10 ways Ibiza will change in 2017

“This summer [2016], we’ve seen a power shift away from the venue towards the promoter,” says Ibiza Rocks chief Andy McKay. “The situation is entirely healthy, because it’s the promoter who will reinvent the scene, not the venue. For years, the nightclubs have been going straight to the talent and cutting out the promoter. This year the promoter is back. Speaking as a venue owner now, we are quite rightly losing power. What we have to do is give the power back to creative, inspirational promoters and let them discover the future for us.”

Interestingly, the busiest parties on the island this summer – elrow at Space, Music-On at Amnesia, Glitterbox at Space, Craig David’s TS5 Pool Party at Ibiza Rocks, and WooMoon at Cova Santa – are all promoter-led parties and not in-house events.

Elements of gastronomy, dance and art are fast becoming an integral part of Ibiza’s clubbing landscape. One of the best examples of this contemporary fusion of fine dining and underground music can be seen at Heart Ibiza, where Spain’s leading celebrity chef Ferràn Adrià, and Guy Laliberté, the founder of theatrical entertainments company Cirque du Soleil, share the limelight with top DJs like Sven Väth and alternative composers such as Nils Frahm. Richie Hawtin’s affection for sake is another example of a promoter aligning your taste buds with the vibe on the dancefloor. Anticipate more chef and DJ collaborations in 2017, as promoters and venues alike make every effort to nail the concept.