In the heart of nightlife hotspots like London, Ibiza, and Milan, there’s a fresh wind blowing, calling us back to the origins of club culture. Our House, that tight-knit ensemble of Meduza and James Hype, seems to be onto something significant, highlighting a ubiquitous habit that’s inching us away from the true essence of house music.
With techno’s early days rooted in the intimate dance floors of Detroit, the scene emphasized raw connection — a dialogue between DJ and dancer, every beat a shared heartbeat. Yet, with smartphones becoming an integral part of the nightlife, the bridge between the music and the audience seems interrupted. Our House sheds light on why a rethink might be necessary:
- Living in the Now: The magic of clubbing has always been about immersion. If we’re too engrossed in capturing moments, are we truly experiencing them? The euphoria, the spontaneity, the rhythm – they’re all felt, not filmed.
- Club Etiquette: Clubbing’s golden rule? Respect. Filming without a nod can intrude on that personal space everyone’s entitled to when lost in music.
- Artists’ Viewpoint: Remember the days when DJs connected with the crowd through beats and eye contact? The artists of Our House sure do. They yearn for that tangible connection, rather than a sea of screens.
- Experience Over Exposure: The quality of memories doesn’t lie in the quantity of videos we capture but in the depth of the experiences we dive into.
So, what’s Our House’s remedy?
- Spreading Awareness: By fostering conversations around mindful clubbing at their shows, they hope attendees might think twice before hitting ‘record’.
- Reimagining Event Protocols: Emphasizing the essence of the present, they advocate for enjoying the event first-hand, letting official documentations be the memory keepers.
- Relying on Community: By drawing in artists and attendees alike, they aim to nurture a self-regulating ethos where genuine experiences trump digital memories.
And the first steps? Three big nights are on the horizon: Our House ADE on 20th October 2023, Our House Radius Chicago on 30th December, and Our House Echostage Chicago on 31st December 2023. Here’s to rediscovering the soul of clubbing, as Our House leads the charge back to where it all began.
