Even if it looks like a lie, Ibiza has not always been the famous destination for clubbing that is nowadays. There was a time where there were no clubs on the island and the party as we know did not exist. There are a lot of clubs in Ibiza and they are one of the most important economic motors of the White Island, but we wanted to know how these clubs were born and which is the origin of their names.
Pachá
The first Pachá was born in Sitges, but when Ricardo Urgell decided to open a new club in a cottage at the outskirts of Ibiza, Pachá obtained international fame and reputation. From its opening, the brand adopted its two characteristic cherries and bet for house and electronic music.
However, the origin of the name “Pachá” is unrelated with Ibiza. Urgell’s wife said him when he opened his first club that he will win so much money and will live as a pachá. This word, pachá, is referred to an old Turkish word that means a high commissioner with the power of a governor.
KU (Privilege)
We find the origins of Privilege in the Basque Country, place where its founders were born. Three Basque businessmen bought in 1978 a local close to San Rafael, and he called it KU, the same name as the name of their club in San Sebastián. KU is the name of the prosperity and war Hawaiian god. He represents good health, prosperity and abundance.
KU became the greatest club in the world in the 80s but in the beginnings of the 90s, after a series of misfortunes, his managers had to transfer the club, and the new managers called it Privilege Ibiza.
Amnesia
Amnesia is located nowadays in an Ibizan cottage house, built in the XVIII century. After five generations of the Planells family, in 1970 they sold their house to a widow. In 1974, Antonio Escohotado, known as essayist and professor arrived at the White Island and paid to the house’s owner a rent monthly in order to realize big parties with live music.
At the beginning, he called it “El Taller del Olvido”, related with the aim of the people, who wants to go out and forget their problems and enjoy the night’s world. However, and paradoxically, the club needed an easier name to remember, so he changed the name to the name that all we know today, Amnesia.
DC-10
This club is closely related to the aviation, and its location confirms this relation. DC-10 is located next to the landing track of the Ibiza airport, so in every party, it is common to see airplanes over the club.
A club so marked by the aviation needed a name with references to this world, thus the club was baptized as DC-10 in honor to the plane McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Moreover, during the first years, DC-10 had a small plane in its facade.
Ushuaïa
There are two Ushuaïas in the world. The original is an Argentinian city situated in the south of the country, and it is considered the most austral city of the Planet Earth and the city of the end of the world. The other Ushuaïa is the hotel-club we know, whose name was chosen due to its location in Ibiza, d’En Bossa Beach, a desolated and calmed beach in winter.
Space Ibiza
Up to 6 times, Space Ibiza was considered the best club in the world in its genre. The truth is that since its birth in 1989 it supposed an authentic revolution in the concept of clubbing. Created by Pepe Roselló, this club was founded over an old local inspired in beach bars.
At the beginning, the main idea was to use the club as a polyvalent space where tourist conventions and music could coexist, but this idea didn’t work and Space Ibiza became a big club. Furthermore, Space Ibiza was the place where after hours parties began, a really new concept in this time that allowed clubbers to continue the party in the morning in its terrace.
