While the whole world gets to grips with the Corona-induced lockdown, the music industry has responded in several different ways, the most common and popular coming in the form of live-streamed performances. While the majority have benefitted from the novelty artists performing in living rooms, bedrooms and other private spaces, one is doing things a little differently – and it’s in Egypt.
Born from the minds of the folks at Cairo-based agency and event organisers, Playground, Playstream is a brand-new series that’s hitting the road and hosting live sets with some of Egypt’s very best DJs in some of the most stunning and historic locations, starting on Friday March 27th at 5PM at Mit Rihan House in Giza - one of iconic Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy’s most celebrated works.
There, surrounded by fields and neo-Islamic architecture, one of Egypt’s most popular and enduring spinners, Misty, will kick off the series, which is set to tour the country’s most beautiful locations.
“We have plans for venues across Siwa, Luxor, Aswan, Sinai, Cairo, Marsa Allam and Fayoum,” Playground’s Mahmoud Zidan told us. “I’ve always tried to do things that were different. It [Theater of Dreams] started in Sinai well before it was common to throw parties in scenic locations. This is really an extension of that same vision, and now we have the opportunity to do this at a bigger scale and really do something that benefits the scene and the country.”
Though he was coy about revealing the other DJs he has on board – Zidan is a guy that loves a good surprise – he did reveal that each one will be playing a set exclusively curated for Playstream, with some even set to serve up live performances for their one-hour slot.
“The artists were really excited about it,” he said of setting out to recruit DJs. “It’s an opportunity to showcase Egypt in a visually appealing way and we’re planning to stream beyond Egyptian channels too and are in talks with platforms like BE-AT.TV, Mr. Afterparty, and Techno Station among others.”
But with the Corona pandemic and a national curfew announced in Egypt, the unique project isn’t without its challenges, especially for them as prolific event organisers.
“I guess it’s a little different with people tuning in from home and not physically in front of you. Our focus shifts from curating a physical experience to capturing the essence of the location we’ll be filming in,” he said, while also pointing out that the minimal crew will be taking all the appropriate safety measures.
For more info on the first stream, click here.
