Is interactive clubbing the future of nightlife? Essay

Abstract The purpose of this study is primarily to provide a denotative definition of an Interactive Clubbing which was clearly manifested in t. The author first provided essential definitions suggested by credible sources as to the definition of the terms involved in the paper such as clubbing, interactive and then the most important concept of interactive clubbing and then provided a brief history on the origin of clubbing as to the technology being used in traditional clubbing. The methodology in this research included two sets of surveys intended managers (First set) and club goers (second set). The questions in the surveys aimed to have as a result an analysis on what are the technology involved in traditional clubs and whether such innovative installations create a positive impact to club goers and eventually to assess whether an introduction of a new concept such as that of an interactive clubbing would be appealing to frequent club goers. The respondent managers fro the first set of survey questions, came from different traditional and contemporary clubs and existent interactive club. The total number of respondents is 50 managers for the United Kingdom clubs. Most of the respondents are managers of clubs that had operated and remained successful for at least six to ten years. They were also managers in such clubs for three to four years. On the other hand, the respondent club goers for the second set of survey questions, consisted of total number of respondents is 50 club goers fro the United Kingdom. Most of the respondents are frequent club goers ranging from ages eighteen to thirty-eight years of age. In the course of this research, the author proposed an interactive club which comprised of a perfect combination of the theories in technological installation in a futuristic club which can be made possible through the proper application of such theories. Finally, the conclusion provides for an assumption regarding the concept of interactive clubbing as the future of clubbing experience. Introduction Definition of Terms Clubbing, like other ambiguous words pertains to different connotations and denotations. In order to have a concrete and working definition for the purpose of this particular research proposal, it is important to associate the word clubbing to the a certain concept identified in this research. The working definition to be used for this paper shall be associated to â€Å"Night Clubbing† which pertains the common term â€Å"Night Life† which is commonly practiced by the young citizens ranging from teen-agers until the young professionals, sometimes even the professionals under 40 years of age. Activities included with â€Å"Night Clubbing† are social dances, drinking, relaxation and other social activities. Necessary equipments present in every club is a dance floor and a bar side. Such equipments improve and enhance as the history of clubbing grows along with the innovations brought about by the evolution of technology. Moreover, nightclub is often denoted as a venue for entertainment which utilizes music, dancing and drinking as form of relaxation. Interactive is a concept that pertains to the innovational enhancement of a communication environment where in more than a party is equipped and is able to participate in a particular given activity. This definition is provided by the â€Å"Alliance of Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)†, an organization that specializes in rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communication and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Combining the two concepts mentioned above would introduce a new era of clubbing apart from the traditional method of the activity as mentioned earlier. The product of the two concepts would give birth to a new concept called, the Interactive Clubbing. According to Sam Radvilla, a Video Jockey (VJ) in one of the clubs in UK, interactive clubbing is the visuals (graphics and video footage) triggered and manipulated by the motion of a dance crowd (sensors) or simply sound waves (microphone or other sound input). It is also the use of real time camera feeds with a visual set to start an optical dialogue between dance floor or audience, screen(s) and stage. Video feedback used by Video Jockeys (VJ) as a symbolic bridge between the digital and the analog world. Playing images with the same techniques and means as electronic musicians use (sampling, pitching, scratching, midi). According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Interactive can be define as the involving the actions or input of a user; especially : of, relating to, or being a two-way electronic communication system (as a telephone, cable television, or a computer) that involves a user’s orders (as for information or merchandise) or responses (as to a poll). A Disc Jockey (DJ) is the person in charge and in control of the musical scoring in a club or any social gathering entailing the need of music. The DJ has often the responsibility in keeping the music alive which also means that he has the obligation of keeping the night lively and keep the party going on till it will end. A Video Jockey (VIDOE JOCKEY (VJ)) has almost the same role as that of a Disc Jockey. The only difference is that the Disc Jockey has utilizes only audio Jockey, where as the Video Jockey comments on a video taped program or the Video Jockey does not only make use of an audio but also a video advantage that he can be seen and can interact with people in a visual manner. The innovative offer of live communication provided the possibility of a Video Jockey in Clubs. Most often than not, Video Jockey preferred in social gatherings and clubs. History The history of clubbing started from the cabarets of Europe during the early years of the 19th century and then it evolved into the bight clubs of the United State not far from the 1950’s. According to Lewis (Lewis, 1981) clubbing became popular as daring past time among urban whites, who would even travel uptown to Harlem after hours of music, food and excitement. Regine Zylberberg in her book Moi, mes histoires, 2006, gave a brief overview of the history of clubbing in the United Kingdom. The first member-only discotheque nightclub was opened at Berkeley Square London, in 1962 through the initiative of Mark Birley. This was then followed by the return of rock and roll during the 1970’s which was remixed into disco music from the French discotheque. The early clubbing according to Regine (as she is popularly called) used jukebox or mostly live bands as a source of musical entertainment. She also mentioned clubs having a dance-floor, suspended colored lights and the juke box were eventually enhanced with two turntables which are operated in order to avoid dead breaks between the music, setting into place the standard elements of the discotheque. As clubbing enters the dawn of technological innovations, additional equipments have been added to make clubbing experience become more exciting. DJ’s of the traditional early clubbing are replaced by VJ’s. The lights are enhanced to move along with the beat of the music. The sounds of music are enhanced through larger and stronger volumes of speakers that replaced jukebox. The musical scoring can be manipulated through an audio mixer that has different controls which makes the job of Jockeys easier. When computers were introduced to play a role in audio mixing, automated and readily mixed music and computer generated effects are now being used in modern night clubs all over Europe and the rest of the clubbing industry all over the globe. Issue Since the introduction of a new form of clubbing, technological issues of its probability and the nature of its existence are haunting the interactive media. The issue that this research attempts to resolve is that, whether interactive clubbing will succeed in providing full satisfaction to modern and contemporary club goers, that would make Interactive technology the future. This research would also attempt to provide a denoted definition of interactive clubbing. Relevance of the Study As an interactive media major, this research would serve as an application of all the theories and practices that I have gathered from my learning experiences. Conceptualizing a new form of clubbing through interactive installation would compel me to combine all the different media in order to come up with a multimedia operated clubbing. This research would eventually serve as the action of the theory that has been instilled in me from my years of studying interactive media. This study would benefit the alternative club goers which are looking for more exciting experiences that other interactive clubbing cannot provide. The right combination technological installations would eventually produce a seemingly perfect environment for club goers to become fully satisfied and fully equipped with an interactive clubbing. Moreover, this research would also provide opportunities for the proper utilization of technological equipments and maximizing the fruitful efforts of scientific research in media and in entertainment. Interactive clubbing would further bring clubbing experience to a higher level of satisfaction which was definitely unable to be provided by the old method of traditional clubbing.