We all remember and long for the days of pre-social distancing due to covid-19. The days where we could go to an actual class instead of zoom, stand carefree with our friends in a packed queue outside of Grönt o’ Gott and lastly, attend our favourite nation in the evening in trust that we would have an amazing night that included a visit to a crowded Challes or Mårtens Pizzeria. Today the thought of a packed nightclub with socialising from left to right is pretty much gone for the moment because of the spread of covid-19. From time to time the situation has led me to relate a to the memes below a bit too much…
One thing I cherished before the lockdown due to covid-19 was all the sittningar. The last one Lundaekonomerna threw was themed as Studio 54 and oh my, was it a great evening. But also, it was a great theme. Studio 54 is the name of the mythical nightclub located in New York during the late 70s and is said to have been the most legendary and appreciated one of all times.
Entering Studio 54 was said to be like entering another world. It was a place with total freedom. Guests said they could stand next to Elizabeth Taylor as well as anyone else and feel good about themself. You could be anyone you wanted and friends with whomever. When you were dancing you weren’t dancing with your closest friends – you were dancing with the whole club.
The club was known to host a variety of celebrities and if you couldn’t see anyone at Studio 54 it probably meant they couldn’t get in. One of the most iconic photographs from Studio 54 is the one of Bianca Jagger sitting on a white horse. She would often be seen in a group consisting of herself, Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli and fashion designer Halston. Another iconic picture is the one featuring Farrah Fawcett happily dancing with her father.
According to the club owners, they felt it was important to mix up the crowd just like a salad. In order to get into this hotspot you couldn’t depend on your looks as it was believed that if you just put a bunch of beautiful people together they would eventually get bored with each other. Instead, it was important to be interesting as a person and looking for a good time (which means a true fun loving LundaEkonom would probably be a regular). The people inside Studio 54 were all part of the myth that one wanted to belong to.
The diverse crowd created a scorching energy which led to an almost “primitive environment”. Studio 54 was an amusement park for adults filled with freedom, unbridled behaviour and everything an adult could possibly wish for. In retrospect, it wasn’t unexpected that this unbridled, wild, free and careless behavior would emerge at Studio 54 as the 70s had opened the window of opportunities. The 70s had led to an intensely personal liberation where young people did as they pleased after achieving their, hard – fought for, freedom during the decade. Not only was this in the age of sexual liberation, between the introduction of the pill and before the presence of aids, but this was also after the events such as the Vietnam war and the Watergate scandal that had shaken the whole nation. People were now tired of being disappointed, worried and threatened from the world outside. Instead they were longing to have fun – so they made it happen. They went out and went wild.
Today the opportunity to have a laugh or break a sweat in a heavily packed and odor generating crowd feels more distant than ever due to the coronavirus. Regardless if you are a total dance freak or prefer to be the mysterious mingling type on a night out, you can probably agree on that we took activities like those for granted. I mean, it’s not news that the spread of the corona virus has led to some activities to pause for the moment. One sign that people are longing to have fun together again is the rise of all the post covid-19 events. While browsing Facebook you have probably stumbled across the several “Corona Afterparties – World Reunion Celebration” events that are hosted in various cities all over the world.
In the description, the events above says “In difficult times, we realize the value of something that once seemed trivial and is now gone” and that “The time for partying will return”. In my opinion, I find it likely that events like these are signs that the social distancing might become a jump start to an era filled with more appreciation for one another and the endless opportunities we have to make new connections while having unconditional fun. Just like in the 70s, people will always have a desire of belonging and having fun, and this time it might lead to creating environments with buzzing energies and a liberating atmosphere as the one that took place at Studio 54. Only time will tell but I am probably not the only one that is excited to see the outcome. So until then, wash your hands and take care because who knows, when the dust has settled we might end up with a Studio 54 around the corner.
