How to: Stay Entertained While Self Isolating
Bonnie Huang recommends live music, drag shows, theatre, film screenings, and more.
As lectures and tutorials all transition to online delivery, a lot more of us will be practising social isolation during this crucial time for the COVID-19 pandemic. Our standard routines and lifestyles will go through a drastic overhaul, and it will take a while to physically and mentally adjust.
These community organised live shows will help you with structuring your days and connect with the community while staying at home.
ISOL-AID! An Instagram Live Music Festival
The ISOL-AID music festival will stream on Instagram from 12pm to 12am on Saturday 21 March and Sunday 22 March, featuring 72 artists who will play a 20-minute set on their Instagram accounts. Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, Spacey Jane, No Frill Twins, DVNA, The Buoys, Merpire and many other familiar names will be performing. Artists will direct viewers to the next artist through the split-screen live function “and then tag-team the next artist ...sending fans down a rabbit-hole of new music discovery”. With the pandemic putting tours, shows, and the operation of venues to a halt, the workers and performers of the Australian music community face a financial loss of $150 million according to ilostmygig.net.au. Viewers are encouraged to support artists by purchasing merch or music from the artists’, or by donating to the fundraiser set up for Support Act, if they are financially able to do so.
Drag Punk Live Show
Dragpunk is a family of bold drag artists who are based in Birmingham, United Kingdom (made up of Amber Cadaverous, Paul Aleksandr, Lilith, Christian Gay, and many others). This Saturday 21 March, they will be hosting a live digital drag show with performances, emo karaoke, lip sync battles and guitar hero. The show will be available on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter from 7-9am. Although free, they will be taking tips via PayPal (drag-punk@outlook.com) for charities and performers in need.
Digital Drag Show presented by Biqtch Puddin’ (Winner of Dragula Season Two) and Megna
“This is a confusing time, but we are finding creative new ways to navigate it,” Bitqch says. On Saturday 21 March at 1pm, this will be streamed at twitch.tv/biqtchpuddin . The line-up is impressive—with familiar names from Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, as well as famous queens and kings from Canada, the US, and UK. Alaska Thunderfuck, Juno Birch, Landon Cider, Vander von Odd, Abhora, Rock M. Sakura, Kandy Muse and Bible Girl…to name a few.
The Queerantine – Presented by Rackett TV and Queer Space Australia
Keep your eye out for Sydney’s own virtual live music and performance experience. “We’ll be bringing a series of virtual live events to the comfort of your quarantine in the coming weeks”, says the futuristic electro punk musician. Rackett TV and Queer Space Australia are still currently on the lookout for musicians, artists and drag performers! Get in touch with RACKETT via Instagram (@rackett.tv) or email (contact@rackett.tv), and Queer Space via Instagram (@queerspaceaustralia) or email (james@queerspaceaustralia.com).
The Tempest For No One Live Stream – Presented by Ban Shakespeare
On Thursday 26 March, from 7:30 to 10:30am, Ban Shakespeare will be streaming on Twitch, Facebook and Instagram with a topical and contemporary rendition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. “Performing to NO ONE and raising funds for those who need it. We’re implementing a social distancing of 2m for our performance…This neo-dada, nihilistic, absurd concept piece will be there to lighten your mood and make sure that theatre is going NOWHERE.” The stream will be followed by a post-show Q&A .
Lockdown – A Static Vision Live Stream
Static Vision is a film screening collective based in Sydney. Lockdown is a free, six-hour, interactive livestream of specially-curated feature films and short films that will be accompanied by a host of e-chats, Q&As, and interviews. Connect with other cinephiles via a live text-chat, or opt for a full-screen mode to just enjoy the screenings. It will be held on Friday 27 March from 6pm – 12am. Just register on Eventbrite, and take your mind off a stressful week.
Films are a reliable way to stay entertained. Here are some resources that can help with that.
Kanopy
Students at the University of Sydney have access to this streaming database that boasts films from the Criterion Collection, classic films, and critically acclaimed films or documentaries. All you have to do is sign up with your Unikey. Feast your eyes and minds on French New Wave, animated shorts, Australian cinema, 70s Hollywood, film noir, and indie films.
Mubi
Mubi is another unique, hand-selected, streaming service and social network site that specialises in cult, classic, and independent films from around the world. They release a new film every day and have 30 films on catalogue. It is a treasure trove for cinephiles. If you are a film studies student, sign up with your University email via this link: https://mubi.com/filmstudent, for free access to Mubi! If not, now might be a good time to use your 30-day free trial.
By doing our part to isolate and minimise contact, we are directly helping to “flatten the curve”. Whether you indulge, clear the pantry, do the laundry, fix up your budget, catch up on sleep, or do nothing at all—how you choose to spend your time is up to you. Most importantly, remember to keep some form of a routine, call your friends and take some technology breaks during such an uncertain time. Films and live streams can only do so much, take care of yourselves and those around you.
