If you have been dying to legally move your feet and groove your body on a dance floor, your chance has finally come. This week, the NSW Government changed the Covid restrictions and now 50 people are allowed on indoor dance floors. 

This is great news for local DJ Sista Ray (Deb Ray), owner of Lismore music shop – Music Bizarre. Tonight, from 6 to 10pm, Deb is putting on Lismore’s first official dance event since Covid stopped the dancing fun.

The free gig at the Civic Hotel on Molesworth Street is called Chapter 2 - The Dancefloor Re-Infection.

Deb said there’s a line up of four local DJs playing bass-heavy music. There’s DJ Numbskull, Iki-jima, Rangi, then Sista Ray – playing everything from hop hop, to dance, dubstep wobble, and glitch hop.

Deb said although we are one step closer to full dancing freedom, we still have to observe the social distancing where applicable, QR code and rules. 

The past nine months have affected the entertainment industry pretty hard, and Deb welcomes the easing of Covid restrictions on gatherings. 

“There’s been a heavy toll on mental health of DJs, live musicians and people who work in music and arts because so many jobs have been lost or put on hold for nine months,” Deb said. “That’s huge. 

“I’m lucky - I also work in a music shop so I still talk to people and have that connection with people around music. 

“But for some people, partying is how they socialise and it’s not the same just playing dance music by yourself at home. 

“It’s important to have an audience who connects with what you are doing – the energy and the chemistry it creates is crucial and streaming music is not the same as being on a dance floor with a bunch of people and feeling the bass through your body – it’s a whole body experience and nothing can replace that.

“I’m super excited that we are able to start again at the Civic Hotel tonight in the back garden space.”

To find out more about the free event, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/670254220306864

New Covid gathering rules

As of Monday, 7 December 2020, the NSW Government has eased the following restrictions allowing:

• 1 person per 2 square metres (with 25 people permitted before the rule applies), except for:
• gyms and nightclubs (1 person per 4 square metres, with a maximum of 50 people allowed in gym classes or on the dancefloor at nightclubs)

Stadiums and theatres:

• outdoors: 100% seated capacity, and 1 person per 2 square metres rule for unstructured seating areas
• indoors: 75% seated capacity.

Gatherings in outdoor public spaces:

• up to 100 people for outdoor gatherings (up from 50)
• up to 5,000 people for outdoor events that are fenced, ticketed and seated (subject to the 2 square metres rule)
• up to 3,000 people for other organised outdoor events i.e. community sport and outdoor protests (subject to the 2 square metres rule).

Dance floors:

• up to 50 people indoors. 

Singing

• up to 50 performers indoors, no maximum cap outdoors
• advice is for congregation/audience to continue wearing masks if singing. 

Under the changes, maximum capacity caps will be removed subject to the 2 square metres rule for:

• bookings at hospitality venues
• weddings
• funerals
• regional agricultural shows
• corporate events
• religious services.

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