It may be counterintuitive at a sound, light and music festival to disconnect from your phone for a few hours of quiet time, but it really helps reset the mind. The Offline Club as a concept started in the coffee shops of Amsterdam. It has trended (ironically via Instagram) to places such as Dubai, Berlin, London and Barcelona. In London, the event takes place weekly and is gaining popularity every day. This year, The Offline Club is visiting Adelaide as part of the Illuminate Festival.
Three Dutch lads, Ilya Kneppelhout, Jordy van Bennekom, and Valentijn Klok founded The Offline Club, inspired by their own experiences of digital overload and the desire for more genuine human connections. The aim of the event is to be a sanctuary from the digital world, with people engaging in face-to-face interactions, listening to music, watching silent movies and playing games.
Illuminate Adelaide Co-founders and Creative Directors, Lee Cumberlidge and Rachael Azzopardi have been pushing the boundaries of what makes the event special and this is an inspired choice by the pair. There are five different events at five different venues throughout the festival. We attended Sunday’s event at Papershell Farm near Willunga in the Adelaide’s southern districts McLaren Vale wine region.
Guests arrive at midday, are greeted by the trio and their phones secured away in silent mode in the “phone motel.” This gives everyone time to take in the surroundings, organise a drink (a bar tab for those that can only pay by phone) and take possibly their first “offline” breaths. Papershell Farm was an almond orchard that has evolved into a winery and entertainment zone under the guidance of owner and former Empire of the Sun live performance band member, Surahn Sidhu. With his eldest son running the bar, a brother cooking the bbq lunch and his wife and young child overseeing some tree planting, it was a real family affair. His parents were also there, casting a proud eye over the day’s proceedings.
Once everyone had settled, Surahn welcomed the audience and explained a little about the evolution of the farm. Ilya then went on to tell the story of the birth and growth of the concept of the Offline Club and to explain the afternoon proceedings. The first “task” for us all was to be quiet for an hour; no talking. What you did for that hour was up to you. Many chose to dabble in colouring books, jigsaws, origami or guerrilla poetry. Some wandered the property, others sat silently, others played chess or watched silent movies. Suddenly the hour was up and there was an instant and palpable connection between the members of the group. The shared experience of disconnecting had an euphoric effect. People were excited to talk about what they had done and created. There was almost a child-like sense of discovery that seems to get lost as we grow older.
A delicious lunch was followed by tree planting and the effect was that of a communal sharing of spirits. Surahn then enlisted the help of some neighbours who accompanied him on bass and a box drum, to give us some intimate songs inside the cosy wood-lined dining room. He confessed that after several years touring that there was one song that he had had enough of. Still, he graciously gave us his own interpretation of “Walking on a Dream” – a version that was truly sublime.
As the vintage vinyls played on the ridiculously good sound system well into the afternoon, people’s perception of what it means to fully disconnect became clearer. About the newest nod to technology was a child’s toy camera that printed instant black and white photos. These became souvenirs of a memorable day, either personally or in the shared journal. My personal page from my journal is captured below by my phone camera. Slowly, people returned to their city lives, with some staying to share a moment in front of the bonfire.
I would highly recommend that those who are tempted to break the insidious bond between man and phone, do so in this caring and nurturing environment. This is sure to be a trend that becomes a part of our lives.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
There are three more chances to experience time away from your phone in a nurturing environment:
