Phone-free dancefloors are giving a whole new meaning to “dance like nobody’s watching.”
In 2024, it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to attend a concert without everyone in the crowd staring at their glowing smartphone screens, taking videos and selfies. But for many, the excessive use of phones at raves is beginning to erode the authenticity of the atmosphere and disrupt the audience’s connection with the music, the artists and each other.
Damian Lazarus, the renowned DJ and creator of Crosstown Rebels, Day Zero and Get Lost, has now announced the implementation of a no-phone policy during his summer residency at the globally acclaimed club Hï Ibiza.
“From open to close we take pride in creating a totally unique environment, centered around the mystical Temple, it’s a proper session where we lose our inhibitions and can enjoy a sense of freedom as we enforce our groundbreaking ‘No Phones’ policy inside the room,” Lazarus wrote in an Instagram post, which you can read below.
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Fans can catch Lazarus DJing on Saturdays in Hï Ibiza’s Club Room from May 18th through October 5th. Other summer residents include Black Coffee, FISHER, The Martinez Brothers and Tale of Us, although the no-phone policy will only be in effect for Lazarus’ sets.
Among others performing at Hï Ibiza this summer are James Hype and MEDUZA, who in October announced their own campaign against excessive phone use at shows.
“Musicians and performers often find it disheartening to see audiences through the lens of a camera rather than through their eyes,” the DJs said in a joint statement at the time. “It can disrupt the intimate connection between artist and audience that makes house music so powerful as a genre of music.”
MEDUZA and Hype also expressed that excessive recording can jeopardize individual privacy, resulting in a less-welcoming space where individuals are recorded without their consent.
Popular dance music trio Wavedash have also requested their fans avoid filming at their shows, recently announcing an initiative for them to cover their smartphone cameras with stickers that read, “Social media? No thanks.”
The trend continued to take off after a London production company, Covert, also joined the fight in reclaiming the dancefloor. They rolled out a feature called “Drop Highlight,” which offers an innovative tech solution to “bring back authentic raving culture from a pre-technology world.”
Only time will tell whether or not phone-free dancefloors re-emerge as more crave intimate and connected rave experiences. What we do know is that Lazarus is paving the way in Ibiza, the world’s quintessential clubbing destination. Tickets to his residency are available here.
FOLLOW DAMIAN LAZARUS:
Instagram: instagram.com/damian_lazarus
Facebook: facebook.com/DamianLazarus
Spotify: spoti.fi/3QQu8y5
FOLLOW HÏ IBIZA:
Instagram: instagram.com/hiibizaofficial
X: twitter.com/hiibizaofficial
Website: hiibiza.com