With the COVID-19 crisis taking an unprecedented toll on almost every industry out there, it can be said that the entertainment industry – an industry, in essence, thriving on the gathering of mass crowds – is one of the sectors which have been hit the hardest. With venue owners being legally required to shut down their venues for the sake of the safety of the public and performers all across the globe being stifled at home, the entire situation has left many disillusioned and, quite frankly, completely clueless as to what the future holds.
Currently recognising the detrimental impact of the lockdown is Überhaus, the Beirut-based entertainment management giant, who, in collaboration with a whole host of local promoters and nightclubs including B018, Retrogroove, The Ballroom Blitz, Fantôme de Nuit, Tribe called Tribe and more will host a 70-hour streamed music festival featuring regional and international acts from 25+ countries around the world. ‘Electronic Labor Day’, on May 1st (International Labor Day) will commemorate the continued effort of workers, from which all proceeds will go to the Beirut club industry’s non-managerial staff. Non-managerial staff have been hit the hardest, considering the fact that their livelihood is dependent on daily work schedules and tips. Currently, over 1000 employees from Beirut’s six major clubs have been negatively affected by the pandemic, with thousands of people having lost their jobs.
The campaign will be launched using the hashtags #SaveTheScene and #WeGotYourBack as a means of spreading the word on the festival and attracting audiences and partygoers both regionally and globally, who perhaps, would not be unaware of the festival, and more importantly, the important ethos behind it, otherwise.
Perhaps what differentiates this online festival from many others that have been popping up owing to recent circumstances, is the fact that – in true Überhaus fashion – the team are seeking to create an entire immersive experience as opposed to just watching DJs perform on a screen. You’re invited to totally channel your pre-quarantine Friday night self by turning off the lights (they even recommend perhaps setting up a disco ball and throwing on some shades) and engaging in a comment forum to drive others to join the party, and a techrider will be ensuring the quality of the video and monitoring effects and supporting media media.
The festival – which will hold multiple ‘rooms’ at once, which viewers can easily switch between will be streaming on Vimeo or YouTube, and audience members through the link provided on their website. Most importantly there will be donation buttons on the streams for you to contribute to the cause.
If you’re a DJ interested in participating, email ali@uberhause.me, and for more information on how you can get involved head to the Facebook event for more information.
