Good Vibrationz are back with more whacky events

Good Vibrationz, a collective of artists, filmmakers and self-proclaimed “messers” who organise and host events around Dublin, are back in business as they prepare to resume their events after cancelling 250 of them this summer due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The collective are known for their Photo Walks, Drink and Draw classes and Dublin Night Tours. They resumed their photowalk event last Sunday, July 26th, after being out of action for months.

“The response has been so good,” said Diarmuid Montgomery Clery, one of the organisers. Despite the lockdown, it seems people are more eager than ever to get back out there and have fun.

“A man came on our photowalk who just moved to Ireland before lockdown,” explained Diarmuid. “Our photowalk was his first social interaction in Dublin in four months - he was so excited he bought everyone an ice cream and at one point we were down on Grand Canal docks eating ice cream in the rain at about 10pm, where the guards drove slowly by looking very confused.”

In order to comply with public health guidelines, Good Vibrationz have reduced the capacity of their events by 70%. “It's going to be tough but sure look, be grand,” Diarmuid said. Their walking tours are now back on every Saturday and Sunday, with a whole host of new themes, including a music based walk, starting in the days of Dubin folk music and ending with the emergence of Irish hip hop. Their hugely popular Drink and Draw classes are kicking off on the 15th of August, fully socially distanced.

Unfortunately over the course of the pandemic the pop up venue that Good Vibrationz were using, the Arts Bar in Krust Bakery, has gone out of business. But now they will be hosting their events in a new city centre space – nicknamed the Arts Bar 2.0. “We're kicking off mid August with some Drink & Draw and Pottery events,” said Diarmuid. “We plan to open 4 nights a week with a mixture of paint nights, jewellery making pottery and storytelling.”

Despite the lockdown, Good Vibrationz were still very busy hosting their events online. They held a competition to paint or draw President Michael D. Higgins, which ended up being very successful. “We got over 100 entries, it was absolutely class!” laughed Diarmuid. “The youngest was 4 and oldest entry was a lady in her 70's who was in self isolation.”

“We also did some free Drink & Draw online art events and a few virtual flea markets. I've been running flea markets for years and a friend was complaining she wasn't getting any sales off her prints online so we hatched a plan to host a virtual market but then we got bazillions of applications to take part - it was bananas. Some of the sellers told me afterwards they made a few sales and grew their small business so that was nice.”

Good Vibrationz are excited to get back into the swing of things, but are aware they are now hosting their events in a completely different environment than before. “I have a genuine fear of a backlash from hosting our events as some people have this belief that anything non-essential shouldn't be happening,” said Diarmuid. “We host a life drawing class called Neon Nude Life Drawing which involves UV Lights, nude models dancing and posing and pumping disco music.

“There's been lots of messages asking when it's returning but I'm nervous and cautious. We can host it in a totally safe way with social distancing but I don't know if something that crazy belongs in life after COVID? As an event operator in today’s world all it takes is one person getting hammered and doing something silly on camera to make or break business.”

Despite some apprehension, Diarmuid is sure that overall people are ready to get back out there and have fun. “I think people are mad to socialize and connect but don't know what to do. How do you make new friends after a pandemic? I don't know for sure but at our events we are trying to solve that while promoting creativity and good vibes.”