Social distancing to slow the spread of COVID 19 (aka the Coronavirus) means we can’t go out to shows, but it’s clear that the shows haven’t stopped, they’ve just moved to your home. With a spate of online concerts popping, a Leonard Cohen balcony singalong scheduled for tonight and a dance party that you still have to dress up for, there’s more than enough going on for Shows This Week: At Home Edition!
Leonard Cohen Balcony Singalong
If there’s one name that seems to bring all Montrealers together, it’s that of the late, great poet, singer and icon Leonard Cohen. Tomorrow (Sunday), POP Montreal and Martha Wainwright hope Cohen can bring people together as they stay physically apart.
They’re calling it So Long Marianne de Balcon Montreal. In the very recent tradition established by quarantined people in Italy, everyone is encouraged to sing Cohen’s So Long, Marianne together at 8pm tonight from their balconies or out their windows.
Wainwright will be streaming a guide vocal, sort of like a virtual choir master and will follow up the Cohen song by leading a group performance of Richard Desjardins’ Le coeur est un oiseau. You can find the lyrics and info on the stream through the Facebook event page. For now, though, you can practice to this:
Montreal Balcony Drone
Friday from 9-9:15 pm, it’s drone time. No, not the kind of flying delivery, warfare or temporary pandemic dog walking devices that you may be thinking of, but rather the sound that links several forms of music.
John Triangles Stuart started the Facebook event and so far over 2000 people have responded. People are encouraged to go to their balcony or open their windows and use whatever physical instruments they have (or use online synths) and collectively create a drone in the key of C.
Virtual Party
Montreal’s first virtual nightclub launches next Saturday, March 28 between 8 and 11pm. No lineup or coat check, but you will need to access it with your camera enabled, as you’ll be able to see the other guests and they’ll be able to see you.
The DJs are provided, but the drinks are on you and for just you (and possibly the people you live with). You are also asked to dress up like you were going to a real world party with other people and your own light show is encouraged.
You can find the details on the Facebook event page, which has already reached over 20 000 people, so the virtual nightclub may very well be packed for its opening.
We’ll be posting about similar events or livestreamed concerts as this shutdown continues. If you are hosting such an event, please let us know at music@forgetthebox.net (no promises we will mention it, but we’ll do our best)
