Image by Esme Surfleet
Earlier this month, Liverpool became one of the first cities in the world to host a fully fledged rave in the wake of the pandemic and global lockdown restrictions. Ravers around the world were left in envy and awe at scenes from the event hosted by legendary party Circus. The “pilot rave” spanned over two days and was attended by nearly 6000 people. Artists included Sven Väth, Jayda G, The Blessed Madonna, Hot Since 82, and headliner Fat Boy Slim.
The events formed part of an ongoing experiment by the UK government studying the future of mass gatherings amidst the pandemic. Access was dependent on a negative Covid-19 test, and all artists and attendees had to agree to a mandatory follow up test five days after the event. The wearing of masks and social distancing were non-compulsory. Other events which formed part of the study included the 2021 Brit Awards and the FA Cup final. Now, the UK’s Event Research Programme have revealed data from the experiments, claiming that the risk of such gatherings is no higher than dining out at a restaurant or shopping at a supermarket. This is of course dependent on the protocols which had been implemented to regulate the events.
In a statement to The Times, a UK government representative claimed the findings show that with the introduction of prior screening and increased ventilation in venues, the risk of Covid-19 transmission is significantly lower. This spells good news for the live music and nightlife industries in the UK, who have been unable to operate since March, 2020. Based on these results, the UK government hopes to fully reopen the industry by June 21 this year.
