Anticipation built massively on the island in the run up to BBC Radio 1’s annual trip to Ibiza. 2015 was Radio 1’s 20th year broadcasting live events on the island with three big events planned at Ushuaia, the sunset strip outside Cafe Mambo and Cafe del Mar, and Ibiza Rocks.
Traditionally always one of the busiest weekends in the Ibiza clubbing calendar, the Radio 1 weekend is legendary in Ibiza as on this one weekend every year the Radio 1 DJs head over to the white isle to host parties. Parties over the years have been hosted from the sunset strip in San Antonio, to secret parties in the hills, to the Ibiza Rocks Hotel. The last couple of years have been broadcast from Ushuaia on Playa den Bossa. As this was their 20th anniversary of running yearly events on the island, they pulled out all the stops and hosted 3 events – 1 each on Friday (31st July), Saturday (1st August) and Sunday (2nd August). All events sold out quickly 2 weeks prior via the BBC website, such was the demand for tickets to see some of the world’s best DJs on the party capital of the world. Back in the UK people could watch the proceedings live on BBC 1 (red button) for the first time, as well as listen around the world online.
Friday’s event came live from the stunning open air hotel venue Ushuaia to a packed 8,000 crowd. The line up consisted of Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Danny Howard, Monki, Target, Disclosure, Jamie Jones B2B Patrick Topping and headlined by Calvin Harris, making his only Ibiza appearance of the summer. He played some of his biggest tracks including Under Control, Outside, Feel So Close, Sweet Nothing and Blame. Ushuaia is the perfect setting for this headline set; there were air/fire cannons, lasers and lights whilst planes flying in just yards overhead, complete with a great vibe and atmosphere. Everyone in attendance had a smile on their face, it was a great way to kick off the weekend’s proceedings.
Ushuaia looking absolutely beautiful tonight for Radio 1 weekend. @ushuaiaibiza #R1Ibiza20 pic.twitter.com/D6g3mmy15A
— Uneek Ibiza (@uneekibiza) July 31, 2015
#R1Ibiza20 going right off here at Ushuaia tonight @ushuaiaibiza pic.twitter.com/GKp0WvZn4Y
— Uneek Ibiza (@uneekibiza) July 31, 2015
On Saturday, the party descended on San Antonio’s beautiful sunset strip – a stage and venue erected outside Café Mambo and Café del Mar with a line up including Radio 1 stable mates Annie Mac, Danny Howard, Mistajam and Pete Tong amongst various others. One of those was Duke Dumont, who delivered an awesome set full of Ibiza classics such as Candi Staton Vs Frankie Knuckles – You Got The Love, Roger Sanchez – Another Chance, David Morales – Needin’ U, Layo & Bushwacka – Lovestory, Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me, Faithless – Insomnia and his own Duke Dumont – I Got U. Also on the line up were Blonde, Ibiza stalwart Erick Morillo, Redlight, Rudimental and Gregory Porter, who performed a live PA of his big summer track Liquid Spirit. There was also a special guest appearance from Eric Prydz. It was some line up, and some location – the backdrop was a perfect sunset during Rudimental’s performance.
#R1Ibiza20 at @Mamboibiza right now! Amazing tunes and atmosphere pic.twitter.com/xdelPNfQPp
— Uneek Ibiza (@uneekibiza) August 1, 2015
Going off for @AndreaOliva1 here at @ibizarocks #R1Ibiza20 pic.twitter.com/B2Tt1BVObH
— Uneek Ibiza (@uneekibiza) August 2, 2015
Last but not least, the 3rd and final event of the weekend was broadcast live on the Sunday from Ibiza Rocks Hotel – with a DJ box set up next to the main stage complete with DJ sets from Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Kolsch, BTraits and Carl Cox, who all played awesome sets. Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio is without doubt a festival setting under the stars, in gorgeous warm and clean surroundings, and ending the weekend were a band fitting of headlining any festival in the world, Faithless. They played a set consisting of many of their big anthems which had the crowd going absolutely crazy, none more so than Insomnia. Their choice to end this 20th anniversary year of BBC Radio 1 in Ibiza with their track We Come One was superbly fitting as we did indeed come one in unison as thousands watching live in Ibiza and millions around the world watching/listening live at home.