Marco Carola pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the Ibiza season on Saturday, 20th June, as he stepped away from the driving Minimal and Tech-House sound that defines his Music On residency and entered a completely different musical universe for Flower Power at Pacha, Ibiza. For an artist so closely associated with deep grooves, long blends and late night intensity, this old school set was a real curveball, and all the more special for it.
The Italian DJ opted for a disco, funk and classic party record-based sound that drew heavily from the 70s and 80s, instead of rolling through the dark rhythms that have become synonymous with Carola over the years. From the first note it gave the night a very different energy, playful and full of nostalgia, but still delivered with the same confidence and control that have made Carola one of Ibiza’s defining names. It was less about pressure and propulsion, more about celebration: a set made up of timeless hooks, feel-good grooves and the kind of records that instantly change a room.
The huge production of Flower Power amplified that atmosphere again, once more turning Pacha into a total spectacle. Production elements were moving all night long, making it an immersive, rather than static, experience, and every new visual moment added to the escapist experience. One of the highlights of the set was a Michael Jackson impersonator, a perfect fit for a set that so confidently leaned into the sounds and icons of past decades.
Marco himself made the performance land so well. He was clearly loving every minute of it. Not some detached exercise in playing classics. He was dancing the whole set, smiling through transitions, looking totally into the music, giving the impression of a DJ reconnecting with the records and influences that shaped his own musical journey. That energy went straight to the crowd who responded to every mood change and every familiar moment with the kind of enthusiasm only old school records can generate.
It was refreshing to see Marco Carola in such a setting. In a club landscape where artists are often tethered tightly to one signature sound, Flower Power gave him the space to reveal another side to his identity — one built not just on modern dancefloor control, but on deep musical knowledge, personality and a clear love for the history of club culture. Unexpected, nostalgic and full of life, it showed that even the most established selector in Ibiza can surprise a room when the right setting comes along.
For one night at Pacha, Marco Carola swapped intensity for colour, groove and pure fun, and in doing so delivered one of the most distinctive Flower Power moments of the summer so far.
Tickets and lineups for Flower Power at Pacha can be found here.
