In light of the shutdown of countless festivals and other events on a global scale due to the coronavirus pandemic, Courier Club is organizing an online music festival through the video game Minecraft. Block By Blockwest: A Minecraft Music Festival will provide users a unique, interactive music, arts and gaming experience to help break the tedium of the current global quarantine.
The festival will aim to unite performers, artists and fans as they collectively play games, partake in “live” shows, view various pieces and installations from up-and-coming artists and even purchase merchandise from their favorite performers through an interactive online merch tent. The festival can be attended through the Java edition of Minecraft. Users will login, select the Multiplayer option and type in “fest.blockbyblockwest.com” for the server address. Once they visit that server they are in the festival. Those who don’t have access to a Minecraft account can still enjoy live streams of all performances, including audio, through the Block By Blockwest website, Twitch, YouTube or Facebook. Performers will include Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot, Idles, Massive Attack, Fever 333, Citizen, Cherry Glazerr, HEALTH, Grandson, Sir Sly, Against the Current, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, The Wrecks, Enjoy, Sports Team, Your Smith, Riz La Vie, Phil Good, Billy Lemos, Mood Killer, Fashion Jackson, Rich People, Los Shadows and many more. In many ways, the festival will function as something akin to South By Southwest, but within the confines of a video game, adding a gaming component to the music, arts and culture elements inherent with the annual SXSW experience. All proceeds from the April 25 event will go to CDC’s Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund.
