Wild Photos of Ibiza in Its Glory Days

Beefa, Beefa, Beefaaaa! As you surely know, the fair White Isle is a clubbing mecca known for its non-stop raves, £15 bottles of water and, oh, being the only EasyJet flight where passengers are warned that doing drugs is not allowed on board. Sure, there are tranquil, sandy beaches too, but – look away, Eivissa Tourist Board – seeing a bunch of lads do lines off the plane tray tables in front of you is a little more memorable.

It's not the most memorable thing of the island though, of course. The most memorable are – look away, locals – the clubbing institutions that literally changed the face of partying forever. Ibiza is literally the birthplace of the super club, all thanks to the cherry on top of the scene: Pacha.

It was the island’s first official club when it opened in 1973 and it’s since hosted resident DJs from David Guetta (you know “Sexy Bitch” slaps) to Solomun and more iconique celebrity moments than you can shake an NDA at. Now celebrating Pacha’s 50th birthday, we’re diving into its photo archive.

“I’ve seen some of the craziest things in my life at the cherry´s house,” says Tatiana Chausovsky, Pacha’s resident photographer for Solomun+1 Sundays for over five years. Disappointingly, Chausovsky refuses to share specifics due to lame old “confidentiality”, but with star regulars from Mick Jagger to Leonardo DiCaprio you just know the tales are as juicy as a (dare I go there again?) ripe cherry.

“Since the very first day I stepped into Pacha, all I’ve heard is, ‘This is the only club on the island where you’ll breathe and live the authentic spirit of Ibiza,’” Chausovsky continues. “And they were genuinely right. As its founder, Ricardo Urgell, says: ‘Pacha is not just a place, it’s a mood and a philosophy.’”

But can that still really be so? In this modern age of being forced to view an artist’s set through hundreds of other people’s iPhone screens? Where the dance floor is too packed to bust out your painstakingly practiced shuffle? When you need to take a loan out to buy a single vodka soda?

Even though it’s annoying when people fantasise about the past, it seems obvious that the glory days of Ibiza must have been the bygone era where you could truly live in the moment – and light up a fag on the dancefloor in peace.

“The golden years meant a dance floor, and life, without phones in sight, with everyone truly enjoying themselves and connecting with each other,” says Chausovsky. “This would happen outside of the clubs before the party even started, too. Since you couldn’t promote your business digitally, big parades were organised in the streets or the beach, and the main ticket selling activity would happen right there. Ibiza’s streets were transformed into a big carnival every night where performers and public merged into one.”

It certainly sounds glorious and golden. Curveball, though: Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t hop in a time machine to go back there – even with the risk being hit repeatedly in the head by a bulky Canon digi cam attached to someone’s wrist – but actually, it turns out there’s still some magic left in 2023, too.

I popped my Pacha cherry with 12 hours of two stepping at its 50th birthday bonanza, and there really was something special about those farmhouse walls; those cherries glistening from the ceiling; the fact you’re in an actual club instead of a warehouse or Magaluf all-inclusive vibe swimming pool area. It seems like the old saying rings true, you really do never forget your first time – no matter the era.

Scroll for 90s and 00s photos from Pacha’s archive:

@beckyburgum