Never would I have imagined my first Ultra Music Festival experience to take place in the middle of a pandemic. However, Taiwan hasn’t had a domestic COVID case in 200+ days. Life has very much resumed back to normal on the island.
For such a large scale show, Ultra created detailed rules and regulations specifically for COVID prevention. Attendees had to complete an epidemic prevention form, get their temperature taken, and have their hands sprayed with rubbing alcohol. Additionally, it states on the website that attendees also must wear a mask during the entire duration of the event. However, the enforcement of that specific policy was only at entry, and not throughout the event. So the majority of attendees didn’t have a mask on during the festival.
Regardless, it’s evident that a lot of work has been put into the running of the event. Road to Ultra: Taiwan featured plenty of interactive art that made for great Instagram photo opportunities. The event layout was thoroughly organized, and traffic flowed smoothly despite a large number of people. Additionally, the location featured a stunning view of Taipei.
The energy of the crowd throughout the day was through the roof since it’s been at least eight months since people’s last rave or concert.
As a concert and festival veteran, I don’t typically experience a ‘perfect’ show with no complaints. However, this time was an exception. Perhaps it’s because of the concert dry spell or thoughtful planning and smooth coordination of the festival. Whatever the reason may be, I’m sure that the sentiment was shared amongst other attendees.
It has been a year since the report of the first case of COVID. There’s no doubt that people are getting restless and eager for life to go back to normal. However, the health and safety of people should be prioritized over entertainment. Hopefully, Taiwan’s experience may motivate and inspire the people of other countries to become more selfless and take the pandemic seriously.
All images taken by Farra Tai
