Over the course of this weekend, We Out Here Festival is taking place digitally under the new title ‘We Out Here: Online & On Air’. The event is free with registered access, though attendees are encouraged to make a donation. All proceeds will go to charities associated with the Black Lives Matter cause ‘as part of [their] ongoing responsibility as a musical organisation to raise awareness, celebrate & keep the focus on supporting Black communities.‘
The PDF lineup is available below, featuring sets from established DJs such as Mr Scruff and Auntie Flo as well as lesser known names such as See Thru Hands. Afro-beat jazz band Kokoroko will be playing the “Main Stage” on Saturday evening at 8.30pm, which will be a treat for fans who watched them last year at the festival in Abbots Ripton, former home of Secret Garden Party.
View this post on InstagramStart planning your weekend Our full weekend timetable is here! Head to our bio for PDF version.
We Out Here Festival was started only last year by music industry legend Giles Peterson. A successful broadcaster, DJ and record label owner, there is not much that Peterson hasn’t tried his hand at. His music taste is global and various but he has a particular interest in jazz, hip-hop and soul. Now he can add virtual festival co-ordinator to his list of achievements! Peterson’s independent record label, Brownswood Recordings, showcases talented underground musicians from all over the world, many of whom are on the bill this weekend. We Out Here already has an impressive reputation, hailed as a lively celebration of the ‘UK’s grassroots jazz scene‘ that isn’t limited to live performances.
Peterson definitely wants his audiences to have a good time: the Evening Standard describes him ‘bounc[ing] around‘ the festival grounds last year spreading joy. But he is also keen for his festival-goers to engage in the more intellectual and serious side of music. Last year there were talks from musicians such as Saxophonist Gary Bartz and creative workshops to attend. This year there will be a talk on Sunday evening entitled ‘Politics of Joy on the Dance Floor‘ and also one on ‘Cross Cultural Collaboration‘. Additionally, there will be plenty of workshops such as an online music production class for young people aged 9-18.
We Out Here is not the only festival that has made the decision to go digital this summer. Tomorrowland paved the way back in July with a virtual weekend that was met with positive reviews; one drawback mentioned however was occasional difficulties with sound and loading. Hopefully technical difficulties will be kept to a minimum this weekend so that we can enjoy the likes of Dele Sosemi and Amahla without having to unplug the router!