Goldenvoice Partners For Safe Space ‘Nap Lounges’ At Concerts

Goto Photography – Nap Lounge
at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles April 5.

Nap Girls, a collaborative organization that aims to connect women and nonbinary people, has partnered with Goldenvoice to provide places to chill out during concerts and resources to prevent and address sexual harassment and other issues.

“For our Nap Lounge we’ll just be making kind of little oases away from the dancefloor,” Nap Girls director of external events and philanthrophy Brittany Gaston told Pollstar.  “The idea is to have a break during, before or post-dance floor, but also to have information and pamphlets to give out on how to address sexual assault at the venue, or if someone is kind of coming at them all ‘creeper status’ – if they need help, need someone to talk to, or don’t want to go to security alone, we’ll be there. If they want to report something that happened months ago or recently, we’ll have a list of resources for them to call as well.”

–

The first Nap Lounge happened April 5 at electronic trio Autograf’s show at El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, featuring comfy chairs, low lights, blankets, pillows, chill music and “all around plush vibes.”  

Upcoming concerts featuring the Nap Lounge are Marian Hill’s April 12 show at the Fonda in Los Angeles, and Sofi Tukker May 17 at the Fonda as well, with shows being planned throughout the year and all over, according to Gaston.

“The biggest thing is that a lot of women don’t necessarily know what do to,” Gaston said, adding that she’s “been groped many times on the dancefloor.”

 “We hope to be that place where people feel comfortable enough to not just cower in self defeat, and can say, ‘Yo, this is messed up. Can we please do something about it?’”

No two Nap Lounges will be the same, and will showcase various sponsorships, artists, initiatives and causes for each. 

The program’s launch comes as the #MeToo movement has hit full steam and women are increasingly coming forward with stories of assault and harassment. Popular EDM artist Datsik was recently dropped by his booking agency, label and management company after being accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct while on tour.  

FYF Festival co-founder Sean Carlson also came under fire after allegations of misconduct. Goldenvoice, which had partnered with the festival in 2011, terminated its relationship with Carlson in November and recently confirmed it would go ahead with FYF as a Goldenvoice event.

It also comes at a time when festivals worldwide have pledged to have more women on their lineups, and more women behind the scenes as well.

See: Indie Fests Empowering Women  In The Age of #MeToo

Nap Girls organizers note that the Nap Lounges have been in the works for three years.

“This is kind of our chance to bring our ethos into the forefront, in a tactical way, on the pulse of where it’s happening,” Gaston said. “We’re happy to work with artists that Goldenvoice books who line up the most with our ethos.”