UNVRS Wows Ibiza With Spectacular Opening Party.
A galaxy of world-class DJs, movie stars, celebrities, and clubbers were present in Ibiza last night as the planet’s most highly anticipated club opened its doors for the first time, heralding a new dawn in nightlife entertainment. The state-of-the-art hyperclub was built on the site of the island’s most iconic venue, KU, itself a cultural trailblazer in the 70s before transforming into Privilege, the world’s largest club in the 90s. After falling into disrepair, Privilege was closed in 2020, and its owner, the Matutes family, appointed the Pissenem Brothers to devise an ambitious and visionary plan, its mission to revolutionise the clubbing industry.
Those plans were closely guarded, and very little was revealed about the interior design of the club until last night’s grand opening party, which was delivered in dazzling style, amazing the huge crowd present with its cool bespoke design and attention to detail. Few would have expected the panache and flair that was delivered on the night as sound and visual artistry took centre stage on an island renowned for setting the trends in nightlife entertainment. UNVRS remained loyal to the egalitarian nature of the old venue, with plenty of room on the dance floor, which had been created by the removal of the old swimming pool, allowing for a larger capacity to dance. A state-of-the-art L Acoustics sound system and stunning digital effects brought the club to a whole new level, never witnessed before.
Alongside a host of the world’s best DJs, including Carl Cox, Jamie Jones, Michael Bibi, and The Martinez Brothers, American actor Will Smith was present to christen the building. Club owner Abel Matutes Prats and his wife, Linda Scaperotto, who, like Smith, was raised on the streets of Philadelphia, were in attendance with co owner Yann Pissenem to herald the arrival of their prodigy, eight years in the making. Against all odds, the club opened on time and made a resplendent debut. One of the iconic features of the venue was the sunrise beams that flooded into the old vista room, now amplified by five giant rectangular window panels behind the DJ box, designed to capture the full effect of one of nature’s most beautiful sights.
The highlight of the opening was when the golden beams of morning Balearic sunlight flooded the club while Michael Bibbi was playing his set. The vibrant ball of fiery energy increased in size as it rose over the World Heritage Site of Dalt Villa, illuminating the main room with magical effect. It was a poignant and emotional moment for many in the crowd, none more so than Bibbi himself, who had battled and beaten cancer to be standing there—a celebration of life, a famous element of the island’s identity.
The Journey Has Begun.
Anna, an Ibicenco who had worked at the old Privilege club, was emotional when describing last night’s experience: “It’s incredible, they have made it so much better. The sound, the screens, it’s insane. The dome resembles something from the Avatar movie. You won’t see the sunrise and the beautiful views like this at any other club. It’s so special.”
Clubbers from all over the world were present to witness a historic day in the island’s rich clubbing history. Asked about their impressions of the new hyperclub, Cian from Turkey & Valentino from Italy stated, ‘The visuals are next level, insane, you won’t find this anywhere else or in clubs in the cities. The moving stage is impressive. It’s way better than Hi Ibiza as there’s lots of room to move and dance”. It’s now an odds-on certainty that UNVRS will become the world’s Number One club, inheriting that accolade from its sister venue HI.
The club was packed with bespoke and detailed design features, too many to highlight amid the high energy of the crowd that thronged the venue. Surprisingly, there was room to move and dance, thanks to a free-flowing layout that catered to a large crowd. The club also revealed a secret room on the night, called The Bunker, hidden in the bowels of the building. British actress and singer Denise Van Outen made a surprise DJ performance behind the decks, surrounded by some of the island’s well-known faces from the 80s, including Pacha Drag Queens and KU promoter Carlos Martorell. The room captures the essence of the old Circo Loco bar at Privilege and the Funky Room at Pacha, and it’s already my favourite room in the club.
The opening party was a triumphant tour de force from French Brothers Yann and Romain Pissenem, who delivered with aplomb. Yann, owner of The Night League, which books all the DJs and marketing and Romain, owner of High Scream, which is the creative and logistical force behind the UNVRS project, witnessed their finest hour on the island last night. The crew and staff also deserve a round of applause for the meticulous execution on a superb team effort. The UNVRS journey has begun. The destination remains to be discovered.
Additional reporting by Tom and Rachel Rudkin. Thanks to TNL press officer Pat Quintero for the hospitality.
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