Liverpool gets a taste of normality as weekend of non-covid restricted events takes place
No masks and no social distancing at nightclub and Sefton Park events
Last updated 30th Apr 2021
Liverpool takes a big step closer to normality this weekend as the city prepares to host the first live music events in England with no Covid restrictions.
Legendary club night Circus will be hosting The First Dance as part of the national Events Research programme (ERP) which will see 6,000 clubbers take over Bramley-Moore Dock warehouse tonight and tomorrow night in an event which requires no social distancing or face coverings.
It will pave the way for clubs across the country to reopen their doors in the near future.
On the line-ups are:
Friday
Sven Väth
The Blessed Madonna
Jayda G
Yousef
Lauren Lo Sung
Lewis Boardman
Saturday
Fatboy Slim
Yousef + special guest
Hot Since 82
Enzo Siragusa
Heidi
Jaguar
James Organ
Drink and food concessions will be available onsite.
The ERP will be used to provide key scientific data into how events for a range of audiences could be permitted to safely reopen as part of the roadmap out of lockdown, commencing no earlier than June 21.
The review will be crucial to how venues and events could operate this summer.
For the nightclub pilot, scientists are looking to see if and how crowds mixing and dancing indoors increases the risk of transmission of Covid-19.
Ticketholders will have to take a Lateral Flow Test at a community testing site 24 hours before the event and will have to produce a negative result to gain entry. This test has to be taken at one of the city’s community testing sites located here.
As part of the research element of the programme, those attending will be urged to take an at-home PCR test on the day of the event and five days afterwards to ensure any transmission of the virus is properly monitored. This is a non-mandatory but important part of the event research data requested by the scientists.
Vaccine passports are not part of Liverpool’s pilot events programme.
Circus Founder and DJ Yousef said:
“The First Dance is going to be a historic moment for electronic music and all events across in the UK.
“As the date nears and the weekend of events becomes closer to a reality, me and the team at Circus all share an almost overwhelming feeling of pride, emotion, excitement and of course responsibility for what lies ahead.
“Together with the team at Liverpool City Council, we have safely crafted these events together, with a singular focus to help the UK get closer to life beyond Covid, which for myself and Circus has been a great honour.
“We can’t wait to see the dance floor erupt time and time again as it has over the last 18 years! ”
Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, Matt Ashton, said:
“The ERP is all about getting back to doing what we love doing, safely.
“We’re all craving a return to normality and although we know the Covid-19 case rate is currently low – it’s still there, and new variants and international travel are still a real cause for concern.
“Staying in lockdown is not an option, so we need to understand what the best and safest way of reopening key events is.
“Thanks to promoters such as Circus, we are going to be able to gather vitally important scientific research which will provide a blueprint to opening up vital sectors of our economy locally and nationally.
“Events are an important part of the wellbeing, social fabric and economies of communities, particularly in Liverpool and there should be an enormous sense of pride that this city is taking a national lead in this hugely important research programme.”
Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan, said:
“This hasn’t been an easy process, and it’s particularly hard as the night time sector hasn’t been open for over a year.
“It will be a different event to what people are used to – from the ticketing process to getting a negative lateral flow test before you’re allowed entry. But anyone who attends will not only be helping to get clubs up and running in Liverpool, they will be pioneers for the whole country.
“So let’s get the data and play a part in making real change for the better.”
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