The world of the night in Bari transforms and is constantly evolving. The people of Bari, but all Italians, want to socialize more, go out less in groups and spend less. They look for places that suit their new tastes. Discos and nightclubs have actively participated in the changes in our society and overall, what was once defined as “clubbing”, as well as the discos ‘of the past’, are evolving to adapt to cultural, technological and social changes , seeking to offer unique and engaging experiences for an increasingly diverse audience.
Both the type of offer and the destination have changed, and continue to change over time: thus night clubs try to adapt to the constantly evolving consumption habits of the people of Bari. The aperitif and those meeting and socializing places that know how to combine different proposals are confirmed to be rapidly growing: happy hour, dinner, music and cultural evening.
The world of the night had its initial sprint in the seventies with ‘Saturday night fever’, precisely that period in which a new way of playing was born, which perhaps managed to get everyone to agree: disco music. Born in the early ’70s, it mixed funky, soul, Latin, psychedelic and African-American music. She transformed the dancefloor into a space for collective sharing, combining art and music in nightlife. During the 1980s, however, house and techno were the undisputed protagonists of the clubs. The 80s and 90s, the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 2000s: it was the long and interesting period of the peak of dance music. Genres such as house, techno and trance were danced in the Apulian and Bari discos. Puglia and Bari have represented a popular destination for clubbers from all over Italy.
Nowadays, venues have taken on multifaceted shapes to host different types of shows to meet their community and the constantly evolving modes of enjoyment. We talked about the new tastes of the “people of the night” and the way in which club managers interpret them with Pasquale Paparella, known to most as Pasquale33. He was unquestionably a protagonist of the world of Bari nightlife. He was born from the clubs and breathed the atmosphere of the clubs for several years.
“In the 80s – says the DJ – there was talk of ‘club seasons’, that is, those who presented and offered better programming to the dancing public worked. The mix of scenography, music and structure was a winning one. To date, discos no longer exist, but only new structures. We can’t talk about clubbing anymore. Everything lasts not for the whole season, but for one evening. We talk about ‘an event’ or ‘one night’ so to speak. There is no more continuity”
So with the opening of the new millennium everything changed. There has been a decline in interest in specific dance music and a consequent decline in traditional discos. The world of dance has changed everywhere. Music genres such as reggaeton, hip-hop and trap have gained popularity, increasingly influencing the musical landscape. “There is no longer just one musical genre within a venue – confirms Pasquale33 – You have to please everyone. And the true professional figure of the DJ and his musical research has also been lost.”
New types of venues, such as clubs and cocktail bars, have offered alternatives to the classic model. By widening the entertainment time slots and fragmenting the market. And also diversified with a variety of proposals ranging from historic discos to underground clubs, from live music bars to cocktail bars with DJ sets. The historic venues that have survived focus on the quality of the experience, offering better service, a refined atmosphere and internationally renowned DJs.
“Then the promotion changed”, adds the DJ from Bari. Communication and promotion on social media have become key tools to attract the attention of young audiences.
