How I Listened to 4 Live Streams and Trance Classics with DJ fmfstaff
Yes, I’m at home. And yes, like many of you I have watched online music streams in the past. But watching four online music streams in three days? Even I have to admit that this is extreme but because we are all practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, accepting the reality of virtual dance events as a norm is a sign of our current times. I knew that there would be more events that I couldn’t say no to because I needed to hear these music sets. Also, I wanted to support the Electronic Dance Music community. Of particular interest was the weekend of March 27 through March 29, 2020. These live streams included Resident Advisor Club Quarantäne, ReConnect Beatport Live, Countdown Virtual Rave-A-Thon by Insomniac, and Trance Classics with DJ fmfstaff.
It all started Friday, March 27, 2020, with a 4 pm EST onesie party I couldn’t say no to. I grabbed my unicorn onesie and logged onto Skype to meet with my fellow Fresh Music Freaks Crew in classic festival fashion. As we all discussed the inherent ins and outs of our digital connections we also knew that there were some extraordinary upcoming virtual dance events that night. We all tuned into Beatport ReConnect and listened to one of the best sets by i_o I have ever heard. I loved seeing some of the artist’s broadcast, in this particular case, i_o streamed from his kitchen and shared his cute dog online. Carl Cox also streamed live and I managed to check out a portion of his set too. RÜFÜS DU SOL didn’t disappoint playing from their studio and it made me remember one of the last times I saw them with my friend Wilson. Duke Dumont’s sets were like he was giving us a show right at a festival. I loved how he delivered his set to us in his white Nero jacket and steadily took us to the point of no return. No t-shirt and jeans here.
I realized that part of the appeal of this event was being able to speak to my friends and tell them what I liked and what I was looking forward to. I also wanted to hear what they had to say. My manager stayed up to listen to Nicole Moudaber. She said it was stellar as she played a lovely Disco House set that she enjoyed so much she made a donation while listening to it. Another friend of mine said he couldn’t wait for the Nina Kraviz segment. After her stellar performance last year at Coachella, she’ll always have us wondering what she’ll do next.
On Twitch we turned in to hear DJ fmfstaff, AKA Nadine Pasterczyk. Dj fmfstaff jammed on her Twitch set live from New York in the boogie down Bronx! Playing a select group of Trance classics, she warmed us all up with her smooth transitions and pulsating synths that had us all dancing in our onesies and wanting more. I didn’t want her set to end. She captured the true spirit of live streaming and I’ll be tuning in next week to see and hear the show again.
Alan Fitzpatrick on Beatport had the most amazing set followed by BLOND:ISH who even matched the donations made at her time slot. So many of the artists made such a difference for others that I was touched. During John Digweed‘s one-hour live stream he told the world how hard it was for him not to perform for us in the club, but thanked us for tuning in and thanked all of the clinicians caring for us in the UK and worldwide. His set was phenomenal and made me long for him to take residency in New York again.
Resident Advisor Club Quarantäne was so amazing! Resident Advisor has started its broad campaign “creating awareness and resources to keep the independent electronic music scene alive during the COVID-19 crisis” called Save Our Scene. You can donate to several initiatives including Karada House, TS Raver and Berlin Collective Action: Nightlife Emergency Fund via the Club Quarantäne website. In a unique twist, the artists were not visible in the stream. Instead, you see a shot of a virtual dance club with a laser show that you can move around and explore using controls or simply by moving your phone. Elissa Suckdog‘s set included House classics from KLF’s “3 a.m. Eternal“, Garage and Jungle hits. The artists featured by RA were well-known performers whose selections provided a feeling of celebration that really made me feel like I made a difference with my donation.
Countdown Virtual Rave-A-Thon started at 8 pm PST and being on the East Coast, it meant I’d essentially be staying up until dawn. Once again my manager sent me a message when K?D came on at 2 am. Insomniac made sure to be responsible towards the artists since some of them shared some of the same work space. Equipment was disinfected and the employees practiced social distancing. Insomniac played alien music sounds in the background before his set. K?D encouraged people to stay positive and that this would soon be over. It was great to see Pasquale Rotella hosting the event and to be honest, I felt like I was in his living room listening to K?D play. i_o also made it to Countdown.
I also wanted to see the crowds I know and love so I tuned into Insomniac Rewind for 24/7 sets from EDC‘s (Las Vegas, Orlando, and Mexico), Hard Summer, and Okeechobee from 2015 to the present. I love reliving those groovy electronic dance music festival events. In the end, I realized how important it was to stay in touch with friends and artists that I love to listen too. We will get through this difficult time and for now, we need to continue to support each other and remind everyone that we are not alone.
