The Balearic government has backtracked after the controversial ban on DJ performances on the islands and has amended the document published in the BOIB on 22 May, which did not allow this type of electronic music activity. In a new official document, the autonomous executive retracts and partially modifies the agreement to now consider that the performance of a ‘disc jockey’ “is considered a live cultural show”, and therefore permitted within the established conditions, such as not being able to eat or drink in enclosed spaces during this type of musical performance.
The ‘deejays’ of Ibiza were on the warpath against the Balearic government after the publication in the BOIB on 22 May of the Consell de Govern’s agreement banning DJ performances throughout the autonomous region. This is one of the measures adopted in the new Plan of preventive measures to address the health crisis caused by covid.
The General Directorate of Emergencies and Interior argues its decision that “the performance of a DJ is an activity of entertainment by mechanical or electronic means typical of a party room, dance hall, café-concert, discotheque, and cocktail bar”. “It can not be considered either ambient music or live music, so it is an activity that is not allowed under current regulations,” adds the official document, which specifies that only live or ambient music is allowed without exceeding 60 decibels.
Representatives of the electronic music of the island made their voices heard regarding this agreement of the regional executive and said that this decision could lead to an unprecedented crisis in a sector that has spent more than a year in the dry dock due to the harsh restrictions imposed in the Balearic Islands. “They want to take advantage of the situation to put an end to electronic music. They’ve put their foot on our necks and they won’t stop squeezing,” said a well-known Ibiza DJ who prefers to wait to find out all the details of this measure before expressing himself freely. This same artist affirms that in the last few days the police have already demanded in different establishments that the DJs desist from performing, and that they were only allowed to play music “with pen drives”.
Meanwhile, Joan Ribas, deejay and former councillor of Vila, had shared with his professional colleagues a possible rectification by the Conselleria de Presidencia. According to Ribas’ information, the document published in the BOIB would be the interpretation of one of the technicians, different from the real will of the Government regarding the musical activity, so they expected an imminent rectification, which has finally occurred.
Before the modification, the publication of the BOIB specified that “the activity of establishments that exercise the activities of party room, dance hall, concert cafe, nightclub and cocktail bar is suspended” and that the performance of a DJ “cannot be considered either ambient music or live music, so it is an activity that is not allowed under current regulations”.