My meanderings thru the minefield of Camera's, as well as audio and video equipment with a smattering of Photography and a pinch of Quadcopters. We recently returned to Music production and so you’ll be seeing Music making posts as well from now on. Checkout our Music on Spotify , Apple Music or your favorite Music site
Listen to All that Jive by Kwekwe Karu on Deezer. With music streaming on Deezer you can discover more than 56 million tracks, create your own playlists, and share your favorite tracks with your friends.
The Netherlands follows Germany in COVID-19 precautionary partying.
The world took notice when news broke that Germany's Coconut Beach hosted what is believed to be the first socially distanced event at a club. Promoter TakaTuka, set up the event to host just 100 attendees at the open-air club, having each patron positioned in personal sections several feet apart. Now, Amsterdam is next to take on the challenge of hosting an event under the new regulations needed during COVID-19.
Amsterdam club RADION has announced they will be hosting a new event series called "Further," curated in partnership with Detroit's own DJ Bone, beginning on June 6th, 2020. The plan is to spearhead “a forward-thinking approach to maintaining club culture while Europe begins its recovery from the pandemic.” While Coconut Beach was open-air, much of RADION is not, so they are limiting the capacity of the club to only 30 people. The series will host a variety of themed nights including club, movie, quiz, and discussion parties.
The demand to get back to daily life in Amsterdam is high, exemplified by the first two shows for "Further" selling out in just a couple of hours. Joining in on the social distancing fun will be another Amsterdam institution, Sir Adam Hotel, who will be hosting a music festival for up to 120 attendees on June 20th, 2020 with the Dutch collective No Art. That part of the globe has always been a hub in the electronic music scene, and they are continuing to earn that title with innovative approaches like these.
To learn more about the Further event series and to purchase tickets, visit the official ticketing site here.
With Spain's plans to reopen, the open-air venue unveils a new 2020 party series.
Just last week we received the wonderful news that an Ibiza summer could still be in the cards when Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced that the country will reopen to international tourists starting July 1st. Now, Ibiza Rocks, the San Antonio open-air club and hotel, has announced they will be reopening alongside the travel lift and will launch a new party series titled "Poolside Sessions".
"We're seeing beaches, bars, and restaurants opening up and things are starting to feel really good for San Antonio this summer," Ibiza Rocks shared in a statement. "That being said, the challenges caused by COVID-19 mean that unfortunately we can't go ahead with our previously published July event programme, however, we do have a new plan in place."
"Poolside Sessions" will follow all the protocols set out by Spanish public health authorities, with a contingency plan in place in case of any infections. Being that it is an open-air venue, they expressed that they are "one of the safest environments to party in Ibiza," and hope to reinforce that notion by instating these new regulations. This includes staff temperature checks, personal protective equipment for employees, safety screens, hand sanitizers, contactless payments, additional daily cleaning, and a new social distanced layout for the bars, restaurants, and public areas of the hotel and venue.
While COVID-19 was proving to be doom for the White Isle, it's looking as if things may be turning around for at least some of those in the nightlife industry, predominantly the beach and open-air venues. With Spain being the second most popular tourist destination in the world, they were used to welcoming an estimated 80 million visitors annually prior to the onset of the pandemic. Their nightlife industry supported an estimated 12% of its total annual GDP, according to a recent report from DJ Mag, and it was dealt a massive blow when everything was shut down. We can only hope that a successful and safe reopening will usher in a method for other countries to follow suit.
To find out more about Ibiza Rocks' new "Poolside Sessions"seriesand the safety measures they've put into place, visit their website here.
"Having that knee on my neck for no more than 20 seconds was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt."
In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all those fighting tirelessly for racial justice following the death of George Floyd, the music industry participated in a sweeping blackout on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020. As part of its efforts to foster change, the industry at large halted day-to-day operations and used the day to reflect and stand with those who are fighting for a better future.
However, the end of the 24-hour blackout should, by no means, signal the end of the conversation surrounding racism and police brutality in our country. In fact, "Blackout Tuesday" has come and gone, but the battle against racial inequality in our country is far from over.
With the hopes of using our platform as a vehicle to foster change, we were ecstatic and humbled to speak with Mayne, who is one-half of renowned bass music duo BLVK JCVK. We had the distinct pleasure of chatting with Mayne about the harrowing times we're living in, how he plans on using his music to inspire change, and the expressive imagery in his new music video, which depicts a powerful reenactment of the tragic George Floyd incident.
EDM.com: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Mayne. I really appreciate it considering everything going on.
Mayne: No problem, fam. Thank you for this opportunity to speak out.
EDM.com: You recently dropped your new video for "WHVT," which moonlights as a much-needed amplification of the calls for racial justice. Can you expand on the message behind the video's intro? It's very powerful.
Mayne: Well, being a black man first, then a son, brother, uncle, husband, and artist, there’s no way I would sit back and not use my platform and my art to express the frustration and anger we all feel right now! So in the intro, you see me on the ground, reenacting the George Floyd tragedy and basically talking to all the people who expect a different reaction than what we’re witnessing right now. I don’t believe in destroying our own neighborhoods but I understand that sometimes you just gotta smash some shit to be seen and heard! So what the fuck you expect us to do when we keep seeing the same shit happen over and over with no consequences?
EDM.com: What exactly were you feeling while reenacting that callous incident?
Mayne: One word, brother. Pain. Besides the fact of being subdued and feeling helpless and ignored, pain!
EDM.com: The mental aspects are one thing, but the pain is another. How bad was the physical pain of being restrained like that? Could you feel how truly suffocated George Floyd must have been?
Mayne: Having that knee on my neck for no more than 20 seconds was the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt. I can only imagine what Mr. Floyd felt having the full force of hate, anger, and fear coming down on him through that officer's knee for almost 9 minutes. It really gave somewhat of a perspective on what he was going through.
EDM.com: In times like this, music is an incredibly powerful tool to use as a vehicle for necessary discourse and as a means of continuing the conversation surrounding racism. As a prominent Black artist in the electronic music world, how can you harness the topics at hand and manifest them in your music to inspire change?
Mayne: My music is a reflection of my feelings at that time, so whatever’s on my heart heavy at the time, it’s going to come out through my music. And I have a feeling we’re going to be on an emotional roller coaster ride for a minute.
EDM.com: How will these current events affect your creative process? Will you approach songwriting or production differently? How so?
Mayne: Well, again, my creative relies on my emotions, so depending on how this plays out, if we the people get justice or no justice, my music will depend on those emotions. One thing for sure—we ain't never gonna stop.
EDM.com: "Blackout Tuesday" was, in mind, only Act One of a larger initiative here to shed light on racism and police brutality. What changes can you foresee in our scene as a direct result of the George Floyd incident and ensuing protests?
Mayne: We wish to see more light shed on the importance of voting. Voting for your local officials that control your community.
If we can stress the importance of voting to these kids that have the power to make serious change in their own communities, we would see all the change we need. Choose the right district attorneys, police chiefs, et cetera. These are elective positions that play a very important rule in upholding the law in our communities.
EDM.com: In our mission to use our platform to foster change, what advice can you give our readers in terms of doing their part to align with your message?
Mayne: It’s simple. Do not remain silent or worry about being “politically correct.” Silence equals violence.
Due to COVID-19, the famous London venue faces permanent closure.
Historic Camden, London venue The Jazz Cafe celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020, but with COVID-19 sadly engulfing the world, the venue was forced to close its doors. It has officially been on hold for three months now and expects to be locked down for another six months at the minimum. In order to prevent the space from permanent closure, the venue has launched a crowdfunding campaign to ensure its survival during this pandemic.
The musical landmark has generated no income since closing, but still has a run rate of £31,000 per month. They have received no rent relief from their landlord and unfortunately do not qualify for a government grant—an issue many venues are facing during this time. In order to stay afloat, they are hoping the public will step in and support what has become a mainstay for some of the biggest names coming in and out of Camden, including Adele and the late Amy Winehouse.
The team set up the Crowdfunder is asking their community not for charitable donations, but for them to buy Jazz Cafe experiences ahead of time, to be redeemed when they reopen. The tiered reward system range from a drink, tickets to any club night of your choice, tickets to any gig of your choice, 3-course meal for 2-4 people, and entry to every gig in 2021. The biggest package, priced at £1000, gives you access to every gig for the next 5 years and 5 VIP tickets to Maiden Voyage Festival 2021.
Every £31,000 raised will help to secure their future for another month and will help protect the livelihood of hundreds of people, including musicians, sound engineers, resident DJs, bar staff, chefs, and security guards. The campaign was able to raise over £97,000 in three days and currently stands at £105,668 with a goal of £186,000. You can learn more about the fundraiser and how to donate here.
Alongside this mission is the UK's Music Venue Trust, which launched back in April with the #saveourvenues campaign to provide funding to venues threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, raising over £1 million of donations in the first week alone. Venues across the world are facing similar issues to The Jazz Cafe, including fabled LA venue The Troubadour, who recently announced they are heading towards permanent foreclosure. The potential closing of The Jazz Cafe further begs the question, "Will the industry ever be the same?"
Bauuer's announcement was made in solidarity with those fighting against racial injustice.
Baauer took to Twitter today to announce the indefinite postponement of Planet's Mad, his highly anticipated sophomore album. "I dont wanna promote an album rn," he wrote. Originally slated for a June 5th, 2020 release, Planet's Mad has been shelved amid nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd's death.
In his tweet, the renowned "Harlem Shake" producer also took the time to reaffirm his support for those fighting against racial injustice.
Back on May 6th, Baauer released the album's second single "AETHER," which followed the project's titular track. Along with the song's release came an accompanying music video that interweaved it through an alien landscape, taking fans on an audiovisual journey through the inspiration behind Planet's Mad. Baauer also unveiled a b-side called "YEHOO," which was produced alongside fellow bass music heavy-hitter Holly.
As of the time of writing, Baauer has not announced a new release date for Planet's Mad
8 minutes and 46 seconds is representative of the amount of time a police officer kneeled on George Floyd's neck, which led to his death.
During the sweeping music industry blackout in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Spotify made a number of business decisions in their mission to shed light on racial injustice and stand with Black creators. Among other initiatives, Spotify added 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence to various playlists, which represents the length of time a police officer kneeled on Floyd's neck, which led to his death.
In an official Spotify blog post shared on June 1st, 2020, the company detailed its plans and objectives surrounding the industry blackout. "June 2 is Black Out Tuesday, a day of collective disconnect from work meant to help people reflect and come together in support of the Black community," the post reads. "On this day—and every day—Spotify will support our employees, friends, partners, artists, and creators in the fight against racism, injustice, and inequity."
"We are using the power of our platform to stand with Black creators, amplify their voices, and accelerate meaningful conversation and long-needed change," the the statement continues. "As a result, you’ll notice some changes on Spotify starting at 12:01 AM on Tuesday."
In addition to adding 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence to several of its owned-and-operated playlists, Spotify also amplified its "Black History Is Now" hub, included specially curated songs to highlight Black voices, and shut down social media publication.
Moreover, the streaming giant also said it will be matching donations from its employees to organizations focused on the fight against racism.
Music conferences have never been more inclusive than they are now.
With the pandemic still gripping our world, music industry professionals continue to come up with new and exciting ways to connect with the community. We've seen this in the rise of livestreams, shows taking place on video game platforms like Minecraft and Fortnite, and even drive-in festivals. Next up to be uploaded to the virtual world is music conferences, like the one Dancefair is hosting on September 5th and 6th, 2020.
Prior to this, music conferences have been somewhat of an insider-only kind of event, reserved for those who can commute, pay big money, or are entrenched as an industry professional. Dancefair is now making the conference inclusive, launching the world's biggest free virtual music conference this fall with over 200 programs and 16 virtual rooms.
The event will be the informational music hotspot with 48 hours of straight content. The virtual rooms will host over 150 masterclasses, workshops, panels, DJ sets, and a virtual expo floor, which are all easily accessible. All attendees need is a computer and a good internet connection and they will be able to connect with the global electronic scene, engage in conversations in multiple chatrooms, and obtain feedback on their own music, all while learning from the pros for free.
The Dutch conference Dancefair has been bringing together music makers and music professionals for the last nine years. They've hosted upwards of 500 artists, including Armin van Buuren, DJ Sneak, Hardwell, Joris Voorn, Kevin Saunderson, Martin Garrix, Pan-Pot, and Wildstylez, all sharing their immense musical knowledge for over 7,000 attendees. Dancefair founder Norman Soares says that they will be releasing more information on the upcoming free virtual edition of the conference over the next month, so stay tuned.
Dancefair Virtual Conference is scheduled for September 5th and 6th, 2020. You can claim your free ticket and learn more here.
