

To get on the free guestlist, just e-mail names to events@dirtyretro.com before Friday. Let us know what you think of the party.

free guestlist for fierce angel at el divino

This Friday 7th August, we've got something extra special for readers of Addicted to Ibiza. Free guestlist to Fierce Angel at El Divino!

It's not just any old night we're getting you into for free. Therese, the voice behind club hits Put Em High, Time and Take Me Away, wlll coming to Ibiza to perform her new single.

Fierce Angel was set up two years ago by the team behind Hed Kandi and the funky house night is already making a name for itself during their first Ibiza residency by giving the island a night of unadulterated fun. Click here to read more about the party.

If you want to get on the list, send your names before lunchtime on Thurs to guestlist@addictedtoibiza.com

top 5 underground ibiza acts at channel zoo

If you're looking to escape the predictable superstar DJ line-ups at most Ibiza clubs this summer and catch some underground acts about to break big, Channel Zoo is the place to be. Hosted at Gala Night on Wednesdays by the guys behind the Zoo Project, Channel Zoo is arguably the most forward thinking party in Ibiza right now. And that’s not just down to its label showcase concept or the acts it chooses to fill the bill; it’s how it continues to offer something fresh at each and every party. No week is the same.

Addicted caught up with Nic from Channel Zoo to get an exclusive peek at what is on the line-up from now until the end of the season. Here are this summer's Top 5 underground Ibiza acts appearing at Channel Zoo. Make sure you don’t miss out.

5. Cadenza Records

The atmosphere is set to boil on Wednesday 29th July as the inimitable Cadenza Records take over the open air Zoo to conduct a Latin, folk, tribal, house and techno infused orchestra. Label head and production legend Luciano sits proudly at the top of bill, amongst numerous members of the Cadenza family. These include Reboot who will play an exclusive live set; the emerging subtle melodies and tribal drums from Mirko Loko, and the emotive minimal flair from Lee van Dowski and Alex Picone.

4. Moon Harbour Recordings

Famed for signing records from acts like DJ T and Martin Landsky, Moon Harbour will less than subtly take over at Channel Zoo on 5 August. It’s the imprint’s head honcho Matthias Tanzmann who’ll ensure that everything about this night runs deep and underground, along with label regulars Dan Drastic and Martinez.

3. Tenax Recordings

Both The Zoo Project and Channel Zoo fans are that of mixed nationality, personality, sexuality and anything else you think of. This transpires to its taste in labels and next up on 12th August is the Italian Planet Funk and label don Alex Neri; the deep, jackin’ house sounds of Ilario Alicante, and the experimental minimal sounds of Federico Grazzini.

2. Freak n’Chic

Dan Ghenacia’s Freak n’Chic is a label that quite simply sets trends in charting tracks from the unquestionable talents of Steve Bug, M.A.N.D.Y and a library of others. Parisian sounds of house and techno will be weaved into the surroundings at the old abandoned Zoo for this showcase taking place on 19th August.

 1. Cecille Records

The final party Channel Zoo are revealing to us comes hosted by the German techno label, Cecille Records. Conceived between the musical brains of Nick Curly and Mark Scholl, this night will take place on 26th August where label signings Robert Diez and Lemos (the latter in a live set), will weave a tapestry of deep, minimal house and techno.

Channel Zoo takes place every Wednesday at the old abandoned Zoo in the Benimussa hills near San Antonio. This outdoor setting amongst the old seal pits and abandoned animals cages is like no other in Ibiza. Fans of the night can also be entertained by fire eaters and stilt walkers, a short films cinema, CD promo giveaways and a BBQ, sun lounger and swimming pool area. Try it and you just might not want to return home

ibiza for beginners

If it's your first time, the amount of choice in Ibiza can be daunting. With so many parties to go to and so many places to dance, how do you cram it all into just one week? Here's a rough itinerary for a week long trip especially designed with Ibiza newbies in mind. Going back to work the following day is not recommended.

MONDAY

When you get off the plane, jump straight in at the deep end and head to the world's biggest nightclub to see the world's biggest Trance DJ. Privilege hosts Tiesto and up to 10,000 partygoers every Monday night. You don’t even need to worry about checking in at your hotel first. As we discovered last year, the coat check at the gift shop will look after your suitcase. The icing on the cake? The DJ booth is surrounded by a swimming pool.

TUESDAY

Live rock music in Ibiza? Really? Isn’t this island supposed to be the spiritual home of dance music? Founded on the premise that dance kids like to rock and rock kids like to dance, Ibiza Rocks is the unexpected success story of the last few years. Every Tuesday this year Ibiza Rocks plays host to the Ting Tings, the Klaxons and MGMT, just to name a few. Moreover, they now own their own hotel so you can host after parties worthy of rock stars.

WEDNESDAY

You’ve been on the island for two days now, so it’s probably time for a bit of a rest. Ibiza is famous for sunsets and the best place to watch is Café Mambo on the sunset strip in San Antonio. Not only will you have the thrill of watching the crowd cheer as night begins and the sun goes down, but often you can catch big name DJs warming up for their sets later that night – for free.

THURSDAY

Tonight, it’s time to check out the most famous club in the world: Pacha. The name is synonymous with celebrity, hedonism and glamour; and David Guetta’s Thursday night ‘F*** me I’m Famous’ party is Pacha at its finest. With the VIP, VVIP and VVVIP areas (yes, really) taking up well over two-thirds of dancefloor, some question whether mere mortals are actually able to let their hair down and party. But experiencing Pacha’s unique vibe is a vital Ibiza experience and one you will come to love. The clincher? Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland is their resident PA this summer.

FRIDAY

It’s Friday, you’ve now been in Ibiza for five days and you’ve still not found time to dance on the beach! Make amends and head down to Bora Bora Beach Bar in Playa d’en Bossa for some cheeky afternoon sangria. Once you’re all danced out, it’s time to experience the more civilised side of Ibiza. Get in a cab to KM5 - one of Ibiza’s many laidback countryside restaurants. Many people say the best thing about Ibiza is the balance between crazy nights out and beautiful places to chill. KM5 and their outdoor cocktail lounge does that job nicely.

SATURDAY

You know you're in Ibiza when it's four o’clock on a Saturday afternoon and you're dancing in an abandoned zoo surrounded by people in fancy dress. The club on everyone’s lips this summer is The Zoo Project, taking over from the much missed DC-10. Their Saturday day time sessions are the talk of the island and attract top underground DJ talent. You’ll definitely leave with stories to tell everyone back home.

SUNDAY

Dancing on the terrace at Space on a Sunday afternoon defines Ibiza clubbing. The former 22 hour We Love Space marathon now restricts itself to a mere 14 hours due to changes in club licensing laws, but that’s not held back the stream of massive international DJs that make the line up every week. Literally, nothing compares to this. Just make sure your sunglasses are suitably oversized and overpriced.

That only leaves one more decision. Once the sun comes up and the music turns down at 6am, will you be running to catch your flight? Or will you be running to the nearest internet café to change your flight home? (It’s just across the road, in case the latter takes your fancy.)

addicted speaks to defected at pacha's miss divine

Defected are an Ibiza institution, bringing their blend of straight-up house music to the island summer after summer. This year they take over the prestigious Saturday night slot at Pacha and running the show is Defected’s Ibiza resident Miss Divine. Addicted caught up with Miss Divine to chat about partying hard at Pacha and chilling out by beach.

Addicted: Together with the Defected crew, this summer you are hosting Saturday night at Pacha, which must be incredible. What's your favourite thing about Pacha?

Miss Divine: It’s got to be the people. There’s a real cosmopolitan crowd that attend our night every week. People come from all over the world.  Defected is a global brand and house speaks the international language so its one hell of a party every Saturday.  Lots of hands in the air action and smiling faces.

Addicted: When it comes to clubbing, there is heaps of choice in Ibiza. What makes a night at Defected unique?

Miss Divine: I think Defected is definitely up there in the leaders of house. The label represents past, present and future, which makes us a strong contender in Ibiza.  We fly over some of the best house DJ’s every week- names such as Kenny Dope or Frankie Knuckles rarely play anywhere outside of the US so to be able to hear them playing for Defected in Ibiza at Pacha is pretty special.

Addicted: Are you noticing any big trends in the music heard on the island this summer?

Miss Divine: Yes and No, the music changes throughout the season, it always gets a bit tougher towards August time. House is definitely back and all the big DJs are playing it, its definitely ruling the dancefloors this year.

Addicted: Speaking of music, what are your top three tunes for summer 2009?

Miss Divine: I would have to say a track called Con Alegria by DJ Gregory & Gregor Salto. Second choice is Joris Voorn – Sweep the Floor and third choice is a track that has been bubbling on the underground for a while called La Mezcla by Michael Cleis, just picked up by Strictly Rhythm.

Addicted: Tell us about the first time you went to Ibiza.

Miss Divine: My first time was in 2000 and I was very much into Hard House and Trance, I went to Eden every single night.  It took me a few more years before I saw a sunset or discovered the other clubs.  2005 was my first year working and fell in love with Techno and Amnesia, I went to Cocoon and Defected every week without fail.  That was a wicked summer.

Addicted: There is always talk of somewhere being 'the new Ibiza', whether its Croatia, Greece or somewhere else. What do you think makes the real Ibiza unique?

Miss Divine: There’s no other place on the planet like Ibiza, yes it is starting to look a bit tired and there are a lot more politics out here now but Ibiza has been the worlds party island since back in the 70’s and no amount of new laws will ever stop people coming here.  The beaches are beautiful, the restaurants are fantastic, the sunsets are out of this world, something so simple can move people to tears and make them stand up and applaud the sun going down, I’ve never been anywhere else in the world where people do that.  The clubs for me are some of the best I've ever been to, plus where in the world can you see a massive DJ or promotion every night of the week.  Ibiza is the one.

Addicted: As someone who spends a lot of time in Ibiza, you must have some favourite places off the beaten path. What's your favourite thing to do / place to go on the island that our readers may not have thought about?

Miss Divine: I love to eat paella at one of my favourite restaurants on the road to Salinas, it feels like home because your actually sitting in someone’s garden. It's great to get group of friends together and hang out for the afternoon there. Benirras beach is another favourite of mine.  I like to hang out there on a Sunday and watch the hippies beat the sun down with their drums, it’s a pretty special place.  When I need some time out I like to just chill out on the rocks with my iPod and listen to some soul and funk. 

Addicted: And finally, what is your top tip for anyone coming to Ibiza this summer?

Miss Divine: There are lots of things to do other than partying in Ibiza and I don’t think enough people come out here and actually see the other side of the island.  You can do Ibiza on a budget and still have a great time.  Choose two or three big nights that you want to go to (make sure Defected is one of them!) and spend the rest of the time visiting the different beaches or restaurants Ibiza has to offer.   Take a boat trip, go to the water park, hire a car and take a picnic to the beach.  It hasn’t all got be 24 7 partying.

Addicted: Miss Divine, thank you for speaking to us. See you at Pacha!

For a preview of what lies in store at Pacha this summer, check out Miss Divine's latest mix for Defected - Clubland Adventures Episode 8 - now available online. Click here to preview and download.

addicted speaks to we love space

Clubbing in Ibiza is almost synonymous with Sundays on the terrace at Space. We Love Space is now in its’ eleventh year and once again the line-up reads like a “who’s who” of dance music. Addicted caught up with the man behind it all, Mark Broadbent, to talk about what's in store for 2009.

Addicted: Sundays at Space have become the ultimate Ibiza institution. Do you find it challenging to keep it fresh every year?

Mark: It’s a labour of love - challenging but great fun. Of late it has become easier due to our customers faith in what we do and the fantastic amount of talent available.

Addicted: What do you think sets We Love apart from other nights in Ibiza?

Mark: Daring programming. Musically, we bring something new to the table every year rather than sticking to a tried, tested and ultimately boring format that most club nights seem to stick to.

Addicted: One of this years headliners at We Love is Grace Jones. As an artist she is very different to the big name DJs that occupy the bulk of the line-up. Is this a change in direction for the club?

Mark: Not really, she would have been booked earlier if she had made herself available. With her new album out she has decided to tour again and we benefit from this. We love have always strived to showcase what we feel is hot at the moment and there is nobody even close to Grace Jones right now.

Addicted: There was a lot of concern last year that new laws restricting club opening hours were going to fundamentally change the Ibiza clubbing scene and as a former 22-hour party We Love was directly affected. How do you think the clubbing scene has changed since the new legislation? Do you think it has been good or bad for the island?

Mark: Ultimately it is a good thing for most of us who live here full time as there are plenty of cool after parties if you know where to look for them. It has changed the face of We Love... for the better as far as we are concerned. When we put a roof on the Space terrace five years ago that was the biggest change to the islands clubbing habits there has been so far and we have gone from strength to strength since then...change is good most of the time.

Addicted: 2009 is a year of great uncertainty - the credit crunch has hit Spain hard, the euro is expensive and the Ibiza government's tourist policy divisive and controversial. How do you see Ibiza changing over the next couple of years?

Mark: As it previous ‘down’ years, it will sort the wheat from the chaff – and end up strengthening what we all do here.

Addicted: As someone who knows Ibiza well, what's your favourite place on the island?

Mark: Sa Penya. It’s the "real" Ibiza.

Addicted: And finally, if you have one tip for people going to Ibiza this summer, what would it be?

Mark: Bring plenty of money, an open friendly outlook ...and lube!

Addicted to Ibiza can get you and a friend on the guestlist for We Love Space any Sunday this summer!

No trip to Ibiza is complete without a visit to Space on Sunday and Addicted can get you in for free. We have two sets of two tickets to give away for what is undoubtedly the premier party on the island. For a chance of winning, just send an e-mail with ‘WE LOVE’ in the subject line to competitions@addictedtoibiza.com before midnight on Friday 10th July. We’ll get touch with the winners to find out what Sunday you would like passes for.

To see the line-up for every weekend this summer, download some free podcasts and much more, check out the We Love website.

new in ibiza for 2009

Like all places that stay exciting and fresh, Ibiza constantly changes and 2009 is no exception. A new bunch of venues have arrived on the scene and Addicted bring you our pick of the places you should be looking out for - soon they will be on everyone's lips.

Gala Night

Strictly speaking, Gala Night isn't a new venue. It's been around for years and was previously known as the 'abandoned zoo' (even although it never actually was a zoo - work that one out). However, now it has finally got a name, it has quickly become the venue of choice for the island's underground clubbing scene. With daytime, outdoor dress-up dance parties hosted every Saturday from 4pm until midnight by The Zoo Project, word on the street is that Gala Night is the new DC-10. The Zoo Project also host Wednesday under the Channel Zoo moniker, while As One host Monday evenings bringing some of London's big clubbing names to the island. This is the place everyone is talking about this summer - go before it's massive.

Amante

Ibiza's places to chill are even better than Ibiza's places to party, and Addicted loves venues such as the Blue Marlin and KM5. Opened a few months ago, Amante joins Ibiza's distingushed collection of laid-back beachside restaurant/bars. Situated in a secluded bay near Cala Llonga just north of Ibiza Town, Amante looks set to find a niche as one of the most romantic places on the island. Come here to kick back in style on a beach bed. Anyone fancy brunch by the sea?

Boho

When Ibiza Rocks opened a hotel in San Antonio a couple of years ago, the tide started to turn for Ibiza's less sophisticated town, previously more famous for English breakfasts than world-class nightspots. That trend continues with the opening of Boho, a new club in San Antonio town that has already become a regular on the celebrity pages of British newspapers.  A million miles away from the sleazy 'free shots with your lager' San Antonio of yore, Boho was launched a month ago by the team behind Hotel Es Vive and Base Bar and this year hosts Ibiza institutions Superfreq and Miss Moneypennys. With big names and lashings of style, this is one to watch.

win free guestlist for carl cox at space

On a fashion-conscious island where club nights rise and fall like Victoria Beckham’s bra size, longevity is a truly remarkable virtue.

Not only is Carl Cox one of the few DJs who can command a self-titled club night on the island, but it’s a club night that has been running for eight consecutive years. No mean feat – especially when this year’s line-up features some top notch names.

Not only will Carl Cox himself be playing every Tuesday night at Space, but he will be accompanied by some legendary DJs such as Moby (Jul 28th), John Digweed (Jul 7th) and Sasha (Sept 1st).

Moreover, as its one of the cheaper nights to check out Space, you’ll get great bang for your buck.

Carl Cox at Space opens on 7th July and closes on 22nd September – and Addicted can get you on the guestlist! We have two free tickets to give away for you and a friend.

For a chance of winning, just send an e-mail with ‘CARL COX’ in the subject line to competitions@addictedtoibiza.com before midnight on Friday 26th June. We’ll get touch with the winner to find out what Tuesday night you would like passes for. If you're not lucky enough to win, you can click here to buy tickets for any night this summer.

Don't forget to sign up to our e-mail list or join us on Twitter in order to hear about our latest competitions first!