LIVERPOOL MUSIC SOCIETY

Olive presents a conversation with Sun Palace Sound System about how our underground club scene is faring during this post-lockdown cost-of-living-chaos. And, more importantly, how we as a community can support it. 

It will come as no surprise that our grassroots music venues are struggling amidst the cost of living crisis. No one wants to hear that 396 night clubs have closed in the UK between March 2020 and December 2023, at an average of two closures per week (Rolling Stone Magazine, February 2024). The staggering statistics of how our underground club scene is coping is gut-wrenching. According to the Night Time Industries Association 2024 report, this is the most challenging time for nightlife industries inclusive of the 1991 and 2008 recession. 

“Since the cost of living crisis and the pandemic, attendance at clubs is going down,” Barney Rosenthal and Heather Nielsen (aka AETHHER) of Sun Palace Sound System tell me, “promoters are more risk averse when booking shows – reaching instead for safer artists who will sell more tickets.” Such decisions are being made outside of Liverpool too, with artistic excellence not always enough to secure ticket sales for promoters. These days artists are living in a symbiotic relationship with social media, with younger generations in particular using these platforms to make decisions on what club nights to attend. With less disposable income people want to get more for their money, and more from their club nights too. 

Ignoring, for a moment, financial anxieties, there was another cultural shift that took place during lockdown. Discussions of mental health have become increasingly important for individuals, which also impacts the club scene. This is where events such as ‘Space to Dance’ run by Sun Palace Sound System come into play. “Sun Palace Sound System is a one of a kind vintage high fidelity sound system, comprised of genuine RLA components built in the 80s,” explain Barney and Heather, “Trying to put the dance back in dance music, with our sound system we hope to promote wellbeing through music, dancing and community.”

Dance music venues, especially grassroots spaces, are vital for a healthy arts scene. They are one of the only places brave enough to experiment with new ideas and challenge mundane, mainstream thinking. They act as the melting pot of fashion, dance, music, art and conscious thinking. Clubs can be where families are decided, especially for people facing resistance in acceptance from wider society. Providing people with fresh fruit and flowers throughout the dance, Sun Palace understand the potential of a nurturing dancefloor. “On an accepting dancefloor, it doesn’t matter how you move. No-one’s there to judge you, so you can properly let go and take leave of self-consciousness,” they tell me, “There’s a growing body of research surrounding the role of music and dancing in the treatment of depression and anxiety, and other mental health disorders.” Often, as with myself personally, these are also the places where authentic identity is discovered. 

Across generations dance music culture has faced constant pushback from governments, with marginalised groups depending on dance music sometimes for survival. It is both a product of and protest to oppression, a vehicle for expression. It is historically ironic that the more the government continually pushes down on these marginalised groups, the more vibrant their art becomes. The harder these groups are to disregard. The underground is so potent with anger, passion and sense of self, it ignites everything. It becomes so vibrant it finds itself back into the mainstream, with pop culture being consistently inspired by (or just… taking from) these movements. The point is: underground art is the core of art everywhere.

So, how do we preserve such a valuable part of our culture?

People buying last minute ticket sales is a source of anxiety for many promoters. “Weeks of work goes into our events and it is gutting when we make a loss,” Sun Palace explain, “If we know there’s going to be a low turnout, then there are things we can do to reduce our losses. But if we don’t know until the last minute, we can’t.” Although this is sometimes unavoidable, with more people not having the initial funds to secure tickets, buying tickets in advance can support grassroots spaces massively. “Don’t ask for a free guest list,” Sun Palace continues, “Arrive earlier instead of arriving just before a headliner. And if you had a great night somewhere, spread the word!” 

At this time where we are being pushed into division, connection is vital. Community is the most valuable resource we share. In the words of Sun Palace, “Whatever you do, don’t take your grassroots venues for granted – show them love while they’re still here.”

Written by Olive Yoxall (she/they)