We've been working #behindthescenes to help local musicians stream online...and it's working! Just a few weeks ago I posted on "pivoting," trying to figure out how to adapt in this crazy time.
@livefromclarksdale has since launched, and we just hosted a #VirtualJukeJoint Festival, with over 10,000 people tuning in around the world.
After all that, this week began as it does every Monday: in the Bluesberry Cafe.
A brief tour of what you see here:
Musician Big Daddy Rich streaming for the first time in this format. He works at the@deltabluesmuseum, which is launching a cool virtual tour.
Owner Art Crivaro checking the livestream, reading comments from Adelaide to Winnipeg. (He learned to hit the FINISH button this week...very important!)
The Canadian flag is one of over a dozen brought by Bluesberry's friends and fans from all over the world.
The Clarksdale flag hangs above Art's head, proudly proclaiming our role in #musichistory as "Birthplace of the Blues."
The lighting is #nofilter obv. The most legit #jukejoints feel like you're walking into a real-life Instagram story (and wreak havoc with crappy phone cameras).
That empty chair is waiting for you.
Blueberry is foundational to Clarksdale's "Live Blues, 7 Nights a Week." Art & Carol Crivaro have long hosted weekend #BluesBrunch. A few years ago they started opening on Monday nights with the help of @rogerstolle and Sean Apple. Weekend #roadtrip travelers began staying the night. Soon Hambone opened Tuesdays; Red, Wednesdays; @gzbluesclub, Thursdays. Clarksdale's "365 Nights" of live music was born.
Bluesberry hasn't missed a Monday. The first night we livestreamed, @watermelonslim1 joked that Carol is their CSHO: Chief Health & Sanitation Officer. Watching Carol with the Lysol is funny, but seriously: we're doing everything we can to #staysafe and #staysane. Hope y'all are too.
We're all adapting. Thanks for adapting with us. It's been fun juking up together.
Bluesberry Cafe owner Arthur Crivaro checks the livestream during Big Daddy Rich's performance | April 13, 2020 | Bluesberry Cafe, Clarksdale MS | (c) Shared Experiences USA
Comments