As the COVID-19 outbreak shutdown the live music industry worldwide, independent musicians in Australia got busy and banded together last weekend to perform for ISOL-AID, a unique, socially (media) distanced music festival. Gigless music industry workers Merpire (Rhiannon/ Small Time Group), festival organiser Em Ulman (Brunswick Music Festival/Small Time Group) and Shannen Egan (Turning Heads Agency) created the two day online festival. Their aim was to raise funds for music industry charity group Support Act, give the artists some exposure and the chance to sell some product, and also to try to lift the spirits of the devastated local music community.
Playing live from bedrooms, lounge-rooms, studios or wherever they were self-isolating, 74 participating artists each played a 20-minute set streamed live on their Instagram accounts, and then tag-teamed the next artist to play, sending fans down a rabbit-hole of new music discovery. Featured acts included: Angie McMahon, Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Alice Skye, Didirri, Harvey Sutherland, Merpire, Alexander Biggs, Romy (RVG), Good Morning, Ainslie Wills, Hayley Mary, Spacey Jane, Yours Truly, CLEWS and so many more.
Isol-Aid viewers were encouraged to buy music and merch from the artists’ Bandcamp and Patreon pages, their websites, as well as donating to a fundraiser set up for Support Act, which provides relief for music industry workers facing mental health issues or financial hardship.
Here’s a glimpse of some of the wonderful performances from the weekend. Isol-Aid happens again March 28 & 29
Here’s the playing schedule from the weekend along with the artist’s Instagram tags
