During our Ibiza Spotlight Series, we sit down with some of the biggest names on the island to get a real insight into what life is like on the White Isle, their thoughts on the future of Ibiza and their hottest tips for when you’re visiting. This week, we caught up with two icons of the island; they grew up surrounded by the craziness of Ibiza and if you've visited the White Isle before, you would have definitely visited their venue, Café Mambo.. an iconic landmark of Ibiza. We sat down with the Mambo Brothers to find out more about life on the island, their top tips for visitors, and loads more! Check it out below!
Hi guys! Thanks for sitting down with us! You’re the first people we’ve spoken to that fully grew up on the beautiful island of Ibiza, you must have seen some crazy things going grow up?! What was it like?
Well Ibiza is a great place to grow up in and yes we’ve seen some pretty crazy things happening throughout the years. It has always been lots of fun, especially our memories of the 90’s and the early days at Cafe Mambo. There were so many colourful and charismatic people around back then, people you’d never forget even if you just met them once. Ibiza is a magic place it has something that you feel the moment you land!
You really have the Ibizan way of life running through your veins … what do you think makes the island special to people who visit?
The freedom, the vibe, the island itself. It has been a special place since the Phoenician times way back in 8th Century B.C. Even then it was an island of dance and good vibes!
We can’t speak to you without talking about sunsets at Café Mambo, which have become iconic on the island and throughout the clubbing world. You’ve experienced thousands of these sunsets over the years .. do you think you could ever get tired of seeing them?
Of course not, they are special every time! Even when we’re on holiday or travelling around the world we still seek out the sunsets. But there really is something pretty spectacular about the ones we get to witness here in Ibiza every night of the summer.
Growing up at Café Mambo, where world-class DJs play each week, you must have brushed shoulders with superstars from a very young age? What was that like?
We’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet so many amazing people that have DJed at Mambo. When we were younger we didn’t really know anything about DJ’s and the music industry although it did seem like a lot of fun and quickly drew us in. We were both awe struck and inspired by so many of the DJ legends back in the 90’s, guys like Pete Tong, Frankie Knuckles, Laurent Garnier, Roger Sanchez… too many more to name! Over the years we became very good friends with many of these guys and just this past weekend we got to play a back to back set with Roger at SW4 festival which was pretty incredible. A little surreal but definitely an amazing highlight of the year so far. It’s a nice feeling we get when so many of them come back each summer after the long winter, it’s like being re-united with family members. We often get a lot of the big DJ’s coming down to hang out with us even if they’re not playing. Everyone seems to genuinely feel at home at Mambo.
If you had to choose one, which guest DJ set at Café Mambo stands out for you the most over the years?
This is a tough question, but we really remember a Laurent Garnier set from back in the day. It was not full-on pre-party kind of set, it was more of a downtempo sunset vibe but he had some real gems in there! It was very special!
You’ve played all over the world as Mambo Brothers, but for you, does anywhere beat playing in Ibiza?
There are a lot of good parties out there all over the world! But it has to be said that Ibiza has the happiest people and always a very positive vibe which makes playing to the dance floors here even better. I think the people who come here also really appreciate the music.
Which one track defines the island of Ibiza for you?
Ooof, another hard question!!! It depends! But we do love Sueño Latino feat. Carolina Damas. That’s a real original Balearic house vibe and still sounds so good today!
Being on the island each week, you must see some crazy things happen on the island and in the DJ booth?! Can you share any funny stories or experiences with us?
Oh yeah, we’ve definitely witnessed some crazy stuff. We’d probably get ourselves in trouble if we started to talk about that and name any names! Come to Mambo and we can tell you all over a few shots of hierbas! ;-) Ha ha
Now, let’s see what recommendations you have for anyone who may be visiting the island …
Best Beach Cala Gracionetta (San Antonio)
Best View Top of Sa Talaia mountain (San Josep) with a cold beer in hand
Best Romantic Spot Hostal la Torre (Cap Negret)
Best Dance Floor Pacha (Ibiza Town)
Best Meal Villa Mercedes and it’s only 5 min walk from Cafe Mambo (San Antonio)
And finally, where do you see the island in 10 years? Do you think it will be much different to how it is now?Yes, it will of course change, like everything. But we’re sure the special vibe Ibiza has will remain. We’re glad to see lots of new hotels, restaurants and other businesses focusing on a return to the islands roots, to bring visitors a more authentic and rustic taste of the real Ibiza. It’s important that we retain some of the local traditions, history and the islands unique identity whilst also innovating and pushing our tourism forwards in new ways.