This is a live recording of Steve Bell’s soulful house set in the Funky Room (El Cielo) at Pacha Ibiza on 4 July 2002. It features Jamie Lewis and Michelle Weeks, Copyright, Richard Earnshaw, Masters at Work and Mood II Swing. Pacha Ibiza, which opened in June 1973, is one of the world’s most famous nightclubs, and its Funky Room was the home of soulful and funky house within the club.
Listen: Pacha Ibiza, El Cielo, 04.07.02
The mix at a glance
- Venue: Pacha Ibiza, Funky Room (El Cielo)
- Date: Thursday 4 July 2002
- DJ: Steve Bell
- Style: soulful, vocal and garage-influenced house
- Tracks: 9
Tracklist
- Jamie Lewis & Michelle Weeks – The Light (Jamie Lewis Original Mix)
- Copyright – Good For You
- Richard Earnshaw – People Are People
- Copyright – Give It To Me
- Deepstar – Sugar
- Groove Culture ft. Arnold Jarvis – Feelin It
- Masters at Work – Backfired
- Mood II Swing – Closer
- Deepswing ft. Chance – Diva
Tracks are available from Traxsource.
The sound of summer 2002
The set captures the soulful house sound that ruled the early 2000s: big gospel and R&B vocals over warm, swinging grooves. Highlights include Jamie Lewis and Michelle Weeks’ The Light on Purple Music, two cuts from UK duo Copyright, Groove Culture featuring New York garage singer Arnold Jarvis, and the deep New York groove of Masters at Work’s Backfired and Mood II Swing’s Closer.
The history of Pacha Ibiza
Pacha began in Sitges, near Barcelona, where Ricardo Urgell opened the first club in 1967. Six years later, in June 1973, he opened Pacha Ibiza in Ibiza Town, and it grew into the island’s best-known club and a global brand. Key moments include:
- 1981: Flower Power, the club’s longest-running themed night, begins
- Early 1980s: the famous twin-cherries logo is designed by Yvette Montsalvatge
- 2001 to 2018: David Guetta’s F*** Me I’m Famous residency
- 2006 to 2012: Defected Records hosts its Ibiza residency at Pacha
- 2023: Pacha celebrates its 50th anniversary, and Dubai-based FIVE Holdings buys The Pacha Group
The cherries
The club’s first logo was inspired by the eye make-up of Spanish actress Carmen Sevilla. The twin cherries came later, in the early 1980s, and are now one of the most recognised logos in clubland, seen on merchandise all over the world.
Visiting Pacha Ibiza today
Pacha is in Ibiza Town, a short taxi ride from San Antonio and Playa d’en Bossa. Nights now range from Flower Power to big-name residencies. If you’re staying in San Antonio, sunset at Cafe Mambo, which hosts pre-parties for Pacha, makes a perfect start to the night.
Frequently asked questions about Pacha Ibiza
When did Pacha Ibiza open?
In June 1973, six years after the first Pacha opened in Sitges.
Who founded Pacha?
Ricardo Urgell, whose wife Marisa Cobos suggested the name.
What was the Funky Room at Pacha?
A smaller room inside Pacha Ibiza, also called El Cielo, known for soulful and funky house. Steve Bell recorded this set there in July 2002.
What does the cherries logo mean?
The twin cherries were designed in the early 1980s and became the club’s symbol worldwide.
Sources: Ibiza Spotlight and Wikipedia: The Pacha Group.
Keep listening
Find more classic sets and the monthly DancersHip show on the DJ mixes page. Follow Steve on Instagram and Facebook, or see the media pack to book him.
