Black souvenir t-shirt from First Dance, two pilot club nights held on 30th April and 1st May 2021 at Circus nightclub, Liverpool, as part of the Events Research Programme (ERP), which examined the risk of COVID-19 transmission at large events and explored ways for people to attend events safely as lockdown eased

Over 3,000 people attended each night of First Dance, with a line up including Yousef and Fatboy Slim. These were the first club nights to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Events Research Programme (ERP). At First Dance, clubbers were not required to wear face coverings or socially distance in a special relaxation of the government’s restrictions. Scientists monitored the event to study people’s behaviour and measured levels of CO2 to see how well ventilated the club was.

Ticket holders needed a negative lateral flow test to gain access to the nightclub. They were also asked to take an optional PCR test before and after the event. However, take up of the PCR test was low at First Dance and many of the other events.

The results of the first phase of the ERP were cautiously optimistic. There were no major outbreaks at any of the nine pilots. However, community spread was low in general in late April and early May 2021. Researchers had limited data about cases as so few people opted in for pre- and post-event testing. These events were an important first step in bringing live performances back to life in an industry particularly hard hit by COVID-19.