While electronic music continues to echo through ancient temples, deserts and UNESCO-protected landmarks around the world, Rome’s Colosseum won’t be joining the rave revolution anytime soon.
The dream of a DJ dropping a sunrise set inside the nearly 2,000-year-old arena just met a firm reality check from Simone Quilici, the newly appointed Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park.
In his first international interview since taking the role, Quilici moved to extinguish social-media speculation sparked by misinterpreted comments suggesting raves might one day come to the historic amphitheater where gladiators once fought.
“The music must be carefully controlled,” Quilici told the Associated Press, clarifying that any future performances would be limited to calm, culturally aligned artists — not club-fueled crowds.
“The important thing is that it’s not a wild audience.”
His comments follow backlash from archaeologists and Romans concerned that turning the monument into a nightlife venue could threaten the fragile structure and undermine its historical integrity. Even electronic music fans expressed worries that a full-scale rave could physically and culturally compromise the site.
The stance contrasts sharply with a global trend where UNESCO sites have hosted ambitious electronic performances — a movement that reached new heights this fall when Anyma performed near the Great Pyramids of Giza, sparking cultural debate and even a lawsuit from activists citing vibration risk and improper laser use.
According to Quilici, the first controlled cultural performances at the Colosseum are still at least two years away, and any programming will prioritize preservation over spectacle.
For now, Rome’s most iconic monument remains a stage for history — not a dancefloor.
