There won’t be raves held at Rome’s Colosseum, says director

Anyone hoping to rave inside the ancient walls of Rome’s Colosseum has had their wishes quashed by the newly appointed Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, Simone Quilici.

Earlier this month Quilici indicated plans for concerts at the venue are in the works, sparking speculation about the possibility of DJs performing at the UNESCO World Heritage, following a trend which has seen the likes of Petra in Jordan, the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramids of Giza host dance music events in recent years.

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The speculation about the Italian capital’s almost 2,000-year-old landmark - the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built - being used in this way drew shock and criticism from archaeologists and local Romans due to its standing as a sacred space and the possibility of damage being caused.

Quilici has since followed up to clarify only “calm music” that attracts “a calm audience” would be considered, naming styles such as acoustic and jazz music, as well as the artist String — ruling out the possibility of rave music.

“The music must be carefully controlled. I mentioned certain artists — not by accident — who haven’t been ‘rock’ for some time, who play calm music and attract a calm audience, because the important thing is that it’s not a wild crowd,” Quilici said to the Associated Press. “I joked about rock in moderation — that’s what I meant, a more subdued kind of music. But it was reported the opposite of what I said.”

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A select few concerts with restricted audience numbers have been held inside the Colosseum in years gone by, including Ray Charles in 2002, Paul McCartney in 2003 and Andrea Bocelli in 2009.

“Unfortunately, as everyone knows, tourism is a commercial activity — an industry that does not always connect with culture,” Quilici added. “Bringing cultural activities into the mix would enrich this place, making it not only a site to visit, but also a place where one can experience and enjoy artistic events.”

The first “calm” concerts at the Colosseum are slated to take place within the next two years.

[Via: AP]

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Editor & Digital Director, follow him on Twitter