Anyma could soon crack down on the rave community's new drug of choice: the smartphone.
It may seem like heresy, but the excessive use of smartphones is one of the most controversial points on the global electronic dance music scene. And Anyma's influential Afterlife brand, whose events regularly go viral for their mind-blowing visual spectacles, is often the center of the conversation.
The superstar DJ and producer has taken to social media to test the no-phone policy at his events. Polling his followers, Anyma shared two comments on her own Instagram post: “YES, BAN PHONES” and “NO, ALLOW PHONES.” At the time of publishing this article, the first comment has 9,388 likes compared to the second's 1,823.
Anyma's comments are timely as the dangers of free smartphone use continue to take shape in the form of new policies and privacy concerns, which are nascent but becoming more prevalent by the day. While some argue that attendees should be free to use their devices however they want, others lament causing a sense of fear in those who don't want to be documented.
The problem is not endemic to crowds. Several prominent dance music artists and venues have taken concerted action, including MEDUZA and James Hype, who in late 2023 launched a campaign to “preserve the authenticity” of club culture by calling out excessive filming at their co-branded events. Popular electronic music trio Wavedash also discouraged the use of smartphones by asking fans attending their tour to cover their cameras with stickers reading “Social media? No thanks.”
Meanwhile, renowned DJ and festival organizer Damian Lazarus recently announced an innovative phone-free policy for his summer residency at famed venue Hï Ibiza, setting a new precedent on the legendary Spanish party island. And on the other side of the Atlantic, the owners of Miami's iconic Club Space are laying the groundwork for their first phone-free event.
Whether Anyma plans to do the same or not remains to be seen, but it is extremely implausible, at least on a macro scale. He could institute a limited no-phone policy, but an outright ban would likely strangle the virality of his images (the pièce de résistance of his concerts) and stunt his brand's authority in the live music space.
Check out Anyma's post below.
See the original article for embedded media.
Follow Anyma:
Instagram: instagram.com/anyma_ofc
X: x.com/anyma_eva
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@anyma
Facebook: facebook.com/anyma.ofc
Spotify: tinyurl.com/2p976k79
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