Location: Ibiza, Spain
Capacity: 5,500
“We’ve waited a long time to welcome our worldwide music family back to Hï Ibiza,” says Yann Pissenem, CEO and founder of The Night League, the company that presides over both Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza. “So it was an amazing feeling to open the club doors on April 30th for our first opening party in two years, titled Better Together — a celebration of opening both Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza, as well as the return to the dancefloor and Ibiza for thousands of excited clubbers.”
It’s been a long-anticipated moment for this year’s Top 100 Clubs winner. And loyal clubbers were rewarded with the fruits of Hï Ibiza’s lockdown freshen-up. First up is the giant mural by Argentinian-Spanish street artist Felipe Pantone, which adds a vivacious splash of colour to the club’s entrance. Inside, a rebuild of the stage means it now covers the full width of the venue, making the setup fully customisable for each party. A brand new high-resolution, full-width LED screen has also been added, allowing for bespoke visuals. And the club’s ‘The Twist’ lighting structure, which ran down each side of the venue, has been replaced with three hundred lights covering the walls and ceilings, their different sequences of colour allowing an incredible array of effects and atmospheres. Accompanying all of this is a brand-new, bespoke L-Acoustics soundsystem, ensuring that Hï Ibiza is at the cutting edge of world-beating sound.
All this merely augments the venue’s already stunning design. Main room, The Theatre, is based around an Italian amphitheatre, its dancefloor surrounded by a raised terrace hosting the VIP area. As well as boasting six BB4 lasers, a CO2 Megatron and confetti fans in the ceiling, its production is bespoke for each party. The Club Room then offers an underground vibe. With the low ceiling giving it an intimate closeness, accentuated by a dancefloor-level DJ booth, its darkness is punctuated by lighting that sends out hundreds of coloured beams. The Wild Corner, meanwhile, is a unisex bathroom that also boasts a DJ booth, big-name guests often drop in for unannounced DJ sets, and The Magic Garden and The Secret Garden are two outdoor spaces for alfresco adventures or simply chilling out. There’s also an outdoor rooftop terrace and bar when you need to escape the crowds.
Into this comes the club’s biggest line-up so far, not only welcoming back favourite residents from previous seasons but also hosting new residencies in both The Theatre and the Club Room. Mondays will fuse Latin sounds, reggaeton and electronic music as The Theatre hosts both live performances and DJs every week, starting with Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA and going on to include Nicky Jam and Brazil’s Alok as weekly residents. Things are equally fresh on Tuesday, with two new acts welcomed into the fold for their first Ibiza residencies. The Martinez Brothers bring their New York house swagger to The Theatre, while Spanish techno hero Paco Osuna is in The Club Room. Mid-week is presided over by Grammy-nominated Australian star Fisher, who brings his powerful tech-house sound on Wednesdays for another Ibiza residency first, and alongside him the Club Room welcomes prolific Brazilian producer Vintage Culture. Tale Of Us make their return with Afterlife on Thursdays, keeping it deep and hypnotic alongside select guests with their distinctive brand of melodic house and techno.
Friday nights are huge, with David Guetta’s exclusive 18-week residency. Idris Elba, aka Mr. Stringer Bell himself, will also be appearing in the Club Room in July and August. Black Coffee’s name is synonymous with Hï Ibiza, given his first Ibiza residency at the club when it opened in 2017, and the Grammy Award-winner returns to bring his touch of soul to Saturdays. Crosstown Rebels’ chief wizard Damian Lazarus joins him, holding court in the Club Room. And closing out the weekend, Glitterbox and dancers ensure a fabulous finale soundtracked by feel-good house and disco.
“Hï Ibiza is a venue where everyone is welcome,” says Pissenem. “From locals to seasoned clubbers and everyone that has a love for the music and the island.” This includes trance lovers too, with Mr ASOT himself, Armin van Buuren, playing two one-off specials on 22nd and 29th August.
“We want people to dance, smile, feel free and go home rejuvenated,” Pissenem continues on what he says promises to be Ibiza’s biggest summer ever. “We’re already deep into planning for 2023 as well, with many exciting changes and improvements. But for now, we’re focused on making this our best summer ever!”