PARTIES, CLUBS AND NIGHTCLUBS IN THE AGE OF CORONAVIRUS

It has now been almost a month since millions of people (almost four billion worldwide) have essentially been “confined”, with obvious restrictions on freedom physical activity and socialising. At times like these, those evenings spent in bars and clubs, all about fun. But, looking on the bright side, let’s make an effort and try to imagine the day when the lockdown caused by the Coronavirus It will finally be a memory.
It will mark the end of a nightmare, but also the start of a series of difficulties for those in the industry: clubs, restaurants, event venues, festivals, agencies, artists and all staff (security staff, waiters, etc.) will emerge deeply scarred (both psychologically and financially) from this “limbo” that has lasted far, far too long: let us remember, amongst other things, that this entire sector was the first to be subjected to restrictive measures. In light of the facts, given how the Covid-19 situation is unfolding, it is reasonable to assume that a full and “normalised” reopening of nightclubs will not be on the agenda until autumn (For restaurants, probably a little sooner.) Those who had only just opened, in particular, will struggle to raise the shutters again.

EVENTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE RECOVERY FROM THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Without rushing things (we’ll discuss this point in more detail later), it is necessary to restart the flywheel the social and economic impact that the world of entertainment and nightlife can generate. Yes, because it’s not just about figures (annual turnover is in the region of over 20 billion euros, including the catering sector) but also about culture. We are heading towards (and, to some extent, are already in) a historic period of economic depression in which there is a risk of ending up in a “war between the poor”, pitting us against one another and confining us within our own boundaries (both physical and mental). Well, the world of entertainment can and must instead help to unite us and unleash a new desire for renewal. Cinemas, theatres, restaurants, nightspots, DJs: we are all spurred on to work harder and better to spread a a message of unity and openness towards others, keeping an ear out for new international trends. In Italy, we’ve certainly got no shortage of style and creativity: innovation, experimentation and raising standards will be “our” weapons, our watchwords. Provided, of course, that the government doesn’t put a spanner in the works for the nightlife sector – and for those who enjoy it (without you, we’d be nothing…). These, then, are our resolutions as we head towards the “famous” phase two, as defined by the Prime Minister, namely the gradual resumption of social life. In reality, we still know nothing – not even vaguely – about what the government’s plans will be, but we will certainly be able to return to work whilst taking the utmost precautions.

And in the meantime, whilst waiting for specific guidance “from above”, how are those in the sector responding?

RECIPES BY JOE T VANNELLI AND OTHER EXPERTS

On the world of clubbing, from the pages of the Milanese daily newspaper Mi-Tomorrow, one of the most famous “legendary” DJs in Italy and abroad, Joe T Vannelli (on hold until August with its evening events) explains that he is offering advice to industry professionals and venue managers: “We need to remove the dance floors and create a single area dedicated to tables, which must be well spaced apart and not overcrowded. The recovery won’t be easy, but thanks to our resilience, we’ll return to leading a normal life.” As for the events sector, Tommaso Borioli, CEO of Superstudio Events (a major venue in the centre of Milan) has already mapped out its “post-virus” phase, with a series of measures to be implemented once activities resume. For example, to prevent overcrowding, at conventions and conferences the maximum number of guests will be reduced to one-third of the capacity under normal circumstances; protective face masks and hand sanitiser will be distributed to participants, who will only be allowed into the venues in staggered groups (as is currently the case in supermarkets), whilst maintaining a safe distance. Finally, a full sanitisation will be carried out after every event. In short, this is a procedure that undoubtedly makes prudence and rationality its key strengths: we hope to see these same principles reflected in the future protocol to be drawn up by the Ministry of Health.

DJ JODY BELLI (DJ4.it): “A FRUITFUL PERIOD FOR DANCE MUSIC”

As for us, however, we’re making the most of this enforced break from live performances to boost our engagement on social media: every day, a new mini-DJ set by Jody Belli (CEO of DJ4.it), exclusively on vinyl, on Instagram TV and YouTube. But that’s not all: we’re working on the production of video from last season’s nights (which were packed with great parties) and to rediscover the old records in the archives, whilst making sure to pay even more attention to the Latest news: even though we can’t go out dancing any more… there are loads of really interesting dance and house records coming out, and we certainly don’t want to be caught unprepared when we can dance again! Let’s hope it’s soon: to speed things up, we’ll all need to be cautious and supportive.