Martin Garrix at Ushuaïa Ibiza: the big open-air return on Thursdays
Martin Garrix is returning to one of the stages that have strongly shaped his career. On Thursday, September 3, 2026, he will perform at Ushuaïa Ibiza in Playa d'en Bossa, with the program starting at 17:00. Benny Benassi, Goodboys and Mauro Venti have also been confirmed for that evening. It is one of the final stages of Garrix's summer residency, which in 2026 runs on Thursdays from the beginning of July until the end of September.
That connection between the artist and the venue is not a short-lived festival collaboration. In 2025, Garrix marked ten years of his residencies at Ushuaïa Ibiza, and in the 2026 season he continues with a new concept and new music. That is precisely why this evening is not just another appearance by a famous DJ in Ibiza. The audience is coming for a format that has been developing for years around his combination of progressive house, big room sound, melodic peaks and major pop collaborations.
Tickets for this event are in demand. For visitors who want to be there for the earlier performances and follow the entire course of the evening, it is worth planning to arrive sufficiently early.
From "Animals" to a new phase of Garrix's sound
Martin Garrix broke onto the international scene in 2013 with "Animals", a track that became one of the signature titles of the big room era of electronic music. Following that breakthrough, his catalogue expanded far beyond a single genre formula. "In the Name of Love" with Bebe Rexha and "Scared to Be Lonely" with Dua Lipa demonstrated his inclination to combine festival production with pop vocals, while tracks such as "High on Life" and numerous later projects strengthened the melodic side of his sound.
His position on the global DJ scene is not merely a legacy of his success in the 2010s. In DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs poll for 2025, he finished in second place. He has continuously ranked near the top of that poll for years and has taken first place five times.
For the audience at Ushuaïa Ibiza, more important than the ranking itself is what that continuity means for a live performance: Garrix has a sufficiently broad catalogue to move during his set between songs familiar from radio airplay, more progressive melodic moments and harder tracks intended for large stages. His performances can therefore work both for audiences who know only a few of his biggest hits and for fans who follow releases from his STMPD RCRDS circle.
- "Animals" remains a key reference point of his big room phase.
- "In the Name of Love" and "Scared to Be Lonely" represent his successful connection between electronic production and pop vocals.
- More recent releases once again emphasise the club, progressive and festival side of his identity.
- His residencies at Ushuaïa Ibiza have already lasted for more than a decade, making this stage much more than a passing stop on the schedule.
"ORIGO", U2 and the music opening a new chapter
The current phase of Garrix's career is particularly interesting because it follows the EP "ORIGO", released in October 2025. The project brings together eight tracks and a range of collaborators from different parts of the electronic scene. They include AFROJACK, David Guetta, Alesso, Armin van Buuren, R3HAB, Skytech, Arcando, Matisse & Sadko and others.
Garrix described "ORIGO" as the conclusion of a series of club-focused projects following "Sentio" and "IDEM". Musically, it provides a useful indication of what audiences can expect from his present-day identity: melody remains important, but much of the material is built for powerful sound systems, festivals and large dance floors.
An even more recent context comes from "Fireflies", a collaboration between Martin Garrix and U2 released on July 24, 2026. The song was performed in front of an audience for the first time during Garrix's Tomorrowland set, with The Edge making an appearance. The collaboration also has a longer background: Garrix previously worked with Bono and The Edge on "We Are The People", and during 2026 he once again collaborated with members of the band.
"Fireflies" is an important indicator of the direction in which Garrix is currently moving. After a period of strongly club-oriented releases, he continues to create songs that can also work outside the club, without abandoning production designed for very large stages. It has not been confirmed which of these new songs he will perform on September 3, so a set list assembled in advance should not be treated as reliable information.
Benny Benassi, Goodboys and Mauro Venti complete the evening
The program on September 3 gains particular breadth from the confirmed guests. Benny Benassi is one of the most recognisable names in Italian electronic music, with a career spanning several generations of club audiences. His presence gives the evening a connection to the earlier era of electro house and major international dance hits.
Goodboys bring a different shade to the program. The British project became known to a broad audience through vocal house collaborations and songs built around very direct, memorable choruses. In a program that culminates in Garrix's expansive festival sound, that type of artist profile creates room for a transition between house rhythms and melodic EDM.
Mauro Venti belongs to a newer generation of producers and DJs, meaning the entire line-up is not composed solely of established arena-scale names. This fits the way Garrix has shaped his residencies for years: alongside major guests, he regularly gives space to artists closer to contemporary club production and to audiences actively following new dance releases.
The exact running order and individual set times have not been published in the available information, so it is more useful to plan for the entire program from opening time than to try to time an arrival according to uncertain schedules.
What Garrix's performance at Ushuaïa Ibiza is like
Garrix's previous performances at this venue provide a good framework for expectations, but not a guaranteed scenario in advance. During the anniversary residency in 2025, the repertoire relied on a combination of his major hits, uplifting progressive house and more powerful big room material. Among the songs that Ushuaïa itself highlighted in the context of that season were "Scared to Be Lonely", "In the Name of Love" and "Animals".
Ushuaïa is also a venue that brings the experience of a DJ set closer to a major festival than to a traditional indoor club. The main stage is located next to a large open-air dance area, and the production is designed to be visible to a large number of people. Ibiza Spotlight lists a capacity of approximately 7,000 visitors and describes the venue as one large open-air dance zone with a festival character.
Such a configuration also changes the audience's relationship with the performer. There is no ceiling or enclosed hall concentrating the space around the DJ booth. Instead, the energy is built through a large crowd, the main stage, lighting and production that has to work both in daylight and after sunset.
Previous Garrix seasons at Ushuaïa Ibiza included intensive audiovisual production, lighting elements and effects synchronised with the music. A new show has been announced for the 2026 edition, but individual effects for September 3 should not be regarded as guaranteed in advance unless they are specifically confirmed.
This is also why it is worth arriving before Garrix's own performance. Ushuaïa operates as a multi-hour program, not as a conventional concert where the audience waits for only one performer. The transition from daylight into evening is part of the venue's character, while the guest sets gradually alter the pace before the main part of the evening.
Places fill up quickly. If the goal is to follow the entire program with Benny Benassi, Goodboys, Mauro Venti and Martin Garrix, arriving earlier makes more sense than entering shortly before the finale.
Ushuaïa Ibiza is part of the performance itself
Ushuaïa Ibiza is located in Playa d'en Bossa, on the southern side of Ibiza's urbanised area and close to the airport. The venue is known for its open-air concept, a large stage beside the pool complex and the fact that its entertainment program runs from the afternoon until late evening rather than starting only deep into the night.
For Garrix's 2026 program, the doors are scheduled to be open from 17:00 to 23:00. Those six hours make the event a substantially different experience from a nightclub where the headline performer may not appear until the early hours of the morning.
One of the unusual elements of the location is its proximity to the aircraft flight path towards the airport. Planes can occasionally be seen passing very low over the Playa d'en Bossa area, which over the years has become an easily recognisable part of the visual identity of open-air events at this location.
With a capacity that Ibiza Spotlight places at around 7,000 people, visitors should not expect an intimate club environment. The advantage is different: the audience gets large-scale production and the feeling of a festival stage, but within a single compactly organised venue. Those who want a better view of the main stage should expect the crowd density to increase considerably as Garrix's set approaches.
Getting there from the airport and other parts of Ibiza
For visitors arriving in Ibiza by plane, Playa d'en Bossa is one of the more practical areas for this type of event. For 2026, Aena lists the AERO 5 bus route connecting Ibiza Airport with Playa d'en Bossa and Ses Figueretes. This makes it possible to reach the event area without having to pass through the centre of Ibiza Town.
If arriving from another part of the island, it is advisable to check the current local bus timetable before departure because seasonal routes and service frequencies can change. Taxis are also a common option in Ibiza, but around major events visitors should expect higher demand near the start and end of the program.
Ushuaïa is situated on the main strip of Playa d'en Bossa. For visitors staying in that area, the simplest option is to arrive on foot, without needing a car or searching for parking at a time when thousands of people are heading towards the same location.
For entry itself, it is important to know several rules:
- Entry is permitted to people aged 18 and over.
- A valid original identification document is required.
- For citizens of European countries, a national identity card or passport is accepted, while visitors from outside Europe are required to present a passport.
- A driving licence is not a substitute for the required identification document.
- Large bags, backpacks and luggage are not permitted, and the venue does not have a cloakroom for storing them.
- Arriving in flip-flops, swimwear or sports fan clothing is not recommended because such clothing is not permitted under the venue's rules.
Ushuaïa recommends arriving before 19:00. For an event that begins at 17:00, this is a useful guideline from a musical perspective as well: arriving earlier leaves time for entry, getting familiar with the venue and seeing the guest performances without having to rush immediately before the main part of the program.
Who will enjoy this evening the most
Long-time Garrix fans get one of the formats most firmly associated with his career. A decade of residencies means Ushuaïa is not a random festival stop, but a place where his large-scale open-air show has spent years developing its own identity.
The broader audience also has enough points of entry. Garrix's catalogue contains globally recognised vocal tracks, while Benny Benassi brings the legacy of earlier phases of electro house and Goodboys offer more modern vocal house. As a result, the evening is not intended only for audiences who follow every new EDM single.
Visitors who enjoy a large, direct dance sound will get the most from it: progressive house, big room, melodic build-ups and sudden transitions into powerful drops. Anyone looking for a small club, minimalist DJ booth and a highly intimate atmosphere will find almost the opposite concept here. Ushuaïa is designed around a large crowd, a large stage and production visible from different parts of the venue.
How to plan the day around the event
Because the program starts in the late afternoon, September 3 does not need to be organised like a typical night out in Ibiza. Playa d'en Bossa has a long sandy beach and a large number of accommodation, dining and tourist facilities, so it is practical to remain in the same area during the day and avoid unnecessary travel across the island immediately before opening time.
It is particularly important not to arrive directly from the airport with large travel luggage. The venue's rules do not permit backpacks, suitcases and large bags, and a cloakroom for leaving them is not available. Travellers arriving on the island that same day should first arrange their accommodation or luggage storage.
It is also useful to have a plan for the end of the event. The program is scheduled to finish at 23:00, when a large number of visitors will leave into the Playa d'en Bossa area at roughly the same time. Those staying within walking distance of the venue have an obvious logistical advantage, while everyone else should expect increased demand for transport.
Ticket sales for this event are ongoing. The September 3 date falls in the final part of Garrix's summer series at Ushuaïa Ibiza, before the season's closing Thursdays, making it interesting for audiences who want to catch the residency after the peak of July and August.
For Garrix, 2026 is a year in which two stories continue at the same time: more than ten years of his relationship with this stage and a new musical phase following "ORIGO", together with the current "Fireflies" with U2. With Benny Benassi, Goodboys and Mauro Venti added to the line-up, September 3 offers a program broad enough to connect several generations of electronic music within a single afternoon and evening open-air format.
Sources:
- Ushuaïa Ibiza - Martin Garrix's 2026 residency schedule, confirmed performers for September 3, event times, location and basic program information
- Ushuaïa Ibiza FAQ - age limit, identification documents, bag rules, dress code and recommended arrival time
- Martin Garrix - information on current performances, the release of "ORIGO" and current discography
- U2 - information about the song "Fireflies", its release date, collaboration with Martin Garrix and premiere performance
- DJ Mag - Garrix's placement in the Top 100 DJs, current profile and career context
- Ibiza Spotlight - information on Ushuaïa Ibiza's capacity, open-air layout and the character of the venue
- Aena - AERO 5 bus route between Ibiza Airport, Playa d'en Bossa and Ses Figueretes