B1 turns 2: How to survive (and thrive) during a pandemic...in 5 steps

In normal times, running a nightclub for a year can seem like a decade, but this year wasn’t typical at all. Lloyd Chiu, head honcho of B1, an underground club in Taipei, Taiwan which celebrates its two-year anniversary this weekend, divulges his secrets for surviving and thriving while a global pandemic rages across the globe.

Chiu launched B1 two years ago after stumbling across an underground parking garage while checking out venues to organize an event at. “I was always out wandering and looking to discover places where I know a crowd would enjoy the scenery for a party.”

The first year ran pretty smoothly as Taipei was severely lacking in venues that played underground music at the time. B1 brought in notable DJs including Cormac, Lauer, Paula Temple, rRoxymore, Aleqs Notal, Henning Baer, Páal, SHXCXCHCXSH and Bas Mooy.

The trouble began in February when DJs started suspending their Asian tours. “We had a few cancelled shows, which left us in a complicated situation,” Chiu said. “We’ve always been positive and tried to make the best of the situation, but eventually we decided to close the club for a few weeks because we felt it was the right thing to do.”

B1 immediately went online. “In the beginning, we did some live streaming because it was a way to support the local DJs and the club,” Chiu stated. “It was something that came naturally because times were tough, and it was a nice thing to do.”

Eventually, B1 opened its doors again and people have returned. Now, it’s been more than 200 days since there has been a local transmission of Covid-19 in Taiwan and things are more or less back to the way things used to be.

Chiu dishes out some guidance for venues once they reopen.

Nowhere in the world has escaped mandatory lockdowns and had fewer cases than Taiwan. This is because everyone has followed the regulations that the government has provided. “We are proud of the way Taiwan handled the situation so we can enjoy a normal life here and have awesome events here such as our second anniversary,” Chiu said. “This is a rare treat nowadays around the world.”

Money is not clean. Drinks spill all over the place. Records are dirty. Behind the DJ booth is gross in a lot of places. Constantly washing your hands or using hand sanitizer is great for keeping germs (and a virus) at bay.

“People always think that working in the club industry is always a party and drinking all the time. The reality is that it’s a hard job with a lot of responsibilities 24 hours a day,” said Chiu. “At the end of the day, the satisfaction of sharing an artist with an appreciative crowd is worth it.”

There is plenty of music to listen to at home, so if you feel sick, keep away. Encourage others to do the same. Cubs will still be here when you feel better.

Don’t try to be everything to everybody. Be yourself and do what you do well. Treat your customers well, even if the situation is complicated.

B1’s Anniversary Weekend is Friday and Saturday and features a who’s who of underground DJs in Taiwan including HER, Max Huang, MiniJay, Buscuitjoiner, Orchestra of Nature, Synaptic FX and more. More information is available here.