Already in the tram on the way to the stadium pool, the festivities of the Frankfurters and the guests from outside train, which had accumulated for months, are broken. They drum rhythmically against the window panes of the tram to the spontaneously intoned song "Freed From Desire" by Gala. The mood is exuberant. Nevertheless, the techno fans on the train dutifully keep their masks on. At most, you push it down to your chin for a moment to sip on a drink you have brought with you. It is a picture that will run through the evening and probably through the entire weekend of the event. Wild party meets regulated requirements. And there are many specifications for the World Dome Club Pool Sessions.
The organizer bigcitybeats fought for a long time so that the party in the pool could still go up.
After some legal support from administrative judges, the city finally gave in.
But only provided that all party goers wear a mask at all times.
It is also important to keep your distance wherever possible.
When entering the site, it becomes clear that such a concept can work.
Neatly lined up and with a safe distance, party-goers stand in a queue from the gates of the stadium pool almost to behind the train station.
Who recovered and who tested?
Anyone who has cleared this hurdle can continue to the so-called "Greencheck". Here it is checked who has been vaccinated, who has recovered and who has been tested. From there you can clearly hear the beats of the nearby techno stages. Everywhere you pick up scraps of conversation from smaller groups who were dismissed after checking in the party happened: "Finally!" - "It was about time!" - "Is this your first party too?"
In order for it to be a proper party, the Lineip is bursting with techno greats.
Thundering techno beats from stars like Fritz Kalkbrenner, Monika Kruse and Boris Brechja are distributed to a total of 12,000 party guests on each day of the event on a total of four stages.
The number of participants admitted to the World Club Dome Pool Sessions, as the event is officially called, appears to be well chosen.
When wandering around the site, the visitor never gets the feeling that the area is overcrowded.
But it doesn't seem like extinct either.
The city of Frankfurt has stipulated that four square meters of space must be available on the premises for each party guest.
Pay by chip instead of cash
The organizer has come up with something for paying for beer, cola and food such as hot dogs on the premises. Payment is not made in cash. The risk of infection from coins and bills, which could run through hundreds of hands on such an evening, is excluded from the start. Instead, every visitor receives a wristband with a chip upon entry. It can be topped up at various stands by card or for cash. At the booth, you can simply pay contactlessly with the bracelet.
The heart of every festival is and remains the music.
From 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. there was techno on Friday, the ravers have been dancing since 11.30 a.m. on Saturday, and it starts at the same time on Sunday.
It started on Friday Dust In Dawn on the Pool Stage, which despite the early hours was able to attract a considerable number of dancers.
Numerous party-goers also gathered in front of the smaller stages around the pool.
And the later the hour, the greater the party mood.
Hygiene concept in theory and practice
At 7.30 p.m. at the latest, when the Berlin techno legend Fritz Kalkbrenner started his set, the pool stage was jam-packed. There it was shown, however, that no matter how good a hygiene concept is, it also has to be adhered to. The dancers romped close together, almost nobody wore masks anymore. And even if the security forces did their best, marched through the crowd with a stern look and signaled to people with an energetic hand to mouth gesture that they should please put on their mouthguards again, it was quickly gone as soon as the respective security checked -Employees had turned around.
Monika Kruse, the techno queen from Berlin, stepped onto the stage at 9 p.m. with fireworks and a pompous light show. This was followed by a somewhat pathetic but well-intentioned address by the organizer to the partygoers via a voice from the off. It was encouraged to stick together, it was important to save the earth and to have fun this weekend. Nevertheless, the observer briefly asked himself whether the irony of the loud request “Stand together now!” During a party under the auspices of a pandemic really escaped the organizer. Then Monika Kruse started. And the party guests took part. They danced and celebrated exuberantly. But only until 11 p.m. Then it was over. After all, the default is the default.