Dear Reader
I disappeared for a week, without a word. I’m sorry about that. I think I’ve been feeling in the middle of things — not quite sure what the staggered re-opening we’re supposed to be having means for a little newsletter like mine. Is there still a need to know about online entertainment events? How much longer will these events still be taking place virtually? Even NY Governor Andrew Cuomo is giving his last daily press briefing today.
Thing is, I’ve always been about more than what’s just happening at the moment. Much of what I watch, listen to and read is worth sharing and talking about. Besides, as a meme I saw says, “You might be done with Covid, but Covid’s not done with you.” I’ll continue to send this out, once a week, every Thursday. And thank you for your messages and comments — always good to receive them!
So, here is the list of arts and entertainment options I’d highly recommend for this weekend:
1. As today is Juneteenth, the US day commemorating the end of slavery, there are a number of events planned. Common featuring Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins, Fantastic Negrito, Vic Mensa, Lion Babe, Leon Bridges and more will take part in the 90-minute special, Lift Every Voice: A Juneteenth Special, today at 5pm PST/ 8pm EST, which will commemorate African American freedom and celebrate the unifying language of music streamed across LiveXLive digital platforms. It’ll be available at http://livexlive.com/juneteenth.
2. The Summerstage Anywhere program hosts a variety of dance performances from 9am PST / 12pm EST until 5pm PST / 8pm EST, on its Instagram and YouTube channels — all to celebrate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth. The day’s events include a performance of Hanging Tree, featuring Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance Theatre, vocalist Marcelle Davies-Lashley and poet Carl Hancock Rux.
3. HBO is making its acclaimed series Watchmen free to view online — with a catch. The series, which begins in Tulsa, 1921 and explores the legacy of systemic racism in America, starts streaming from today, but you have until Sunday, the 21st of June, to finish all 9 episodes.
4. Björk’s entire discography has been put onto Bandcamp as part of Bandcamp’s NAACP fundraiser. Proceeds from all sales of her nine albums will be donated by Björk and One Little Independent to Black Lives Matter UK until the end of the day. Other artists are joining in too, but we do so love our Icelandic songstress.
5. Ms. Lauryn Hill joins the likes of Chicano Batman, Luke James, 2 Chainz, T-Pain, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard, Leon Bridges, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allen Stone, Moon Taxi and more for the Small Business Live philanthropic event, hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff. The event will take place Saturday, June 20 from 1-7pm PST / 4-10pm EST, onsite at local small businesses close to each artist's heart, as well as live-streamed on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn for Small Business and Twitter. All proceeds from Small Business Live will be donated to Accion Opportunity Fund. Go here for more info.
6. Record Store Day was moved, on account of the pandemic, so Love Record Stores has put together a program of virtual shows for Saturday, June 20th. The loverecordstores.com site will host I Love Record Stores, featuring performances by Bright Eyes, Brittany Howard, Stephen Malkmus, Laura Marling, the Fontaines and more, as well as DJ sets from Fatboy Slim, the Go! Team and Metronomy. Proceeds will go to the #SaveOurVenues campaign, Black Lives Matter and the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Relief Fund.
7. Earlier this week, South Africa commemorated Youth Day, remembering the young people who protested against the racist education system of Apartheid — many of whom were killed while doing so. Lara Foot’s production, The Fall — which played at both the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and London’s Royal Court before it debuted in New York in 2018 — deals with the experiences of student leaders during the #RhodesMustFall protest. It’s a collaborative piece, exploring the momentum around the movement, which called for the teardown of a colonialist monument on the University of Cape Town campus. It’s now been made available online.
8. The Met Opera is continuing its program of online opera performances and this weekend is a Philip Glass fest, with Akhnaten on Saturday, June 20th and Glass’s Satyagraha on Sunday, June 21st. Friday is Verdi’s La Forza del Destino with one of the great Verdi singers, Leontyne Price, in her signature role as Leonora.
It’s also the Summer Solstice so enjoy summer — with your mask on!
And keep the pressure on to make sure there’s #JusticeforBreonna!
Thank you for reading.
Stay safe, stay sane
Your neighbour
Nadia