Privilege Ibiza. A Return To Its KU Glory Days?
Written by Dan Kirwan
While there has yet to be an official announcement from the Matutes Group as to the future of the iconic club Privilege Ibiza, word around the campfires on the island suggests that the ageing building will undergo extensive refurbishment as early as next year. As we predicted, the club will be decommissioned, ending its life as the Worlds Largest Club and embarking on a new venture as a live music and conference venue.
The island lacks a world-class stadium for live music acts, and Privilege would be an ideal site to redevelop into one, returning to its original KU days in the 80s when it hosted international bands such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, James Brown, Grace Jones, Fredy Mercury, OMD and Gloria Gaynor. In those days, KU was recognised as Europe’s Premier gay-friendly nightclub and regarded as an open-air version of Studio 52 in New York.
Given the dangerous condition of its roof, which has already collapsed once, bankrupting its previous owners, it may return to its famous open-air style, as it would be costly to repair it. If it was to operate until midnight, the noise pollution laws that forced the addition of a roof in the early 90s should not be an issue. The ageing roof was also responsible for a serious injury to one of Armin Van Burrens’s crew when heavy rigging fell on him while staging Van Burrens A State Of Trance party.
It’s an exciting time for the old venue
The Matutes Group are masters at developing old buildings into modern and fashionable venues; the trendy Ushuaia Beach Hotel was once a three-star family hotel in the 70s. Today it’s an uber-chic venue, as is HI, which was previously Space. The owners can also draw on the production and artistic skills of Romain Pissenem and his High Scream company, responsible for the artistic design and stage production of Hi, DJ Snake and David Guettas World Tours.
It’s an exciting time for the old venue, and it could not be in better hands to ensure it’s well cared for professionally. Planning applications have yet to be submitted, so we can only rely on rumours and speculation about its future. Once anything is confirmed, we will update you with the official details, including the venue’s new name, as it’s unlikely it will retain the KU or Privilege branding.
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