Retrogroove: Keeping the Party Going in Uncertain Times

CairoScene

27-03-2025

In Lebanon, despite the relentless hum of Israeli airstrikes, nightlife exists in an uneasy rhythm, often interrupted by the weight of a dystopian reality yet never truly slumping. Against the odds, it quietly persists, driven by collectives like retrogroove, whose parties have become more than just gatherings; they are spaces where Beirut's enduring spirit takes form—however briefly—against the backdrop of an uncertain tomorrow. The dancefloor becomes a delicate balancing act reflecting the resilience and perseverance of a vibrant clubbing culture that has long resisted.
However, as Israeli attacks escalated over the past year, retrogroove was forced to temporarily move operations to the UAE for a couple of months, concentrating their efforts around the summer and holiday season by throwing parties across Dubai, Egypt, and London.
Instead of retreating, the collective has adapted to the situation, navigating each event with an acute awareness of the shifting socio-political landscape—sometimes canceling when necessary, other times doubling down on their role as cultural connectors by using their platform to amplify the voices of artists and communities who need to be heard.
The collective's evolution reflects a nuanced understanding of their role: not merely as purveyors of nightlife, but as architects of a community resilient enough to find joy amidst chaos, redefining what it means to party in a region perpetually on edge.
We spoke with Ralph Nasr, a Lebanese DJ and one of the visionaries behind retrogroove, about how the collective maintained its thriving party scene while remaining sensitive to the ever-shifting socio-political climate across the region, and about his strategy for growing retrogroove into a MENA-wide platform for creative self-expression.
Maintaining a vibrant party atmosphere during a period of such political tension across the region is definitely not easy. How did you manoeuvre organizing events to keep the spirit of celebration and hope alive while remaining sensitive to the current socio-political climate?
It's undeniably challenging, especially since most of our team is from the region and hence deeply affected by ongoing events. At times, we have to make tough decisions, including canceling events, even when they are not directly in Lebanon, because it doesn't feel appropriate to proceed. We assess each situation on an event-by-event basis, as these decisions are often critical. While we understand that many people turn to parties and celebrations as a way to detach and find moments of joy, it can sometimes feel insensitive given the circumstances. To navigate this, we aim to be vocal about the realities of what's happening, using our platforms and communities to shed light on these issues. We also adjust our focus toward cultural and non-event-related initiatives, allowing us to maintain engagement while honouring the gravity of the situation. It's a continuous effort to balance hope, solidarity, and sensitivity.
James G. Khoury | Ralph Nasr
Music and partying can be acts of defiance during uncertain times, a way of holding onto one's identity. What are your thoughts on that, and what keeps you going, especially when it gets too difficult to continue with the same passion?
Partying at such times can be an act of defiance or simply insensitive, depending on the context. It's a fine line to tread. In a sense, it can sometimes be the only thing keeping us sane and alive when things get overwhelming. However, in the ongoing war and conflicts, the violence we've witnessed and endured has often made us reconsider the nature or value of our work. So, we learned to see music and visual art not just as entertainment, but as means to educate and inspire. To achieve this, we collaborate with diverse artists to explore new topics, curate playlists that express strong, vocal stances, and incorporate art that reflects these ideas. This approach allows us to connect deeply with our community.
With media warnings discouraging travel to Lebanon, how do you foster a safe environment at your parties, and how do you communicate that to international artists?
Planning events during uncertain times is definitely challenging. Convincing artists to perform required significant trust-building, as many were hesitant due to safety concerns. The media often painted a grim picture, making it difficult to book international talent in advance. We worked hard to communicate the reality on the ground and reassure artists or agencies when things were not as dire as they appeared—although sometimes they were, which led us to cancel some shows.
It wasn't just about logistics; it was about fostering confidence, demonstrating that despite external uncertainties, Lebanon is a country where people love to live and enjoy life to the fullest. The spirit of Lebanon and the resilience of our community create a secure and welcoming environment for everyone involved, and it is this very spirit that motivates us.
Your events have a grandiose festival feel, yet still feel intimate. How do you achieve this? And how did you adapt your strategy in response to Lebanon's escalated situation to maintain the same vibe?
We prioritize daytime parties, invite vendors, hold wellness and yoga sessions in the early event hours, and maximize art direction to transform spaces into unusual, colourful setups. The music and vibe naturally follow, with our warm and welcoming community at the center, making the parties intimate and free of rigid rules.
Sadly, due to the incidents in Lebanon over recent years, our primary audience has moved abroad for study or work, turning the nightlife industry into a seasonal "harvest."
Particularly as war broke out last year, we had to halt operations in Lebanon entirely and temporarily relocate our efforts to the UAE, notably where many Lebanese expats currently reside. In the off-season, we leveraged the presence of our communities abroad, making the most of circumstances by creating memories in places like Dubai, Egypt, and London. However, it's not always easy to replicate the same calibre of experience away from home—that's another topic entirely.
You've mentioned creative self-expression as central to retrogroove's ethos. Can you elaborate on this and how you leverage your platform to support the local nightlife community?
Initially, our page was created as a platform for creative expression through music, visual art, and discussing social topics important to our community. We curate a lot of content by seeking out artists whose work resonates with Lebanon, the region, or even internationally. We also push our values, music philosophy, and vocalize important, sometimes controversial stances, hoping to empower and inspire our community to feel deeply, reflect, and appreciate authentic self-expression as creatives and, most importantly, as humans.
How did you manage to grow your retrogroove into the MENA-wide platform that it is today?
The growth of retrogroove into a well-established Middle Eastern collective for house and disco heads began when we started exporting the brand to nearby countries where there are mostly Lebanese expats. The succession of crises at home pushed out a lot of the young adult crowd into the GCC world in the past decade, which we used to our advantage to expand our activities. We also were the only consistent true-to-our-mission outlet to advocate for this style of music, vibe and culture in the past few years, which eventually paid off and opened the door for countless collaborations. For example, we had the chance to meet the beautiful people of Nacelle, from Egypt, whom we now call our family and who have been working together since then and throwing parties across the region.
Does the process of curating your lineups change depending on each city you're hosting your parties?
When it comes to curating our lineups, diversity is essential. We collaborate extensively with other regional artists, at least in every city we go to and invite upcoming DJs to most of our events to bring new talent to the forefront. We do have a need for consistency too, so we wouldn't trust anyone to deliver the main dish without a vetting process just yet.
What is one of the most memorable moments of your parties this year, which you feel has served as a catalyst for positive social impact or empowerment with the community?
One of the most meaningful moments for us this year was seeing how our events became a refuge for people amidst all the uncertainty. Despite everything happening in Lebanon and the region, the positive energy and feedback we received reassured us that we were creating more than just parties, we were fostering a space where people could detach, find joy, and build a sense of community and collectiveness.
What advice would you give other organizations or individuals looking to use their platforms to promote community engagement, creativity, and unity during challenging times?
It's a fine line between opportunistic and authentic. You wouldn't want to jump on certain trends just because it makes you look good or helps a certain agenda and makes sense at that point in time. People can see through this. And that usually happens when there are no clear ethos or values driving the brand's decision-making. We would always encourage people and organizations to speak from their hearts and to accept that sometimes whatever you do people will find ways to interpret it against you. It's about being true to yourself and consistent with your intentions.
In terms of supporting Lebanon's culture and nightlife community, are there any projects you are currently working on that you can share with us?
The retrogroove team is today part of the larger Hot Axis agency which services and manages all our artists and brands such as somewhere…, Aegis Festival, Lovescape Festival and a few more interesting projects underway which we believe will help us create a richer and more dynamic ecosystem for the nightlife community in Lebanon at this point in time.