We learn the story behind Desperados’ Rave to Save app and virtual party series. For every 1000 steps you take during each livestream, the app donates €1 to shuttered clubs throughout Europe.
Following the successful launch of Desperados Rave to Save, the world’s first dance-powered app that’s designed to support Europe’s nightlife industry, Beatport and Desperados are set to raise even more money for the club scene with another fundraising event with elrow at Reineke Fuchs, Cologne featuring David Hasert and Franca on April 4.
For every 1,000 steps taken by partygoers on the Rave to Save app, €1 was donated to support eight different clubs across Europe where the virtual parties will be hosted. Purple Disco Machine played the first party in Berlin, and more are planned for the UK and Ibiza.
To learn more about what’s in store, and about this one-of-a-kind initiative, we spoke to Head of Marketing Global Desperados, Rutger van der Stegen.
Download the Rave to Save app.
What inspired Desperados to help save the rave?
Europe is home to some of the most incredible clubs and venues in the world. But with the pandemic forcing these spaces to keep their doors shut for months, all this vibrancy and energy has been put on hold.
At Desperados, we feel we have a responsibility to support an industry that we have such strong ties with. That’s why we’re launching the Rave to Save app, calling on the party community to support nightlife venues across Europe by doing what they do best – dancing. By bringing people together, we can all support the venues we love so they are ready to re-open their doors and welcome us all back when it’s safe to do so.
Is anyone at Desperados a die-hard clubber?
It’s fair to say that partying is firmly entrenched in the Desperados DNA. Over the years, we’ve partnered with hundreds of DJs, musicians and artists from all over the world to ignite the party spirit through our different events and activations, spanning both the real and virtual worlds. The launch of the Rave to Save app is an exciting next step on this journey.
Which clubs will receive donations through this initiative?
We’ll be hosting eight virtual Rave to Save parties from eight different clubs across Europe with money raised at each party going to the club that’s hosting the event. We kicked things off with our launch party at the Prince Charles Club in Berlin on 27th March, with more fundraising events to come at other clubs based in Germany, London, and Ibiza, with more TBA.
Tell us more about the app. Why run a fan-powered fundraising campaign rather than simply offering a one-off donation?
The Rave to Save app uses the pedometer function available on every smartphone to track partygoers’ moves as they dance to epic beats on their home dancefloor. For every thousand dance steps taken, €1 will automatically be donated to support the local club. App users can further boost their donations with a direct contribution, which will be matched by Desperados at each virtual event, up to €30,000.
The purpose of Rave to Save is for Desperados and its community to support clubs that have been impacted by the pandemic, whilst also keeping the party spirit alive for people across the world in lockdown. So in addition to the fundraising element, we see it as a massive opportunity to bring the party community from around the world together, whilst we all stay safely apart.
Desperados is known for its wild experiments and big in-person parties. How and why did you change your strategy once the pandemic hit?
At Desperados, we’re committed to consistently exploring new ways of pushing the boundaries of experimentation when it comes to party experiences.
Ever since the pandemic hit, we shifted to a digital-first strategy, focusing on how we can keep the party spirit alive for people in lockdown, whilst also continuing to support and collaborate with music venues, artists, DJs, and our event partners.
Rave to Save sees us take this up another level. Amid a continued challenging climate for the global music and nightlife industry, we felt a responsibility to come up with an innovative way of supporting those at the forefront of the sector. The launch of the Rave To Save app is our way of doing this – calling on partygoers everywhere to dance, donate and make a difference together.
What are some creative ways to get into the raving spirit at home before opening up the app?
As you tune into each virtual party, why not grab an ice-cold Desperados to ignite the party spirit from your living room? Then turn those speakers up loud and get moving to tunes from the exciting mix of DJs we’ll be working with across the eight parties – with the next one being elrow Rave To Save at Reineke Fuchs, Cologne with David Hasert and Franca. You can watch via Beatport’s Facebook and YouTube channels at 7PM CET on April 4.
We see each event as a great way of bringing the party community together whilst we all stay apart. So make sure you encourage your friends to download the app and virtually join you at the party, so you can all dance and donate together. See you on the virtual dancefloor!
Depending on how much ends up being raised, how are you hoping these clubs will use these funds?
The donations will be used to support the clubs in various ways – whether that’s going towards employee salaries, rent of the space, or to help with future bookings. Our aim is to support these clubs and event spaces so they can reopen their doors and welcome us all back once social distancing measures are relaxed.
How does Desperados hope to support club culture in the future once the pandemic has ended?
We’ll continue taking people beyond the obvious and supporting club culture through a range of innovative events and party experiences in 2021 and beyond as part of our new #GoDesperados creative platform. Whilst we can’t comment on the activity we’ve got planned for the rest of the year at the moment, it’s certainly one to keep an eye on. Watch this space!
