Münster, Germany open-air club Coconut Beach is among the first in Europe to experiment with live music events compliant with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. Local promoter TakaTuka organized a Thursday, May 21st gathering headlined by Running Back label boss Gerd Janson. Accompanying him on the bill were Kai Lorenzen, Steve Six and Thorsten Karger.
According to Resident Advisor, only 100 tickets were sold despite the venue’s capacity of 2,000. Although priced high at €70 (which covered €21 worth of food), they reportedly sold out in 15 minutes after going on sale May 15th. Janson also reduced his booking fee by 80% per WDR. Attendees were assigned a table and chalk circle on the dance floor upon entry, and they were required to wear masks unless dancing in the circle.
“Of course we understand that some of our guests are a bit disappointed as they don’t have the money to join,” Coconut Beach managing director Thomas Pieper told Resident Advisor. “As soon as the regulations for live events will be raised up to 250 [capacity,] e.g. we will lower the ticket price.”
Desperate Measures
Coconut Club is not the first German club to reopen in a limited capacity. A week prior, Berlin creative spaces Sisyphos reopened as a beer garden after the city loosened restrictions for restaurants. For the time being, dancing is not allowed and the establishment has added a food menu in order to qualify.
Elsewhere in Europe, festival promoters are afforded a similar outlook. Serbian prime minister Ana Brnabic implored EXIT Festival‘s organizers to simply push back their event one month instead of postponing it to 2021. The gathering will still have to operate in a significantly different format to remain compliant with pandemic restrictions.
It remains to be seen how soon additional venues will follow Coconut Club’s lead with social distancing-adherent events of their own.
