It looked like the wet season was back this week, but it has cleared up again. The rain was falling hard and the winds had changed direction from the west but lo and behold, it has changed back again. This time of year is always like that, off and on, up and down. A bit like nightlife lately, too. It is all a bit hit and miss but meanwhile the weekend is almost here!
Last week was dominated by Halloween, of course. A lot of people were out and about, dressed up in their finest and spookiest gear. Not everyone gets into it every year, of course, but really, the people having the most fun appear to be in costume. Here’s some pics from Halloween Friday night last week.
Photos Above: Friday night Halloween at Mrs Sippy.
Photos Below: Friday night Halloween at Red Ruby and Madan
Photos Below: Friday night Halloween at Tacos Aqui and Club Corazon
Some Thoughts. There is so much contradiction, or hypocrisy nowadays all over the place, but let me zero in on the nightlife for a moment and particularly the use of video. It seems without amazing videos there is no future for your event or venue. Apparently, people won’t take any notice of anything you do unless it’s portrayed on an out of this world, incredible video. And at the same time whole crowds of people are vilified on posts online every week (just about every day now) for videoing their favourite performers at a big show. The photo of the crowd all brandishing their phones in the air en masse recording the DJ at a big festival with hundreds of negative comments below about the loss of the pure essence of rave is almost daily now.
On one side it feels like everything has to be documented and posted on social media, which gives venues and events an abundance of free exposure, and the creator memories and it would seem in many cases some kind of purpose in life, and on the other side, you are supposed to be there living the moment enjoying the music and show without recording anything, as the electronic gods meant it to be.
The electronic music scene has changed so much in the past decade, and since it has now passed into the mainstream it appears the majority of punters are there for the spectacle more than the music and crowd interaction. This reality can be seen at the big festivals more than anywhere, where the underground tent is lucky to get 10% of the people of the EDM stage on the night. It would seem those EDM punters with their phones don’t really give a hoot about the underground gods, or maybe they are praising their own new gods, and really, who is going to stop them doing what they want to do? Who has the right?
Photos Above: Camera madness. credit. nme.com
Meanwhile, some venues or events are banning phones to get people to concentrate on the show and not be distracted videoing the DJ. I made a comment on one of those posts saying they were banning phones in a venue in Ibiza, commenting, mostly in jest, “well, that will mean the venue will be paying more for promotion.” Then boom, I received a reply from a woman saying, or was it screaming, “the best promotion is no promotion. The best venues in Berlin and London have this policy and they are always full, bla bla bla.” Ok, I get it, of course, that’s fair enough, and I’m with you, I too would prefer no phone cameras in venues. I wouldn’t bother going to one of those commercial festivals in any case, but that’s the contradiction at play as it’s a reality that most venues, events, festivals and even DJs, for that matter, have built their names on the back of social media posts in the last decade from their guests and fans with cameras, so let’s not get too hoity-toity about it. Raving can be many things to many people and obviously every generation that comes along sees it a little differently from the past. It’s an evolution—give them what they want, where they want it. Personally, I blame it all on Silicon Valley and social media, but what can be done about that now? Nichs!
Have a good weekend you’all
Have a good weekend you all!
Want to be kept up-to-date with what is going on around Bali? We send out The Beat Update email every week. If you would like to receive all the events info for the next week and other stories, straight to your mailbox please sign up here.
Highlights in the Bali nightlife this week? There are always plenty of parties and shows on around the island…. Bali never ceases to amaze! Check out all the events, both featured and regular, on thebeatbali.com/bali-events.