Livestreaming During the COVID-19 Crisis: Electronic Music Reviews From Isolation

Words by Hollie McGowan

Earlier this month on March 13th in the wake of COVID-19, award-winning writer and researcher of the global music business, Cherie Hu, began compiling a directory of live virtual events to be updated on a continual basis. In the forward, she makes a statement in response to the immediate cancellation of events worldwide such as SXSW, Ultra, and Tomorrowland Winter. “But all that hard work and planning isn’t necessarily for nothing. There’s an opportunity for artists, speakers and event organizers to embrace a fan-engagement tactic that many had previously considered “emerging” or “niche,” but is now arguably one of the most practical paths forward for performing artists in the wake of virtually no other alternative: Livestreaming.”

Undeniably one of the saving graces throughout this global pandemic has been the musicians taking part in virtual music performances worldwide. Streaming live from their own studios, bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms, artists across all genres are taking part in something truly phenomenal in their efforts to entertain and inspire the masses currently on lockdown. As we individually hunker down in our dwelling areas to wait out the onslaught of COVID-19 and “flatten the curve”, a phrase we are all becoming well-aware of, we are united by the unwavering power of music. Below is a review of this past weekend’s live DJ sets caught streaming from around the world.

Beginning on Wednesday March 25th, the trickle of DJ sets began creeping in again from the previous weekend. By roughly 2:00pm PST, British producer and DJ, Addison Groove, had showed up online via Instagram for which he designated his own nightly slot. He called his sets the “Barrel Room Sessions”, a take on the well-known live DJ streaming platform, Boiler Room. Each day Addison Groove designated a certain genre of electronic music and beverage of choice. On this day in particular, it was sauvignon blanc and dub until around 3pm when he moved into dubstep territory. Addison Groove had also taken to often chatting with his locked in listenership, covering everything from the current state of the world to music to alcoholic beverage essentials such as his wine aerator.

Simultaneously, Vancouver based musician and loop machine wizard, Mark Woodyard began a live stream of his own. First laying down some beats while sampling his voice to be looped, Woodward then layered some funky guitar riffs over top, filling out the sound with groovy melodies, additional vocals and MCing.

At around 6:30pm, Vancouver based DJs, Max Ulis and Andy Solomon had taken to the decks via exfm.live. Playing back to back, the two meandered through various sounds of high caliber house and techno, bopping their heads all the while.

By Thursday 26th at around noon, Vancouver based DJ, Skylar Love had jumped on the self-isolation performance bandwagon from their kitchen. Rinsing out some disco boogie, r ‘n b, and classic 80s jams, they kept the energy high and happy while small images of cats danced in the corners of their screen.

Over at Boiler Room’s Streaming From Isolation, German DJ, producer, and “Quarantine Queen”, Helena Hauff, played some techno from her living room. While their scheduled performers played live under lockdown, Boiler Room was raising funds for the Global FoodBanking Network.  

At 2:00pm PST, Addison Groove had popped in for his nightly “Barrel Room Sessions” which on this particular day he had assigned garage and Chilean merlot. He and his Barrel Room aficionado online crew discussed their favorite garage tracks as he played them from the likes of El-B and Churro.

By approximately 3pm, Vancouver DJ and producer, DJ Cure had begun his Champagne Emoji show via twitch. Although already a running Vancouver radio show on No Fun Radio, in the spirit of live stream music performance during the current pandemic, DJ Cure joined his fellow electronic music artists to provide entertainment to those “staying the fuck home”. Executing his seamless transitions between a variety of bpms, his listeners got a little of everything bass oriented from footwork to grime.

At 6:30pm PST, Vancouver based DJ, Woodhead began his evening set for local Vancouver bar, Keefer Bar’s Living Room Sessions, Live Stream From the Quarantine. From his own living room, Woodhead played a lovely deep house set while giving praise to the frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis. “If you can’t go to the club, the club comes to you,” he assured his listeners.

By nightfall, Victoria acid house and techno crew, Vic Acid, began their evening of live streaming from Quazar’s Arcade via wheel, fm. The #SHUTDOWN Edition was a smorgasbord of acid house and techno delights from Victoria DJs, Looting, Big Body, Hrdvsion, and Rhythmicon. At one point during his set, I do believe I even heard Rhythmicon drop an acid variation of Mr. Oizo’s Flat Beat.

On Friday March 27th as the world continued losing their minds in full-on cabin fever mode, Boiler Room’s Streaming From Isolation continued as a London based DJ, Call Supper, stepped up the plate to live stream from his home. Beginning with some experimental jazz before moving into some samba, Call Super continued his sojourn through a variety of experimental electronic sounds.

At around 1:30 in the afternoon PST, Disclosure jumped in via Instagram. Live streaming from his kitchen, one member of the Laurence brother duo played a fun and funky house and disco set. At one point he got on the mike and connected with his listeners, “It’s Friday night! We’ve all got to dance, even if it’s at home!”

At roughly the same time, Resident Advisor’s 42-hour Club Quarantine opened its virtual doors to the public. A truly fascinating experience, the club was not simply a webcam and a DJ, it was a whole world to enter and explore. Upon embarking Club Quarantine, one was asked several questions such as their age and who was on the line-up before waiting in que to “enter the club”. Once inside, one could choose to go to either “the bar”, “the bathroom”, “the cloakroom, or “the dancefloor”. If you chose the bar, you had the option of donating to a cause instead of buying a drink. If you chose to enter the bathroom, a variety of dirty and graffiti covered bathroom stalls one may usually find in a club were made available in virtual form. On the dancefloor, the music was brought to a higher level, the imagery dark with flashing colored lights likened to an actual club experience. On the line-up to play at Club Quarantine throughout the weekend were noted artists such as Skee Mask, Shanti Celeste, and Randomer, yet never in view from the listeners which became somewhat of a guessing game for those in the chat room.  

Beginning at around 3pm PST, Drum Beat’s Virtual Pow Wow Fest had begun its two-day online rave featuring an all-Indigenous line-up with artists tuning in throughout the Canada via twitch. Running the gamut of electronic music genres from trap to techno to d ‘n b, the festival was a heartwarming, coming together of not only people in isolation, but of First Nations talent. During the entire two days, artists and listeners were in constant communication and support of one another in the festival chat room. Featuring Dj Kookum and Boogey The Beat, the roster was simply stacked to the nines. Later in the evening at the end of his set, Young Dene, called out to the online crowd, “Stay safe. Stay strong out there. Reach out to one another. We’re gonna make it if we work together. Let’s do this!”

Over at Beatport, things were also in full swing as they launched their 34-hour live stream marathon, ReConnect. On the line-up for the event included world-renowned artists such as Carl Cox, Bonobo, Pete Tong, Nina Kraviz, and Griz, to name a few. Later, it was announced that the live-streaming party had raised over $180,000 for the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, and the AFEM Members’ COVID-19 Hardship Fund.

By Saturday March 28th the online global electronic music community was at its high point in true party form. The amount of local and worldwide virtual events had risen to such a level that keeping up became almost as difficult as it normally does in regular time. At around 2pm PST, New York based DJs Octo Octa and Eris Drew began their B2B Forest Throwdown. For over 3 hours, the pair played a straight-up Saturday rave with their full set-up right in the middle of the forest. It basically was an outdoor music festival! You know, just minus all the people.  

Over at Boiler Room’s Streaming From Isolation, DJ EZ had begun his 24-hour non stop set, a set so long that it had to be broken up into several youtube videos. Doing what he does best, DJ EZ played a marathon of garage like no body’s business. At one point in the middle of his ridiculously long set, he took a quick seat to snack on a few chips. Does the man ever sleep?

Hosted by Deep House Vancouver, Current Livestream had also launched its live stream event via twitch featuring Vancouver based DJs Niki Sadeki, DJ Kevin Shiu, and Adam Biggs of MA/AM. Each artist played their own variation of deep house while BentMatter provided trippy visuals in the background. On their event page, they stated, “Our goal is to assemble and gather resources for the local artists who's livelihood has been impacted by the pandemic, with the global music community in our minds, and hearts. We declare our solidarity.”

Saturday was so jam packed with multitudes of virtual parties and festivals going simultaneously, by Sunday March 29th things were slowly starting to taper off and calm down online. By about 10:30am PST, Mood Change had begun streaming via exfm.live with some chill house grooves for the morning. Over at Boiler Room, DJ EZ still appeared to have not gone to bed nor dared to play anything but garage.

Livestreaming is nothing new. Yet it has already, and will no doubt continue to play a crucial role for the survival of the global electronic music community and other communities worldwide. As we move ahead and through our post-pandemic world, what will it look like? For now, it appears as though artists and fans alike will be coming together virtually for the next while in a united effort to connect and support one another throughout this pandemic. Check back in next week for another review of electronic music livestream events.