By Marcos Torres
Photos: Rosa Scipion / Cristal Saints
“No fuckin’ way!” said Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand, when told there was karaoke in the bathroom with a jacuzzi full of coloured balls.
A minute later his jaw drops as he enters the crowded bathroom of Freddie Mercury’s former suite at Pikes, the home of Rock Nights in Ibiza, and it takes him exactly five seconds for him to grab a mic, dive into the jacuzzi and start singing Love Will Tear Us Apart with dozens of sweaty Rocknighters chanting along their glasses raised.
There are few moments which better define Rock Nights’ philosophy and DNA. It is a fiesta that is up close and personal, with no quarter given. It doesn’t matter if you are a famous singer, a world-renowned DJ, a supermodel or actor, everyone is treated the same. You could say that there are only two things that matter, the music and the atmosphere, and at Rock Nights they both merge into one, something that few events are capable of.
This legendary party, founded by Diego Calvo before being led by himself and the lovely Leyla Art, has always aimed to create a great atmosphere with a boss soundtrack that pays tribute to rock ‘n’ roll culture.
As Poison said: We don’t need nothin’ but a good time! And all of this takes place in Ibiza, no small feat if you consider that the party has earned its name in the Mecca of electronic music and clubbing. It’s time to take your hat off, nod twice and conclude that the mere fact that Rock Nights takes place in Ibiza is worthy of X-Files episode.
Even though the island is world-famous for electronic music, there is also a huge appetite for rock ‘n’ roll on the island with a crowd eager for something different to a regimented, 4/4 beat. Rock Nights has remained faithful to its roots over the course of 15 years of kick- ass parties. Its essence is more authentic than ever thanks in large part to the extraordinary symbiosis between the event and its venue. Rock Nights has found the perfect home at Pikes Hotel, a unique, and original setting in the hills, far from the tourist zone and a place where absolutely everything can, and does, happen.
Before landing at Pikes, the party was held in the majority of Ibiza’s clubs (from small venues to large discotheques), as well as taking the stage at some of Spain’s biggest festivals and leaving its mark in clubs across Europe, always leaving behind steaming dance floors, memorable nights and epic hangovers.
Summer 2020 sees the party celebrate its 15th anniversary, a decade and a half of dancing, laughing, drinking and partying. 15 years of stories that wouldn’t even fit in an encyclopedia. Furthermore, how would you describe in print the faces of the tourists milling around in San Antonio bay when they saw a boat full of Rocknighters dressed as pirates with The Smiths playing at full blast? Or the sound of a Harley Davidson entering the dance floor while “Born To Be Wild” spins? How about the bouncers laughing when the agent of Ana Obregón (Spanish celebrity) asked about the VIP area and Diego came to the door dressed as Jack Sparrow and swigging from a bottle of cava saying that the word VIP doesn’t exist in the Rock Nights dictionary?
Rock Nights is held every Thursday at Pikes from 11th June 11 to 17th September, and as we can’t describe the indescribable, you’ll just have to come to the party and see for yourself.
