Netil Radio Weekly
#078
Words
Slovak English text by Miro / actual English edit by Amris
Hello & welcome back,
The imaginary ink on last week’s newsletter wasn’t even dry when my dear friend told me about her latest experience related to its content. Every moment of her story is a failure of those in charge. There wasn’t one positive moment. Even where you expected it most. Shocking? Not anymore. Unbearable? Yes. And it’s time to do something about that. Let’s talk about safety in clubs, bars and venues.
Long story short – spiked drinks, security failure, the venue’s confusion and a not-very-nice experience in the hospital. One thing’s clear – the marketing mantras are just marketing mantras. All the posters in venues and social media statuses about safety are nice, but I strongly believe that we’re approaching the issue the wrong way. Especially from the venue perspective. We can’t really say there aren’t enough advisors and social experts on the issue, the problem seems to be much deeper. The actual question is – are we going to rethink safety, or preserve an obsolete perspective?
The present approach is heavily focused on all attendees as perpetrators. We’re the only industry that treats paying customers like criminals. Extensive search methods, ID scans, security in military-like uniforms doing dirty work for police with no relevant training. The industry secures the venue and its reputation, not the customers and their experience. And I believe this is one of the key issues. The problem isn’t about individual failures: these are happening as a consequence of institutional failure.
The government and police approach is something we can change at the next election, but there’s plenty to change inside venues, and we can start with security as the first physical interaction for partygoers. Venue management should sit down with security companies and come up with solutions based on customer safety, not abuse. Security isn’t there to find as many people as possible with drugs but to make sure that no one’s spiking drinks. It’s that simple. The person taking drugs is a victim. The “nice quiet” guy is the one who spikes the drink. If a security guard scans the space for people using drugs, he logically has no time and perspective to see the real crime or abuse. And the more drugs you find, the more of a target for authorities you become.
Twenty years ago in post-communist Slovakia, all security companies belonged to the mafia. Most guards were nazi skinheads from the gym. It wasn’t easy to make massive mafia guys accept that because we pay them, they have to do what we need them to do, not what they decide to do based on their not-very-clear personal beliefs. Twenty years later, I know only one promoter in London who starts the conversation with security with the words “Tonight, one of you will not get paid”. I hope that one day, he won’t have to use such words…
The safety issue is very complex, so we decided to dedicate more space in our newsletter to the conversation, talking to experts and professionals, and you – the ravers. We’d love to hear your opinion, stories or ideas as we reclaim the narrative of the conversation about the safety of events. Please email us at newsletter@netilradio.com with “Rave Safe” in the subject. We have some nice gifts for you in return.
Next time we’ll talk about communication between promoters and their customers, and how changes in its approach and logistics can make the rave safer.
Thank you for reading and stay connected
Miro
Coming Up
✧ Backstage with Talina & Angus w/ Eliza Legzdina ✧ Tuesday 25.04.2023 ✧ 9-11am
You can expect some badass Latvian energy on 'Backstage with Talina & Angus' on Tuesday morning. They will be joined by the saucy Latvian artist, Eliza Legzdina. Expect chit-chat about how her culture has influenced her sound, collaborating with Rudimental & Idris Elba, and of course, about all the massive live gigs and festivals she's got coming up. Don’t miss it!
✧ The Breakfast Brapp! w/ Shimmy & Karla of Aurum ✧ Wednesday 27.04.2023 ✧ 9-11am
Karla from Netil Market’s new and hyped Jewellery & Piercing studio Aurum will join Shimmy for a chat. Join them in the chatroom and win a discount for your new ear constellation!
New Music
Our resident’s new favourite material
Avsluta / Introspective Electronics / 2nd Thursday of the month 1-3pm
✧ mararara - i’m just one person ✧ Mücha - Hello Caller ✧ LOIF - Plunge ✧
Ceylan Gölsel / 3rd Wednesday of the month 3-5pm
✧ Greg Foat & Gigi Masin - Dolphin ✧ Sam Wilkes & Jacob Mann - Perform the Compositions of Sam Wilkes & Jacob Mann ✧ Mark de Clive-Lowe, Shigeto & Melanie Charles - Hotel San Claudio ✧
Jelly Records / 3rd Wednesday of the month 1-3pm
✧ Sipho Gumede - Something to Say - Vive La Musique ✧ Lily Haz - Jealous Hours - Tofistock ✧ Randomer - Bring / Curtains - Hemlock ✧
Listen Back
✧ Shimmy in the studio with music to mark the last days of #Ramadan and chit-chat with artist and model Jabari about all things beautiful The Breakfast Brapp! ✧ new talent on the block - AMODEUS took over of ex.sses’ cascade show with a bang. TIP! ✧ jazzy Monachopsis with Afromuza ✧ Angus in conversation with Westival’s Mr West in the latest Backstage with Talina & Angus ✧ Nick Cobby hailing from Mexico with a special Ambient Dreams selection for Field Trips ✧ Free Zing b2b, side by side with Maybe Laura ✧ artist, dj and sound collagist Laura Not joined Tony Poland last Sunday. It Takes Time ✧ Dhangsha & Milo of 5050 SoundSystem joined Ramjac Corporation’s not-just shellac records adventure ✧ Aideen Ryan took over of latest Loafy Tunes ✧ LIV.IA’s killer set for Platforms alongside Tuva Luna. Tip tip! ✧
That’s all for this week, stay tuned
NR team
London’s community voice, broadcast live from a converted shipping container atop Netil Market - a project facilitated and supported by Eat Work Art