The first of the Ibiza Rocks confirmed lineups and dates for 2008 are now in and its looking good for live music here in the summer. From the 17th June to 9th September, The Pigeon Detectives, The Wombats, The Fratellis, We Are Scientists, Reverend & The Makers, Soulwax and Pendulum will all be playing at Ibiza Rocks over the summer.

Tickets for the gigs will be 35 to 40euros (+ booking fee) and will be available from 11am (UK time) today. Click here to get your ibiza rocks tickets. All Ibiza Rocks gig tickets will include return transport from Bar M, San Antonio, which is the meeting point for Ibiza Rocks. Ibiza Rocks after party ticket options will also be available.

As already announced, The Enemy will be playing the official opening of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel on May 31st - ably supported by The Underground Heroes and Rob da Bank Pictures from last years gig

Next up, as we announced last week, are The Pigeon Detectives who play the opening gig of Ibiza Rocks on 17th June

1st July - The Wombats headline

8th July - After a storming Ibiza Rocks gig last year The Fratellis are back again. Last Years Review and pictures

22nd July - Those wacko, fun guys known as We Are Scientists are again back playing Ibiza Rocks this year. Last Years review and pictures

12th August - Reverend and The Makers return but headline this year. 13th August - Jon ‘The Rev’ McClure and his Rev Soundsystem will be joined with Sheffield pals DJ’s Matt Helders from the Arctic Monkeys and ex-Arctic Monkey Andy Nicholson at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel

26th August - Soulwax Nite Versions and their alter-egos 2ManyDJ’s Last Years review and pictures

9th September - One we’re personally really looking forward to is Pendulum playing the Ibiza Rocks Closing Party

At the Ibiza Rocks Hotel, our favourite guys The Hungover Stuntmen will open the Hotels’ Live Lounge on the 28th May, in June its the turn of Underground Heroes, after them in July its Reading based band OK Tokyo.

A brilliant idea this year will see people being able to use their mobile phone as their ticket to gain entry, thanks to Sony Ericsson. By logging on to www.ibizarocks.com, and selecting ‘mobile-ticket’ upon purchase of a ticket to a gig of their choice, fans can now opt for paper-free entry. Sony Ericsson will send customers a unique bar-code directly to their mobile that will be scanned by Ibiza Rocks hosts - bypassing the hassle of locating mislaid tickets…

Travel packages for all the gigs are available at www.ibizarockshotel.com

That’s the news for now - but there’s more to come…

So we’re back at the ‘Gala Nights’ venue and the zoo is full, but once again it’s full of pretty little rock chicks rather than caged animals. Maybe they should take a look at this option all over the world where caged animals are ogled by hordes of curious humans. Rock stars definitely look happier with the attention than a cage full of monkeys…

The support band, ‘The More Assured’, put on a spirited display courtesy of the FREEDM organization, then everyone went walkabout around the grounds of the zoo garden trying to work out which of the many scattered bars might offer the swiftest service. In the centre of the complex the smell of hundreds of bangers and burgers attracted large numbers to form a polite queue at a bar beneath a huge plane tree, while they patiently prayed that the sole chef on the plancha would hurry up, so they got fed before the band came on stage.

At ten the band were announced as Andy McKay explained that the gig was sold out and implored people to explore the vagaries of this relatively new venue by moving from the distant hillside down into the pit in front of the stage. With that the band hit the stage, the lighting engineer exhibited his impressive wares and the audience went ballistic.

Throughout the set we were treated to choruses of the singalong section of ‘Chelsea Dagger’ by the expectant audience. This is the anthem that has been picked up and adopted by such diverse players as ‘Safeway’, for an advertising campaign and Celtic, Chelsea and Ipswich Town football clubs whenever they’re lucky enough to score a goal. In fact the list goes on to encompass Rugby matches in Wales and the Ice Hockey League, without paying due respect to the UK’s binge drinkers who all now know it off by heart and can prove it. It only ever reached No. 5 in the UK charts, but that could be an indictment of the latter?

The band made the audience wait, leaving that final treat till the second encore, but in the meantime exhibited the real repertoire that saw them proclaimed ‘the best new band in Britain’ a year ago by the NME and the ‘Best British Breakthrough Act’ at the 2007 BRIT Awards on Valentine’s Day this year.

They were excellent and held the audience captivated throughout as shades of many influences, from Dylan to the psychedelic guitars of Floyd, shone through the powerful indie guitar sound - not forgetting the impressive brass section on a couple of choice tracks which added to their sound.

Ibiza Rocks deserves a medal for cramming so much into what turns out to be less than a three hour experience - that you’ll probably remember for the rest of your life…

Click on the images as usual for larger versions….