- Words Brittany Newman
Not only is Boiler Room planning to #saveourvenues, but they are also hoping to save our lockdown too with an online festival, SYSTEMRESTART.TV.
Music industry top dogs Boiler Room have teamed up with four of the world’s biggest spirit brands – Absolut, Ballentine’s, Beefeater and Jameson – for an online festival planning to “uplift artists, to empower collectives, to forge and harness networks, to educate and to entertain”.
Over ten days in February, SYSTEMRESTART.TV will provide you with a full program of online activities; including DJ sets, performances, industry talks, masterclasses, and film screenings split into four main channels – Club Quarantine, Rhythm Section, 4:3 Cinema and COLLECTIVE TV.
Starting off the online festival is queer online dance party organisers Club Quarantine. The breakout broadcasters will host their biggest Zoom party to date while exhibiting a visual exploration of the very dearly missed queer club culture through the ages. Viewers will then also be blessed with a live interview between Club Quarantine co-founder Ceréna Sierra and American Drag Queen Kevin Aviance – could we get luckier?
Taking over four days of the event is Boiler Room’s film platform 4:3. Not allowing you to be short of entertainment the programme will include; Jenn Nkiru in conversation with Leilah Weinraub; a rare screening of John Akomfrah’s 1990s TV documentary on Goldie and a talk with the musician himself; a virtual club experience to make you feel all types of ways by Lawrence Lek; a music video premiere from Slikback and Wirdcroe; a documentary about the housing crisis ‘Push’ and finally a collection of videos by artist Alex Bag curated by writer Charlie Fox.
Launching during the online festival will be Boiler Room x Balentine’s True Music’s COLLECTIVE TV. The channel came to light due to the success of the 2020 grant scheme which awarded 20 music collectives financial support at the start of the pandemic. During the event over two days, COLLECTIVE TV will see a mix of 2020 grant recipients along with a selection of new collectives presenting a 12- hour extended broadcast of audio-visual shows, combining talks, interviews, mixes and music videos.
Ready to end the festival with a bang is Peckham-based record label and radio show Rhythm Section. Live from their London headquarters, Nicola Cruz, Moxie and founder Bradley Zero will perform DJ sets while more artists are TBA.
There’s also a lot going on behind the scenes for Boiler Room. Their production team will be providing seminars to students at East London Arts and Music and London Screen Academy, which will be available to watch publicly online.
Not forgetting the much-needed #saveourvenues – aiming to prevent the closure of many vital UK venues due to COVID-19 – Boiler Room will launch a trio of protective masks alongside the festival with 100% of the profits going towards the #saveourvenues campaign.
Check out the SYSTEMRESTART.TV programme below:
Thursday 18 February
Club Quarantine Instagram Takeover
IG Live Interview Kevin Aviance & Ceréna Sierra
Zoom Webinar: Casey MQ, Brad Allen, Mingus New & Ceréna Sierra
Friday 19 February
Club Quarantine Zoom Party
Special Guest TBA | Dr Rubinstein | Kevin Aviance | Total Freedom | Casey MQ | Physical Therapy |
Alice Gas | Big Freedia | Rui Ho
Saturday 20 February
4:3 Cinema: Jenn Nkiru in conversation with Leilah Weinraub
Sunday 21 February
4:3 Cinema: Goldie: ‘When Saturn Returnz’ documentary screening & talk
Monday 22 February
4:3 Cinema: I’m The Slime – Alex Bag and Charlie Fox’s TV Freakout
Tuesday 23 February
‘Push’ documentary screening
Wednesday 24 February
4:3 Cinema: Lawrence Lek’s Virtual Club Walkthrough
4:3 Cinema: Slikback x Weirdcore – Music Video Premiere
Thursday 25 February
Collective TV: Directions Radio, Moonshine, Mariacus & Club Chai
Friday 26 February
Collective TV: Bubblegum Club, Absurd Trax, Cxema & Radio Alhara
Saturday 27 February
Rhythm Section
Nicola Cruz | Bradley Zero B2B Moxie | More artists TBA
