COVID-19 vaccinations have given many hope for the return of nightlife, but that hasn’t kept Business Teshno from continuing to hold “plague rave” organizers and DJs accountable. The anonymous watchdog has set their sights on Berlin artists Ricardo Villalobos and Dirty Doering as well as Amnesia Ibiza and Musiq Records in an open letter specifically focusing on dance music events they find questionable in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The writer first addresses a Der Tagesspiegel interview with Dirty Doering (real name Velten Doering), calling it “likely one of the worst interviews we’ve ever read.” During the conversation, Doering defended his decision to play events in Tanzania – where the government has insisted that the country is COVID-19 free since June despite warnings from health professionals. He then discussed plans to travel to South Africa, saying, “Cape Town is not as dangerous as it is portrayed in the German media.”
“The views that Dirty Doering expresses in this interview are by no means rare but held by many of his peers,” Business Teshno writes. “The interview clearly reveals what a group of privileged DJs’ attitude towards plague raves is.”
The letter shifts focus to an organized by Amnesia Ibiza and Musiq Records that will run from March 5th-19th. MUSIQTRIP Zanzibar The Sandbank will see DJ sets by Ricardo Villalobos, Mar-T, CAAL, Gogo Sacco and Karlos Sense.
“This left us baffled,” they continued. “The same Ricardo Villalobos who has been known as a ‘leftwing idealist’ for years will be at the forefront of these raves in Africa. We urge them to act responsibly and postpone the event to a safer date or just cancel it altogether. We ask you to share this open letter and help raise awareness for the Black lives at risk.”
Sounds Familiar
Business Teshno’s letter is by no means the first time they’ve drawn attention to the perceived ethical shortcomings of event organizers and famous DJs. As restrictions lifted in many countries last summer, they documented the jet setting lifestyles of artists like Amelie Lens, Dixon, Michael Bibi and Denis Sulta.
Nor are they alone, for that matter. Last week, The Secret DJ – also an anonymous writer – published an open letter of his own on the matter in PRS for Music‘s M Magazine. Arguing that “law and personal morality diverge frequently,” he posited that gatherings being legal in places like Tulum don’t make them ethical.
Business Teshno are most active on Twitter and Instagram but can be found on Reddit and Facebook as well.
Image credit: Luis Quintero
