There was a mix of subdued apprehension and tingling excitement as I made my way in a cab to AntiSocial with a couple of friends on Wednesday, the night the venue reopened for live gigs after you know what. Apprehension, because we would be standing in a closed space with strangers even as the pandemic shows no signs of abetting. And excitement because, well, we have all been thirsting for the visceral feeling of a band thrashing it out live on stage. Think of the mixed feelings that someone getting ready for a blind date might get. That's how we felt while getting off the cab at Lower Parel, where AntiSocial is located.

On reaching the venue, our temperatures were checked at the door, where we were also asked to sanitise our hands and download a government-necessitated app. And on entering, the first thing that greeted us was the unfamiliar smell of a UVC system, which does the job of constantly purifying the air within. The other thing that we noticed were markings made with neon tapes that made the floor look like a Twister mat of sorts, except that instead of wriggling around bodies as you would do in the popular game, these spots were designated for social distancing. That was the only structural change at the place. So far, so good. But where were the people? There were barely 10 audience members when we walked in around 9 pm. Could it be that Mumbai — the city that never sleeps — is still not ready to return to its roots as the country's party capital? That's the question I had as I scanned a QR code with my phone to peruse the F&B menu, which has been retained in its entirety.