| Privilege nightclub | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Privilege | |
| Former names | Ku |
|---|---|
| Location | San Rafael, Ibiza, Spain |
| Owner | Jose Maria Etxaniz |
| Type | Nightclub,music venue |
| Events | Electronic dance music,live music,performance art |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Record attendance | 10,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1978 |
| Renovated | 1995 |
| Expanded | 1997 |
| Closed | 2019 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Privilege Ibiza, originally known asKu Club (1979–95),[1] was a music venue and nightclub inIbiza until its closure in 2019. It was awarded the "world's largestnightclub"[2][3] according to theGuinness Book of Records, and was defined as asuperclub with a capacity of 10,000 people and encompassing 6,500 m² (69,940 ft²).[4] It was located close to the village ofSant Rafael de Sa Creu on the Spanish island ofIbiza, less than one kilometre (0.6 miles) from the nightclubAmnesia.
It remained closed after the summer of 2019 and in 2024UNVRS was announced to be opening on the site where Privilege had previously operated.[5]
The history of Privilege began in the early 1970s when it started out as a restaurant, then expanded to include a bar and a community swimming pool. It was then known as Club San Rafael.[6] In 1979, the venue was sold to theReal Sociedad footballerJosé Antonio Santamaría, together with the creative team of Brasilio de Oliviera (founder of La Troya Asesina, one of Ibiza's longest running nights[7]) and Gorri. The venue then changed its name to KU, after the name of a God from Hawaiian mythology (seeKū). The appeal of the club was such that it commissioned a medium-length film showcasing the many wonders of Ibizan landscapes and nightlife in the mid-eighties.[8]
Throughout the 1980s,[9] KU Club earned a reputation initially as Europe's premierpolysexual but predominately gay nightspot and was compared to an open-air version of the famousStudio 54 in New York. It staged spectacular parties in the main room, which was organized around a swimming pool and a statue of Ku. The venue was also where the video to "Barcelona" byFreddie Mercury andMontserrat Caballé was filmed on 30 May 1987.[10] It hosted early live performances by groups such asSpandau Ballet andKid Creole and the Coconuts.[11] The club featured in aChannel 4 documentary calledA Short Film about Chilling, which labelled KU as "the mirror of Ibiza".[12] A group of fashion designers calledLocomía had shows at KU.[13] After being discovered there, they went on to become a highly successful recording project. The open-air parties came to an end when legislation forced many of the greater clubs in Ibiza to cover their dancefloors in the early 1990s. Nevertheless, the sheer size of the venue gave rise to the claim of it being the size of an aircraft hangar with a 25-metre (82 ft) high roof.
The club continued with the KU Club name until 1995 before becoming known as Privilege, after a change of ownership to Jose Maria Etxaniz.[14] In 1994, it hostedManumission, one of the island's most famous events. In 1998, La Vaca Asesina moved toAmnesia and was renamed La Troya Asesina. After a dispute between the club owner and Manumission's organizers in 2005, the event ended in 2006. La Troya Asesina moved toSpace in 2006.
According to official statistics published in the 2003 edition ofGuinness World Records, Privilege was by far the world's largest nightclub covering an area of 69,968 sq ft (6,500 m2) and holding 10,000 clubbers.[15] Designated areas of the club included the Coco Loco bar area, and the La Vaca dance area (later known as the Vista Club).[16]
Resident DJs included:[17]
A number of live performances at the venue have included:[18][19][20][21][22]
Notable promoters have included:
The club has attracted many celebrities over the years, includingBoy George,Madonna,David Bowie,Grace Jones,Jean Paul Gaultier,Joni Mitchell,Led Zeppelin,Moschino,Tina Turner, andValentino.[26][27][28]
38°57′28″N1°24′29″E / 38.95778°N 1.40806°E /38.95778; 1.40806