5 must-see livestream sets to tune into this January
"Now is the winter of our discontent" Richard III dramatically proclaims in Shakespeare's famed play, and without taking the soliloquy too literally we can all surely grasp what he was banging on about.
More often than not January is the bleakest month of the year, but given the ongoing situation with perpetual lockdowns and the ever-looming threat of the pandemic, it's particularly difficult this year. That said, we can all continue to do our part by staying indoors, thankfully, with (now incredibly necessary) livestream sets as our source of entertainment to help stave of those live music blues. We're keeping our fingers and tootsies crossed for gigs and festivals to return this year, no matter how optimistic that is, but these will keep you ticking over.
We've rounded up our picks of must-see livestreams this month:
boy pablo: Wachito Rico, A Digital Live Performance - 16th January, 16:00 GMT
Off the back of a his award-nominated EP couplet Roy Pablo and Soy Pablo, boy pablo's debut full-length release Wachito Rico was predicted to propel the Chilean-Norweigan jangle-pop upstart beyond the realm of YouTube stardom. Given his recently rescheduled tour it was looking we'd have to sit tight until Autumn comes around, but the announcement of this full-band livestream will give everyone an opportunity to see why the chipper chappy has galvanised indie internet fandom.
Buy tickets to the event here.
Vanishing Twin present Pensiero Magico - 20th January, 20:00 GMT
Pensiero Magico or 'Magical Thinking' is exactly what went into the making of this lurid performance from the London-based experimental-pop band Vanishing Twin. The teaser suggests the show is more visually akin to the surreal nightmare of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali's Un Chien Andalou than your typical livestream, so I'd be prepared for your mind to be boggled.
Buy tickets to the event here.
Earthless, live in Mojave Desert - 23rd January, 17:00 GMT
Ambitious desert rock stalwarts Earthless provide a real trip in the midst of the Mojave for this live series from CDWA Records. Complete with projections from the Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Show across the imperious boulders engulfing the pop-up stage, I doubt you'll even need any acid to get swallowed up into this vortex.
Buy tickets to the event here.
Vagabon, live from Boulevard Studios - 29th January, 02:00 GMT
New York-based indie siren Vagabon jaunts across to the opposite coast for this show, performing tracks from her previous two albums as the multi-instrumentalist continues on her trajectory to defy definition and tradition. Her breezy, star-gazing vocals make this livestream set one to truly nestle into.
Buy tickets to the event here.
The Cinematic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall - 29th January, 20:00 GMT
The Cinematic Orchestra, arguably the starting point for the swathe of contemporary electronic/jazz/ambient artists' cultivated by the excellent Ninja Tune label bring their awesome ensemble to London's Royal Festival Hall for one night. They dropped their first album in 12 years back in 2019, To Believe, and it's difficult not to believe this being epic.
Buy tickets to the event here.
