History
This unique club was the brainchild of Pepe Rosello, born in San Antonio in 1937. His first encounter with public entertainment came in 1956 in local restaurant businesses, then at "El Refugio" - a classy restaurant which most of us will know as Gorms Garage. In those days it was a very different San Antonio - a jet-set paradise for the bourgouisie with their yachts moored in the harbour. Then word got out and the younger crowd discovered Ibiza. Opposite "El Refugio" was a jazz club, "La Reja", which was one of the first establishments to obtain a music license - for their piano.. Inspired by the concept of musical entertainment, Pepe discovered the terrace concept which has served him so well ever since. In those days the music was live and predominantly Irish folk, the sort that you couldn't resist dancing to.
However, even back then there was a mixture of live music and disc jockeys. Inevitably the restaurant changed as a younger crowd discovered the island with the advent of tourism. Demand for food was exceeded by demand for music and dancing and as Pepe was providing the latter, demand soon exceeded available space. In Playa d'en Bossa in 1987 he found a conference centre, built some 4 years earlier, that had also served as a discoteque in the evenings for those same conference attendees. When he took it over he completely renovated the existing building and enclosed it within a large perimeter fence. This allowed the creation of a huge outside terrace area. The same terrace that has become probably the most famous terrace in the world today.
The terrace concept is fundamental. The theory behind Space was to provide a large enough area to be able to offer a variety of different environments. You choose that which suits you best or roam between the different options. Pepe, being Ibicenco, has always had a love of night life. In Franco's days the bars had to shut by 1 am and the clubs no more than two hours later. Eventually the law was extended by another hour, then another, to the point where the current law demands only that you close for 2 hours each day. In other words, you can pretty much well choose which 2 hours of the day to call in the cleaner!
The ultimate solution arrived when "Home" began their mega-parties which ran from 8 am on Sunday morning till 6 am on Monday mornings. With almost all of the worlds top DJs performing at one or other of their regular weekenders, success was guaranteed and there was still time to get home, shower and have breakfast before going to work!
Things weren't always this way however. In Pepe's early days music was either live or provided by radio and later TV. Nowadays, the DJ is in the ascendancy and controls the industry. This is ironic because DJs originally achieved this status because it was cheaper to employ a bloke to put records on than to hire a PA and employ 4 or more musicians to stand on a stage all night. This is now largely untrue as "name" DJs cost more than the aforementioned "band". So what does the future hold? It could be that "entertainment" gigs, along the lines being pursued by Manumission, will come to the fore, with more emphasis on the show than the "name" DJ. There is also a movement back towards lyrics nowadays in the face of a decade of beat driven music. The theory is that lyrics are far more thought provoking than simple notes on a musical instrument can ever be. The counter argument is that music is multilingual. It means the same and creates the same emotions whatever language you speak or wherever on the planet you live.
Young people are now becoming more intellectual, or spiritually and environmentally aware. Respecting their planet and taking more care of their health, diet and fitness. Some would say that music has become a popular religious alternative, and this is the direction and responsibility that music has to deal with. A major responsibility for music and something that is understood best by the people who make music and those who provide the places where it can be heard. Thank you Pepe and the other 120 plus people who make Space work, predominently Ibicencos, many of whom have been working with him for over 30 years. Without your commitment and eternal love of music, Ibiza may well not have become the legend that it is?
Location
Playa Den Bossa , Ibiza
Prices
Expect to pay from 20 € to 50 €, depending on the month and night. Reduced price flyers are available. Expect to pay between 6€ and 10€ for drinks
Address
Playa Den Bossa, 07817 Sant Jordi
Telephone : 971 396 793
Capacity : 2500 People
Staff : 150
Bars : 17
Areas : Main, Sunset terrace, Flight Area(opening & Closing party)
Services : 2 Shops, 2 Boutiques and VIP zone