Elton John and Sting line-up in July 2012 for the taking of Ibiza 123

Ibiza 123 Rocktronic Festival

Ibiza has been on something of a public relations journey in recent years. From its early incarnation as one of the UK's first large-scale package holiday destinations, through the sleepless nights of the nineties and early noughties to the gradual gentrification of the last five years or so.

The local authorities had seen enough pink sick to last a lifetime and, against the wishes of many a bar proprietor, have sought to clean up their town like a new sheriff armed with the ability to enforce restrictive bye-laws and a cement mixer full of Cillit Bang.

As the dance movement left acid house (and acid) behind and took over Radio 1, so the scene's summer shop window in the Balearics began experimenting with R&B and pop with the birth of the Ibiza Rocks series. In 2012, coining the 'Rocktronic' genre, comes Ibiza 123 - a warm embrace of all that's good about the electronic scene and some big names from the world of rock and pop.

Leading the charge are no smaller names than Elton John, Sting and Lenny Kravitz. Any concerns that Ibiza has sold its dance soul are quickly allayed with the news that Tinie Tempah, Axwell, David Guetta, Fatboy Slim, Pete Tong, Tiësto and more will be ensuring the dance floors remain jam-packed between renditions of Your Song and Fields of Gold. Sounds ideal for a warm summer night, actually.

The three-day Ibiza 123 Rocktronic Festival 2012 takes place at Sunset Strip, Ibiza, from Sunday 1st until Tuesday 3rd July 2012. We have day tickets available now, priced €73. Don't hang around - tickets for Ibiza's first 'proper' festival are likely to be hotter than a sunburnt beer gut.

Stewart Darkin