Coyle
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A quick look at social media should reveal that millions of homebound people are dulling the pain of quarantine and shutdowns by binge-watching favorite movies and TV programs.
Thanks to Netflix, in particular, a drama-hungry world has gotten hooked on the saga of “The Tiger King,” and left wondering just where Carole Baskin’s husband went.
On other platforms, the “30-Day song challenge” has been all the rage, with users posting a song each day fitting some theme — maybe it makes them cry, or think of someone they miss, or makes them want to dance.
Others are turning to that book (or pile of books) they have long neglected.
Still others are having epic video game sessions, spending hours in fantasy worlds building farms or fighting zombies.
What do all of these diversions have in common?
Each and every one relies on content created by artists, engineers, designers and those who make the stories and songs and games come to life.
Each and every one of those required hard work and money to produce. Each and every one had to be purchased by the consumer.
We have all praised the hard work of those on the front lines of this battle in hospitals and on the ambulances.
We have celebrated the essential workers in supermarkets, transportation, public utilities and so on.
We have turned to one another for home-made masks, a few extra rolls of toilet paper, assistance with shopping.
Actors, musicians and other artists may not be saving lives, but their work certainly is saving sanity for many people who are cooped up at home and need a diversion from the mounting death tolls.
And they deserve to be paid for their work, just as anyone else does.
The folks in Hollywood, the big name recording artists, well, we suspect they’re mostly doing OK financially right about now, certainly relative to the rest of us. When you download a song or sign up for Netflix, people in those creative industries are getting paid.
What about local musicians?
Well, their plight is another story. Second jobs and family support are doubtlessly more important than ever now for those who make their living (or part of it) writing, producing and performing music in small venues and clubs, here and around the country.
That is why we were so thrilled to read about a new initiative, the “NEPA Live from Home” series, featuring local and regional artists. It will air its first online concert tonight, April 30 at 7:30 p.m.
As reporter Bill O’Boyle explained recently, the ASM Global-managed Mohegan Sun Arena and Karl Hall in Wilkes-Barre announced their partnership to create the online platform and they have partnered with Geisinger to feature the artists performing live from their homes.
Season One of “NEPA Live from Home” will feature a new episode to be aired each Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. through June.
This project helps support those artists, while giving them a platform to reach audiences during this time when traditional venues are shut down.
It also helps promote Karl Hall, an intimate basement venue on North Main Street in Wilkes-Barre that recently celebrated its second anniversary.
Performances will be posted each week on the Facebook and Instagram pages for both Mohegan Sun Arena and Karl Hall.
Thanks to the partnership, viewers can tune in for free while performers will be compensated.
Sounds like a win-win to us, and a valuable reminder that these artists and local venues that host them will be needing your attendance when the shutdown ends.
So cheers to Geisinger, arena General Manager Will Beekman and AJ Jump, owner/manager of Karl Hall LLC, for bringing this project to fruition.
The performers are:
• April 30 — Nick Coyle from Lifer and Cold.
• May 7 — Regina Sayles.
• May 14 — The Mule Team.
• May 21 — Britt Thomas from Britt Thomas and the Breaker Boys.
• May 28 — Fife and Drom.
• June 4 — Bret Alexander from Gentleman East.
Tune in and give them a listen.
And if you are looking to support Geisinger in its efforts, visit Geisinger.org/fightcovid.
— Times Leader