Ask any of my colleagues on the clubbing team, I'm repeatedly guilty for claiming many a night out on Ibiza as "the best night ever." And the secret formula to a best night ever?
I guess it's a combination of the music you're exposed to, the new DJs you discover, the people you share the moment with, the new friends you meet, the absurd dancefloor anecdotes, the girls' bathroom chat and, of course, the pizza slice on the way home.
A lot goes into these standout nights, but off the top of my head, I can certainly share a few from summer 2024 that ticked all the right boxes.
Hayley Zalassi | Through The Roof | Eden | Wednesday 1 May
Safe to say, this Scottish lass felt right at home as Glasgow party series Through The Roof flew out a roster of supreme home grown talent for the first night of its exclusive Eden takeover. Danse Atmos and Hayley Zalassi reached peak back-to-back chemistry.
Hayley caught the crowd off-guard with her infamous edit of Fergie's Glamorous. Biased? Maybe a little, but this was an almighty showcase of the underground DJ talent bubbling in Scotland right now, and under the spotlight of Ibiza's global stage. I couldn't have felt more proud.
Solomun | Add-On | 528 Ibiza | Monday 24 June
At the Solomun +1 opening party the night before, news came hot to the touch, that an official after party was headed to 528 Ibiza. Disco nap done, we had to get in on the Add-On action.
Matching the late afternoon glow, Solomun struck a steady pace in his trippy House selections and later taking us down a darker melodic route as night fell. Going all night and then all day is no mean feat but Solomun makes it look easy. Once again proving, he's worthy of his reputation.
Franky Rizardo | Storytellers | Cova Santa | Friday 5 July
On a clubbing mission one Friday night, we ventured to Storytellers and immediately found ourselves hooked on the charm of house master Franky Rizardo.
As what can only be described as a whimsical trip unfolded around us with charismatic performers, all eyes remained locked on the booth as Rizardo soundtracked golden hour with his indelible grooves.
There was just something in the air that night. The music hit right, the diverse crowd brought an immense party vibe, and, as always, the hillside views from Cova Santa make for that extra dash of Ibizan magic.
Grace Jones | Flower Power | Pacha | Saturday 29 July
Dear Flower Power's booking team, you deserve a raise! I know Ibiza is the destination for bucket list moments, but dancing in the presence of Pop diva Grace Jones, that's once in a lifetime shizz.
Owning Pacha's stage at the empowering age of 76, Grace Jones performed a tracklist of '80s favourites, from Nightclubbing to curtain closer Slave To The Rhythm, which she naturally sang whilst hula-hooping to the entirety of the track. What a woman!
Admittedly, three seasons in and this was my first venture to Flower Power. However, with this calibre of DJ and live PA guests on the 2024 line-up, they might have just found their newest follower.
Van Damn | Jaguar presents UTOPIA | Pikes | Wednesday 21 August
Charged with closing out Pikes' discoteque Freddies for Jaguar presents UTOPIA, Scottish homeboy Van Damn was always going to deliver.
Radiating pure unadulterated fun from the DJ booth, Van Damn threw down fire selections with masterful mixing from Ewan McVicar's Heather Park opener to the ultimate peak-time curveball, Wu Tang Clan's Gravel Pit.
I’m a die-hard Damn fan with gushing DMs to prove it, but as I found myself bouncing around the room, everyone on the same level, I took a second to appreciate just how sick a DJ Van Damn really is. Proud pal moment right there. Damn, that was that a wild night!
To relive Jo's summer, check-out her dancefloor diary entries below:
Not goodbye, just adiós for now
Excited puppy syndrome
Work hard, play harder
Trading places
You can find her full back-catalogue of articles by clicking here.
