DC10 Ibiza: The First Ever Residencies

Tucked at the edge of Ibiza Airport’s runway, DC10 Ibiza is one of the most iconic and uncompromising clubbing institutions on the planet. While the island’s superclubs opted for opulence, DC10 built its legacy on raw energy, musical purity, and a defiant underground spirit. Its terrace has become sacred ground for both dancers and DJs, with jets thundering overhead as the party booms below. But long before global acclaim, world tours and Circoloco t-shirts worn across continents, DC10 was a humble farmhouse-turned-bar, an outsider in the Ibiza clubbing ecosystem.

The story begins in 1989, when Spanish brothers Antonio “Sito” Lara and Deogracias Lara Moreno transformed a rustic roadside venue near the airport into a live music spot. They named it DC10, referencing the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft that often roared above. For nearly a decade, it remained a local favorite - a casual bar with live performances and a laid-back vibe.

Then, in 1999, everything changed.

That summer, two Italian partygoers-turned-promoters, Antonio Carbonaro and Andrea Pelino, saw a gap in the island’s programming. Monday mornings were quiet. Space’s marathon Sunday terrace had wrapped up, but the island’s ravers weren’t ready to sleep. So, the duo approached the Lara brothers with a radical idea: an after-hours party with no sponsors, no glitz, and no VIPs. Just music, madness, and freedom.

They called it Circoloco - Italian and Spanish for “crazy circus.” It was a name that captured the spirit perfectly. And it would become the club’s first, and most important, residency.

The Birth of Circoloco and the DC10 Identity

The first Circoloco took place in July 1999. It was free to enter, ran from sunrise to late afternoon, and welcomed just 80 people on the terrace. There were no international headliners, no advertising, and barely any infrastructure. But word spread like wildfire. By the end of that summer, Circoloco had grown into one of the island’s best-kept secrets, a magnet for workers, DJs, and ravers chasing something more authentic.

From the very beginning, Circoloco wasn’t just another party on a party island. It was a philosophy. With the motto “No Soul for Sale,” it rejected the mainstream commercialization creeping into Ibiza. While other clubs chased big-name lineups and champagne tables, DC10 and Circoloco focused purely on the dancefloor. The music was deep, tribal, and cutting edge - house and techno that felt intimate yet powerful.

As Circoloco’s popularity exploded, Mondays at DC10 became sacred. Within a few years, the club had outgrown its modest origins, drawing hundreds (and then thousands) of partygoers each week. Yet, it remained firmly underground in spirit, often operating in defiance of licensing restrictions and legal pressure from local authorities.

The First Residents: Laying the Foundations

Behind the decks in those formative years were a group of DJs who would go on to define the DC10 sound and spirit. These were not international stars at the time. They were selectors trusted by the Circoloco founders - artists who understood the assignment: keep it real, keep it deep, and make people dance until the sun went down.

Tania Vulcano was the first name on the Circoloco flyer - and she would become its first true resident. Born in Uruguay and based in Ibiza, Tania brought a hypnotic blend of tribal house, minimal rhythms, and groove-laden selections that made her synonymous with the terrace. Her sets were a masterclass in progression, often stretching into marathon sessions. Today, she’s affectionately known as the “First Lady of DC10.”

Alongside her was Cirillo, a Roman DJ with a gritty techno sensibility and serious underground credentials. Cirillo held down the club’s main room, delivering raw, no-compromise sets that shaped the darker side of the Circoloco sound. His chemistry with Tania, balancing terrace euphoria with main room intensity, became a blueprint for DC10’s musical duality.

José de Divina, a Spanish DJ with a deep house background, added a soulful groove to the early lineup. His ability to ease the crowd into the day, whether opening the party or keeping energy flowing into the afternoon, helped define the Circoloco flow.

Other early contributors included DJ Bruno and Fabio (also known as System of Survival), who played key warm-up sets week after week. Over time, new residents joined the ranks: Luciano, Loco Dice, Clive Henry, and Dan Ghenacia - each bringing their own style while embracing the Circoloco ethos. Some of them, like Loco Dice and Luciano, would go on to become global headliners, but all credited DC10 as the place that gave them artistic freedom and trust.

The Impact and Evolution

By the early 2000s, Circoloco had transformed DC10 from a roadside bar into an international phenomenon. Yet, the core elements remained: no over-the-top décor, no bottle service, and no VIP booths. The club’s stripped-back layout, combined with its raucous terrace and thumping main room, became the perfect canvas for its residents to experiment and evolve.

In 2006, a roof was finally added to the terrace. In 2010, DC10 introduced a second weekly party called Pandemonium, led by some of the original Circoloco residents including Tania Vulcano. And in 2012, a new generation arrived with Paradise, a Wednesday residency spearheaded by Jamie Jones - himself a DJ who rose through the DC10 ranks.

But through all of these changes, Circoloco’s Monday slot has remained untouched. It is, quite literally, the heartbeat of DC10.

Legacy of the Early Residencies

The first residencies at DC10 did more than define a party - they defined a culture. The DJs who took a chance on an obscure Monday morning party helped craft a musical identity that now stretches across continents. They proved that underground music, when presented with integrity, could compete with - and even eclipse - the biggest names on the island.

More than two decades later, those early years are still spoken about with reverence. The freedom. The madness. The music. The moments when sunrise became sunset, and the party never seemed to end. DC10 and its original residents didn’t just make Mondays matter - they made history.