Inside Hï Ibiza’s Spectacular Opening Party

After weeks of anticipation, teasers, residency and line-up announcements – and even one guided tour through the ‘under construction’ site – on Sunday, May 28th, brand new super club Hï Ibiza’s was finally unveiled to the world. We can think of few examples where the opening night of a new venue has been so hotly discussed, so naturally residents and holiday makers arrived from all corners of the island to get a first glimpse at the newest gem in Ushuaïa Entertainment’s crown.

With rumours about Hï Ibiza’s incredible production and state-of-the-art sound system getting tongues wagging months before the official opening and a carefully curated line-up that boasted hot international talent as well as island-favourite DJs, we couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves in the Hï Ibiza’s experience. As we have previously reported, from the second you catch a first glimpse at the Playa d’en Bossa club, the former home of the iconic Space Ibiza, you realise that CEO Yann Pissenem and his team are not trying to replicate the successful concept that some are still mourning. Rather than paying homage to the club it once was, it’s a fresh start and a new chapter in Ibiza’s dance music history, with a completely overhauled property in Bossa’s bustling heart.

The car park that we used to try to not get run over in as we approached the venue in the olden days has been turned into a bright square, complete with olive trees and an Instagram-worthy Hï Ibiza’s sculpture spelling out the name of the new party palace. Behind, the streamlined and gleaming white structure rises and welcomes you to enter through spacious double doors that lead you straight into the heart of the action. Gone are the maze-like corridors and awkward holding areas, instead sleek black tunnels effortlessly connect the two main rooms to the outdoor areas and bathrooms.

The Theatre (Room1) is mind-blowing, an Italian amphitheatre inspired space with snakeskin-clad VIP booths ascending on each side leaving the dance floor as spacious as possible and its throbbing core protected from disruptive ‘traffic’. From the ceiling, futuristic circular rigs boasting a completely unique set up of moving kinetic lights that would only be used once for the opening in this constellation looked like something straight out of Tron.

Much has been said of the completely bespoke set-up for each artist, and for the opening night the DJ booth had been erected at the back of the room, closer to the ground – and therefore the crowd – than in other venues, allowing an intimate experience despite the size of the room. With mesmerising LED screens running behind the booth and across the walls, and an eye-catching ribbon twist descending from the roof to the stage the mind-bending visuals are complete. The opening night saw world-class artists including Luciano, Black Coffee, Kölsch, Matthias Tanzmann, Bedouin and local favourites Anna Tur and Paul Reynolds enjoy a first turn behind the decks surrounded by dancers in fantastical outfits, a true spectacle to behold.

The Club (Room 2), formerly known as the Terrace, boasts a more intimate feel with an underground vibe. A low ceiling jam-packed with dazzling lighting installations that send hundreds of colourful beams into the darkened room, and the DJ booth at eye-level, allows clubbers to feel like they are in their own little universe, a bubble filled with sound and optical illusions. At the opening, artists Apollonia, Joris Voorn, Nic Fanciulli, Andrea Oliva B2B Davide Squillace, Djebali, Raul Rodriguez B2B Prymate and Igor Marijuan took to the booth from sunset to sunrise, when natural sunlight streamed in through the windows that have been maintained as an original feature.

A third ‘secret room’ dubbed The Wild Corner became a surprise sensation of the night, as clubbers discovered an unexpected DJ booth in the unisex bathroom, which was hosted by one of Ibiza’s hottest original party crews, the Melon Bomb gang. Bringing their signature funky sound to the toilet, which felt more like an underground club than a bathroom with its colourful illuminated ceiling, sleek white speakers, gleaming black doors and the decks in the middle of the room.

Bringing back the all important al fresco ambience to the clubbing scene, the Magic Garden offered a stunning outdoor space for revellers to enjoy a drink and cool down after letting lose on the dance floor. As you would expect from an Ushuaia venue, every attention to detail had been paid, with metal trees decorated with hanging crystals, plant-covered walls and a slide from the VIP area down to the terrace getting us excited. Add to all of this 2 miles of streamers, 86 lasers, 100 speakers, 300 lights, 1000kg of C02 and 5 million video pixels and it was undeniable that Ibiza got one hell of a new clubbing mecca ready to rock the 2017 season.

Further Information
w: www.hiibiza.com