50 years of the legendary Es Racó Verd: a major rock party in Ibiza

Es Racó Verd, the emblematic venue located in the square in Sant Josep, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this May with a special party bringing together two bands closely linked to the venue’s musical history: Can Raia Rocky Band and Bluesmàfia. The celebration will take place on Saturday, 23 May, from 8pm, with free admission.

The establishment, known for the thousand-year-old olive tree on its terrace, its large inner courtyard and its role as a cultural and social meeting point in the municipality, opened its doors in 1976. The anniversary also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the arrival of its current owners, Sam and Clare, who took over the running of the venue in 2006 from Luis and Carola.

The history of Es Racó Verd

Es Racó Verd was born at a time when Sant Josep still had a distinctly rural and peaceful character. Originally called S’Olivera de Can Botja, the venue was already one of the village’s main gathering places in the 1970s, hosting community events, performances by folk groups and ball pagès in its inner courtyard.

Over time, and despite Sant Josep’s transformation into an increasingly cosmopolitan town, the establishment has maintained its identity as a space open to both residents and visitors, with live music as one of its most recognisable hallmarks.

One of the standout moments in its history was the Rock a s’Olivera festival, which began in 1993 and featured numerous bands from the island. Among them was Can Raia Rocky Band, one of the groups that performed most often on the Racó Verd stage and which will now come together again for the anniversary.

The band, formed in 1998 by young rock and roll fans from Sant Josep, will return to the stage for the occasion with Papitu d’en Xic, Josep Palau and Jose Jaime Realet, joined by Sara Arribas on bass, replacing Joan Trafford for work reasons. The group will perform versions of classics by Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Doors, Deep Purple and Iggy Pop, among others.

The line-up is completed by Bluesmàfia, another group closely linked to Racó Verd’s regular programme. Performing will be Montse Llaràs, Miquel Prats ‘Botja’, Víctor Gressely, Dennis Herman, Salva Sansano and Stefano Serra, joined by other guest musicians, including Seán Mackey, from The Moonshine Band. The repertoire will focus on rock and roll classics.

With this party, Racó Verd aims to pay tribute to its history and to all the people, residents and visitors, who have been part of it over the past five decades. The organisers are also encouraging people to send photographs, anecdotes or memories connected to the venue through its social media channels, with the aim of building a collective celebration around the establishment’s memory.