GEAR UP FOR The Roaring Twenties
PARTYING IS BACK. BUT THIS TIME AROUND, IT’S DIFFERENT. HERE’S HOW HEDONISM WILL EXPRESS ITSELF POST-COVID
After the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the Roaring Twenties followed, bringing hedonism and sexual liberation to all. Should we expect the same national jamboree when the padlocks come off our favourite clubs and pubs on 21 June? The answer is yes, but with a few alterations. This time last year, LA creative studio Production Club proposed the future of clubbing was wearing Tron-like PPE bodysuits – with built-in alcohol canisters. But while we might not be going that far, partying this year is definitely going to be different. Outdoor trials started in Germany, with entry fees rocketing as a limited number of desperate clubbers danced in circles, 6ft apart. And Spain leads the way to stamping out the need for any social distancing at all. ‘We expect a full tourist season this summer, but strict safety measures like social distancing will be in place for all programming,’ says Andy McKay, CEO of Ibiza Rocks. In December, Primavera Sound festival collaborated with scientists to trial a totally unsocially distanced live gig, with a fully tested crowd. It didn’t spread a single case of Covid. The crowd even danced together. Imagine… New app Liberty Pass, which shows proof of vaccination or a negative test, makes normal-ish nightlife in Spain a real possibility. ‘We’ll combine this QR app with swab tests and technologies like an air purification system that gets rids of viruses in indoor spaces,’ says the International Nightlife Association’s Joaquim Boadas. ‘So limited capacity and a higher entry fee may not even factor.’ In the UK, passport-style systems have been on the agenda for some time, says Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association. And while Glastonbury is cancelled, festivals such as Wilderness, Latitude and Field Day are locking in headliners. ‘We’ve booked 250+ artists,’ says Parklife’s co-founder Sacha Lord. McKay adds: ‘Some changes may be long-term and irresponsible overcrowding is unlikely to come back, but the party is certainly not over.’