Issued by: Change:
Barcelona (AFP)
Musicians on stage, spotlights flooding the arena and 5,000 fans dancing in a hurry: live music was back in Barcelona on Saturday for a clinical trial seeking safe ways for major disease for events identify major.
“This is for one night only, so enjoy,” said a presenter at Saint Jordi Arena just minutes before the start of the gig with one of Spain’s most popular bands, indie rockers Love of Lesbian.
Ahead of the party, everyone went through major screening and antigen testing, wearing FPP2 surgical masks to attend the gig that comes after an unprecedented year, social pace and very little of social interaction.
“I’m so happy, excited. It’s been 18 months since we were on stage and we have one up here in tears!” lead singer Santi Balmes shouted after the debut song “Appropriately on the Streets”.
And his euphoria was shared with the audience.
“It’s unbelievable, so inspiring. We had forgotten what it was like to be around other people, it’s like this was my first gig ever,” said Jordi Sanz who was as if everyone in the mosh pit in front of the stage as all stands were left empty.
“We really wanted to do something different, to take a step towards regularity,” said Marina Crespo, 25, who despite the security measures was trying to “not get too close. on people, to keep some distance “.
Nonetheless, the feeling was like traveling back to a time before the epidemic with large crowds dancing, chewing each other and holding out songs at the top of their voices, or just drinking beer at the bar.
– Nightclubs as exam centers –
Behind the event is a group of music and festival promoters as well as a local hospital who say the safety measures, which include a special ventilation system, make it a safer place than a side. inside a private home.
During the morning, the dance floors of three long-closed Barcelona nightclubs were turned into mobile field hospitals by nurses in blue performing antigen tests inside white canvas pitches – with the results back in 10 minutes.
When a person did a negative test, the entry pass downloaded on an app on their phone was confirmed. The only other requirement was that they wear a FPP2 mask while in place.
“We expect it to be completely safe. Over the next 14 days we will look at how many listeners are positive for Covid and report back,” explained Josep Maria Llibre, a doctor at a hospital. Trias i Pujol Germany just north of Barcelona.
– Light at the end of the tunnel –
The goal is to “find a way we can live with Covid and hold concerts that are completely safe,” said Ventura Barba, executive director of the Sonar festival in Barcelona which is one of the -organization.
“Hopefully it will be a turning point,” he told AFP.
This week, Sonar announced that its popular electronic music and dance festival would be postponed for the second year in a row due to Covid ‘s crisis.
“The pandemic has been a real nightmare for everyone, but especially for the music industry,” he said.
According to a study published by the Spanish Music Federation, the European music industry lost 76 percent of its earnings in 2020.
For the lead singer of Love of Lesbian, Saturday’s gig aimed to show those in the music industry that there was a way forward.
“It’s creating a hole in the tunnel so that the culture world sees some light, or at least a capable way of doing things,” Balmes told AFP.
Although the pandemic forced the band to delay the release of their latest album by eight months, they feel more fortunate than most, with many musicians “getting very bad time and even taking food parcels with no income ”.
Tickets for Saturday’s concert sold out within a few hours.
“It was really uplifting but it’s logical: we’ve been living in a time of rest and everyone has a handout,” he said.
“We all need to give up a little smoke and get back to our old life.”
© 2021 AFP