The Social (media) event of the year… Thom Yorke ensures Boiler Room goes stellar.
What do you think of when you hear ‘Boiler Room’? If it’s a late 90’s/early 00’s poor man’s Wall Street, with Vin Diesel in his edgiest performance ever, you’re not very with it. If the term ‘Immersion’ springs to mind, there’s even less hope for you. Boiler Room, if you had never heard of it, has rapidly become one of the massive musical success stories of 2011, and is pretty much the ‘hippest’ thing going right now in that ever blossoming marriage between electronic music and the Internet.
The concept is simple. Yet no one had been doing it. Recorded sets on UStream, regularly played in various venues, that are both viewable live, and immediately accessible as a recorded archive. Theoretically speaking, you don’t actually have to go out anymore, you can just watch your favourite DJ’s/Producers bang it out directly onto your laptop screen. How very economical. Of course, it’s not exactly the same social or vibrant experience to choose to watch someone play a set live from your laptop as opposed to the feel of a venue. Yet, to have that option has ensured that Boiler Room has quickly become a niche novelty, and something that people have firmly embraced. Having become spoilt for choice with Podcasts such XLR8R, FACT and of course, Resident Advisor, fans have had their head turned by the live footage and also, the unmistakeable live ‘warts and all’ feel to the sets that pop up on Boiler Room. Despite a no frills, minimal interface, its momentum is growing beyond belief, and it is now the ultimate go to reference for any self respecting budding hipster or electronic guru. It is a true original, and by billing itself as ‘The world’s seminal UStream music show’, it is justified in bragging about its niche.
Once upon a time, the clear indication that you had made it as big name, respected producer or DJ was to have Pete Tong wax lyrical about you over the intro of your BBC Radio Essential Mix. Now, it seems to be a live set at the Boiler Room, with afficionado’s peering over your shoulder clad in a Supreme Hat and nursing a can of Red Stripe. Approving nods are de riguer, of course. It is easy to be cynical about this set up, as there seems to be something very staged, or overtly forced about it. The Lone, Caribou vs. Jamie XX and Thom Yorke extravaganza was an extremely odd event, as online hysteria exploded, and people could hardly contain their excitement about what was happening, A classic ‘Where were you’ moment You know, up there with JFK, The Berlin Wall falling, or that time when Caribou dropped that big tune live on Boiler Room.tv. Forums were jammed, and the likes on the Facebook page vaulted through the roof, if this ‘Boiler Room’ had one.
Lets be honest though, that particular line up, like it or not, did represent an undoubted watershed, as the Boiler Room phenomenon has gone from strength to strength. It’s a great, new and different service, and now the crème de la crème are queuing up to get involved. Thankfully, the curators have great taste too, and are they are on a roll in terms of wheeling out choice cuts week after week. DJ Shadow’s appearance, hot on the heels of Thom Yorke’s recent outing, was proof that Boiler Room has graduated into the big leagues, and has become an outrageously in demand service, whilst maintaining its DIY, high end edge.
What really caught my eye however, and drew me in as a fully fledged partisan, was this following recent set from one of my producers of the year, Axel Boman. A good example of what the Boiler Room can offer, an event loaded with personality, experience and top quality music. God, you almost wish you were there! Not really though. It’s the depths of Winter out there. I think I’ll just watch it on the lapper…
Oh modernity. Take it away Axel.
