This Saturday keep your slippers on and get comfortable while you tune into Stream Jam, a virtual festival being streamed live for the Border’s young people.
Stream Jam is the culmination of two major events across the border, Street Jam and Addicted to Acoustic, which were both cancelled when the COVID-19 restrictions came into place.
Organised as a joint venture between Wodonga and Albury council’s youth teams and a committee of young people, Stream Jam is an online mini-festival and gathering space featuring 14 local artists.
Artists will play 20-minute sets streamed live via their social media accounts.
At the end of their set, each musician tag-teams the next artist to play.
The day will kick off at 11am with Genesis Gym presenting a quick fitness demonstration followed by YogaNess, with the music kicking off at 1pm.
Wodonga Council Youth Development Officer Scott Bates said the event would send fans on a journey of new music discovery, community and good feels – all from the comfort of their couch.
“It will bring young people together from the comfort of their loungerooms and provide a ‘stage’ for the bands and artists since many of their gigs were cancelled due to the restriction of public gatherings,” he said.
Nikita Dobson, 17, is one of the artists on the bill who is looking forward to showcasing her music to an online audience.
“I am excited because I had signed up to the band competition with Street Jam and everything stopped because of the virus, so I was thankful to be asked to be a part of this,” she said.
The guitarist and singer hopes the online platform will help grow her audience.
“There’s a lot of potential here to be seen by many people.”
Check out her tunes at 2pm as she performs as part of Stream Jam.
Also taking to the online stage will be Jack McDonald, known as the frontman of Catnip Kaiser, who has started an acoustic pop project with inspiration from Birds of Tokyo and The Cure.
Jack will be using his acoustics and loop pedals to create fun-filled acoustic performances.
“Catnip Kaiser was a punk rock band and I have moved away from that and I am expanding my creativity because I grew up with country music, so I am going back to my roots,” he said.
“I am keen to put my new sound out there in a new light, it’s light pop music with a loose country sound.
“I am looking forward to this virtual music festival because it’s an opportunity to be a part of something a bit different.”
