American Football headline Minecraft's virtual concert Nether Meant, leave fans begging for more
Just when you think social distancing shows from artists couldn't get more creative, Illinois rock band American Football have taken things up a notch or rather a pixel. Along with fellow headliners Open Pit and Anamanaguchi, American Football performed in a concert 'Nether Meant' in the renowned sandbox video game 'Minecraft', in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. 'Nether Meant' is named after American Football's hit track 'Never Meant' and Minecraft's Nether biome.
The gig, which started at 6 pm ET on April 11, took place in a virtual club with the name 'Elsewither' which is based on the music venue, Elsewhere, in Brooklyn. The popular video game 'Minecraft' quickly amassed fame after its official release in 2011, gaining somewhat of a cult following for its simplistic blocky graphics and procedurally-generated 3D world where players can dig and search for raw materials, craft, build and explore to their heart's content.
A remarkable sight to witness for sure, a large group of pixelated audience members attended the Elsewither club and American Football frontman Mike Kinsella said, "So, this is the future, huh? Honestly, I thought there would be more pixels" while we see the band's game avatar's such as DJ SteveLamos and DJ SteveHolmes on the virtual stage. According to Stereogum, Kinsella said in a statement, “I’m looking forward to (finally) being able to prove to my seven-year-old son that I do, indeed, have a job."
The show also featured bands Baths, Skylar Spence, HANA, Bean Boy and Folie, Drive45, Iglooghost, Kai Whiston and BABii, Lewis Grant, Nebita and Atura, Onlytom, Planet 1999, Robin and Murder Club, Six Impala, Wavedash, and Y2K and Sleepycatt. At the end of the concert, players got their game characters jumping frenetically while Twitch comments poured in with "Encore" and "One more", begging for more music.
Proceeds from special VIP passes will go to benefit Good360’s coronavirus relief efforts. Good360 says on their About page that they seek to "transform lives by providing hope, dignity, and a sense of renewed possibility to individuals, families, and communities impacted by disasters or other challenging life circumstances who, without us, would struggle to find that hope." For more info on the concert and the Good360 benefit, you can visit the official Nether Meant website here or visit the Elsewither site here.