Alternatives To Live Music in Lockdown
We have now entered our second lockdown and of course, the Live Music scene has mostly been left to fend for itself, with a lot of artists and creatives falling through the government’s ‘safety net’. As a result of this, artists and music businesses have had to adapt the way they operate, altering their creative avenues when making and releasing content. We at vibe rating have compiled a shortlist of the type of content that we’ve been consuming in an attempt to quench our thirst for live shows over the last months.
Get in touch if you have any more suggestions and we’ll give them a listen! Let’s get into this:
1. SWU.FM
With most of our contributors hailing from Bristol, it would have been an injustice to not mention the long-awaited SWU.FM, that has impressively launched during this pandemic. This local radio station has been years in the making and now broadcasts 24/7 on 103.7FM in the South West, as well as online for those outside the broadcast radius. The station centres mainly around showcasing all kinds of musical Bristol talent, as well as artists from further afield. We’ve been locking into live shows when we can, as well as catching up online. Some of our favourites shows are Sir Hiss, Gardna, J OH ZEE, and Sam Binga. Check Out There Website Here!
2. 1020 RADIO
1020 is an online radio that broadcasts worldwide from Bristol. The station doesn’t concentrate on a particular genre, making the online platform appealing to all types of music-lovers. Take a listen to them live, as well as scrolling through and checking out their extensive back catalogue of shows on their Mixcloud and website. One show we enjoyed was from Bristol DJ Ellison. He invites local Hip-hop producers Billy the Kid and George Hosk to discuss their creative process. They also take us on a journey through the tracks that have influenced their careers and production styles! Listen Here if you’re interested. Although this doesn’t directly emulate a live setting, it’s an insightful alternative that we’ve found ourselves engaging with during these strange times. Check Out There Website Here!
3. COLORS
Colors YouTube channel comes as a similar alternative as NPR’s Tiny Desk. It features stripped-back performances from a wide span of artists, with a focus on visual aesthetics. They’ve mostly been able to operate as normal throughout the pandemic, hosting a range of artists from different countries, including many UK artists. One that particularly shone for us was London rapper Jelani Blackman. Take a look and let us know what you think! Check Out Their Youtube Channel Here!
4. KEEP HUSH
The team at Keep Hush are known for pairing their intimate UK events of hard-hitting bass music artists with digital live streaming. In September they paired up with Oil Club in China, where they’ve ironically been allowed to host heavily attended club nights for a number of months. Although the stream makes for a jealous watch, it is comprised of four impressive Drum and Bass, Techno and Dubstep inspired sets, and also is a glimmer of hope for the revival of the UK club scene. Check Out There Website Here!
5. NPR TINY DESK CONCERT
Over the years, NPR Music’s Tiny Desk series has hosted a variety of established and upcoming artists from across the globe. Since the start of the pandemic, NPR have been getting artists to record performances in the comfort of their own homes, or other personal settings. This adaptation has allowed them to have more control over their performance’s aesthetic, with many putting effort into visual aspects, like lighting, effects, and location. Some favourites of ours over the lockdown period have been Protoje’s, BEAM’s, and Jhene Aiko’s. Check Out There Youtube Channel Here!
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