The New Nightlife Rule: Why We’re Ditching Screens For Real Connection

Picture this: you're at a gig to see your favourite DJ and your view is blocked by a sea of tiny screens—recording an iconic moment that'll be lost forever to the depths of a camera roll. The following weekend, you're on a sweaty dancefloor ready to throw some shapes, but in the back of your mind, you can already picture it ending up on a meme account in someone else's FYP.

The fear and frustration of ever-present phones seems to be universal, with comment threads and thinkpieces flooding the internet with backlash around punters being too busy filming to actually be present. Is it just the age-old trope of older generations being baffled by the youth? Or is there a bigger conversation to be had around the role of smartphones in contemporary culture? 

Less about being anti-tech, the current plea for more IRL connection is much more than a quirky, flash-in-the-pan trend—or an internet pet peeve. Instead, it’s grounded in the collective human craving to sit across from a mate, pour a glass, and catch up through conversation instead of via a FYP page.

From the rise in screen-free secret supper clubs to digi-detox underground raves, the message is clear: it’s time to put down your phone and dive headfirst into real-life connection, flavour, and vibes.

Passionate about creating moments for meaningful connection, we joined forces with the lords of mixing and mingling over at Monkey Shoulder, to dive into why the phone-free movement is picking up momentum.

So, Why The Backlash?

The verdict's in: phones aren’t just distracting us, they’re messing with our minds in a big way. Excessive use has been linked to anxiety, stress, depression and loneliness. On top of that, they scramble our attention, stifle creativity, and wreck our sleep. Honestly, it’s a wonder we even keep them around.

The good news? Dialling back screen time, even just locking your phone away for a night or two, can seriously boost mood, mental health, focus, and actually get us moving, socialising, and reconnecting with the world around us.

Research has also shown us that even having a phone on the table during a catch-up can dampen enjoyment and weaken feelings of connection. Let’s be honest, we all know our mates are half-listening because they’re half-scrolling, and it makes the whole night fall a little flat.

Kicking Fomo To The Curb

A generation that has been exposed to to the highs and lows of social media since birth, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are taking matters into their own hands. Dialling back phone addictions and rebelling against the impulse to capture everything, they're switching to dumb phones, ditching the apps, and connecting face-to-face. The digital cameras and flip phones of decades past are back, with only the most basic functionality on offer (game of snake, anyone?). Smartphone apps that remove colour and simplify the home screen are also being rolled out around the world to help curb that urge to scroll. 

And it's not just the kids setting self-imposed bans. From Manchester and London to Ibiza and Berlin—and now Australia—venues are jumping on the phone-free bandwagon, banning or encouraging punters to put their phones away and soak up the atmosphere. 

Yup, forget the food porn, because according to many of Australia's leading food, music and beverage venues, the hottest flex right now is actually not posting at all.

Take Monkey Shoulder's Thursday Mosh Events, which are all about breaking the cycle of swiping right on dating apps and getting back to mingling IRL. Attendees are encouraged to stick around after the show to mingle in the beer garden, swap stories, and maybe even line up a date of their own—driven by the belief that "dating’s better with friends, and way funnier off the apps."

Trivia nights are also making a big comeback at local pubs and RSLs, where the use of a smartphone will, at best, see you publicly named and shamed by the host—and at worst, see you disqualified from the running altogether. 

As the popularity of shared bathhouses grows around Aus, so does the pushback from venues like Alba Thermal Springs in Victoria and Bathhouse Albion in Brisbane, which have made the call to ditch the phones so you can switch off and experience some quality me-time. Conversation is encouraged (no spa voices required), but phones are absolutely not. According to Albion, that's "to ensure total relaxation for you, and privacy for other guests." Music to our ears. 

Artists and performers have also been calling phone use out for years. You know the drill, you rock up to a Boiler Room ready to dance, only to be met with a sea of screens, or wander into an exhibition to realise you’ve already seen it through your mate’s stories. That’s the energy drain creators and modern venues are pushing back against, and why more of them are calling time on screens in their spaces.

Comedian Chris Rock famously locks away phones at his shows, while mega DJs like Fred again.. and Peggy Gou encourage no-filming moments to keep the crowd fully locked in. Even Sydney’s Mary’s Underground has tested phone-light gigs to keep the energy raw and immersive. Because at the end of the day, artists don’t want their sets reduced to shaky clips, they want them to be lived. 

And honestly? There’s something pretty cool about waking up without blurry videos or a rogue story upload, and instead remembering a night you fully experienced, no proof needed.

At the end of the day, going phone-free isn’t about being anti-tech—it’s about reclaiming connection, presence, and a bit of mystery in an over-documented world. So the next time you’re out, don’t worry if your outfit hits the feed because no one’s posting anyway. And honestly? That’s the point.

Need somewhere to head out in that cute outfit? Monkey Shoulder are taking over The Greenwood Hotel this October and turning it into the ultimate IRL connection spot—perfect for putting the scroll on pause and soaking up the good vibes. Check out what’s coming and start plotting your social calendar here.

So next time you’re feeling a little low, give yourself (and your mates) a mini reset. Head to the pub, leave your phone in your pocket, and soak up the moment. Trust us, your brain and your mood will thank you later.

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Monkey Shoulder and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

Image credit: Urban List