Interview: 'First Legal Rave in The UK'
The UK's first legal rave took place and it looked like a positivie step in the right direction. The event was held in Nottingham with all social distancing measures put in place. All ravers were provided with KN95 face masks upon entry and hand sanitising bottles to help prevent any risk of spread. The rave went ahead with a maximum capacity of 40 people, this does not suggest there was minimal interest in the rave, with over 700 members of the public signing up for the raffle of tickets. Some of the UK's leading DJ's helped makes this possible and we were lucky enough to catch up with 'Dafs' for a quick interview.
1. First of all, how good is it to see some sort of return to normality as a DJ?
It is always a pleasure to play for people! I wouldn’t quite call it a return to normality but its a good start. The best thing about playing out is that you can react to the people’s energy at the party - giving a more organic performance. It’s just not the same vibe playing for a livestream.
2. Who was the party run by and how was it given the green light to go ahead?
It was run by a brand that I am involved in called Nitty. The director James Morsh approached me with the idea and the rest is history. We secured the correct licensing from the local government. Also the correct measures to carry out social distancing were in place.
3. Which artists were involved in the event?
I played for most of the day, Latmun came through as he lives local, also some of our friends such as Ben Sterling, SHO and Jack Castell all dropped a few bangers on the decks.
4. What measures were put into place to assure social distancing was actioned?
We had marked out areas for each household which were separated by a suitable distance, also a high-vis wearing enforcer was on site. Face masks and sanitiser were handed out to all the guests.
5. Can you see this becoming the new normal for music events?
To be honest I don’t see this becoming the new normal however it can be a suitable compromise for the current period. The party was a success and we’re looking forward to how this model can be developed and upscaled for larger events. People are restless at home and I feel this is needed not just for the DJs and promoters but for people to let off some steam and enjoy a party!
6. And where can we expect to see you next?
With the current situation it’s uncertain however time will tell. I always post the latest info for events I’m involved in on my Instagram.
http://dafsjames.bandcamp.com/ track/jorja-smith-blue-lights- dafs-edit
https://soundcloud.com/cookboo kmusic/zacharias-b2b-dafs-cbm- residents-series