Local music moves online with livestreams

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Kenzie Borland

Sophie Emerson, lead singer of The Cavves, performs at Shockeroo, the all-ages event that was put on by Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Wichita indie-rock wonder kids, The Cavves, will confront the ongoing COVID-19 catastrophe with a virtual live show on Facebook Live, streamed in association with Norton Brewing Company, tonight at 7:30 p.m. 

Fans can watch the show live from the Facebook event page. While close physical contact is off-limits, gathering for local music in online spaces helps create the vital sense of solidarity required to handle the Coronavirus era’s unique challenges. 

Music is a huge part of who we are,” Dan Norton, owner of Norton Brewing Company, said. “We have talented people around us, so why not give people a show.”

The Cavves live shows are usually raucous, yet intimate affairs. With anthems like “Wichita,” lead-singer Sophie Emerson leads lightly moshing crowds in sing-alongs. 

The virtual show is an opportunity to disperse this energy across distant homes. Fans can dance in their kitchens all while following public health guidelines. 

The four-piece’s recent music video for the banger, “Noise will be Noise,” captures this energy with a cartoon by Chrim Ruck Cartoons. In the video, a cute animal version of the band supports cartoon-Sophie as she battles monsters with a chainsaw and explosives. 

Norton’s Brewing Company, known for its beer selection and outdoor venue, invites viewers to order take-out while enjoying the show from their homes.

Live musicians are among the population out of work during the era of social distancing. While the shows they depend on are canceled, so are the service industry work many musicians rely on to supplement their art. It’s encouraged to donate to the band during the show. 

“It’s time to help support artists and people in their time of need. Not saying there won’t be any hiccups, but we can deal with anything life throws at us,” Norton says.  

Norton originally planned to stream from Norton’s Brewing Company, but decided to move the show off-site in observance of social distancing.