This weekend saw one of the best Radio 1 weekend’s in their history on the white isle. Ibiza is booming this year, the busiest the island has been in five years as suddenly Ibiza is back in vogue. It all kicked off on Friday evening at the new pearl of the island, the Ushuaia beach hotel which had a reported £1m spent on it over the winter to transform what was a cool beach bar into a spa hotel paradise. Yet again Radio 1 let everyone in for free instead of forking out up to 60 euros for a night out and 4000 party heads took up their offer. Highlights included Professor Green, Calvin Harris and Example up on stage.
Radio 1 Live In Ibiza
“I love Ibiza, it’s a wickedc place admitted Green before grabbing the mic. “There’s no chance of me having a quiet night tonight, Example is here so I couldn’t even if I wanted to!”
Example too was well into the party spirit (s) quickly…
“I’ve had too many beers already, I need to start sobering up. After I’ve finished it’s party time and then it’s who can stay up the longest. Profressor Green said he was not drinking, well that’s going to change! I’m the bad influence. I’m looking forward to performing, I love entertaining and will go anywhere for Radio 1, it’s always supported me and played my songs. The great thing about Radio 1 is that they do play good stuff, people forget how important radio is, it’s how most people’s careers get started.
Back on the decks Pete Tong anc Carl Cox performed their first ever set together whilst Vernon Kay and X Factor’s Tulisa Contostavlos looked to be having a ball.
“It’s been an incredible season in Ibiza and it’s great that the island is continuing to evolve. Ushuaia is an exclusive place so it’s fantastic we’ve been able for the Radio 1 audience to come here for free. And Space is right across the road so we can keep the party going all day and night. When I first joined Radio 1, they wanted me to go and do road shows, which was a little old hat. I was always on at them to come to Ibiza because that’s where our audience was. Eventually I got them to come over and they’ve never wanted to leave.”
Coxy adds “most holidaymakers don’t get a chance to see all the bands and the DJs in one go like they do here. You dance under the sun and then you dance under the stars – you can’t do that in Britain. I’m working back-to-back with Pete for the first time. It’s a clash of the titans and of course there’s rivalry. But it’s all to make sure the people get the very best of what’s going on out here. I’ve been coming to Ibiza for 25 years. The first time I had no money and I slept in a car. My favourite Ibiza memory is my birthday one year when there was a toga party. I was running around in a short toga, blonde wig and sunglasses all day long. I had some very interesting moments and ended up somewhere two days later. You can have that sort of fun here and really let your hair down!”
BBC/Tom Horton
on the Radio 1 photos
