This ongoing Corona crisis takes its toll on all of us in various ways. Especially the live industry is fighting to survive in these times and for an industry based on people gatherings a virus that has the tendency to spread around in large crowds feels like the worst possible scenario. While restaurants, schools, bars and other venues will most likely open up over the next weeks and months large crowd gatherings are still an issue, resulting in a cancellation of pretty much the entire festival season of 2020 and probably the remaining concert tours in the fall as well. This change of plans is an exisential thread for many people working in these fields but mostly for those who are crafting their projects on an already tight financial foundation. It’s small passionate open air events and festivals who suffer the most and not events like Coachella and Lollapalooza; it’s events like our much loved Alinæ Lumr festival who need the support of every true festival lover right now.
We told you about this lovely event a few miles outside of Berlin before and if you are not familiar with it I strongly recommend you to read the extended interview I had with the festival team one year ago. They’ve got this great spirit of moving culture forward and bringing people together, especially outside the usual hip places. The small city of Storkow surely isn’t Berlin, it plays in a different league but over the past years the Alinæ Lumr had a great impact on the small town by bringing culture and exchange to their doors every August and following the good time we had there in 2019 we were excited to return in 2020 for this very unique vibe that celebrates the joy of music and togetherness in its purest form. Of course then came the pandemic and the inevitable cancellation of everything. They quickly rescheduled for the next season and you can count us in to pay Alinæ Lumr a visist between August 13 and 15 in 2021. And we surely hope some of you might join us on this adventure.
Sweet, sweet memories. Photo by Florian Anhorn
However, the delay is nice and we all cross our fingers for a return of live music culture next summer but the costs are still enourmous. Things have been booked and paid for, people need to pay their rent and the small team is trying to compensate the losss in the best possible way but of course they need the help and love from each and everyone out there who believes in the values and spirit of this little open air music oasis in the German countryside. That’s why Alinæ Lumr just launched a crowdfunding campaign to get the money together in order to make the 2021 edition happen in the way they envisioned it. Of course, NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION supports this campaign.
We believe in the power of music and the benefitting effect of cultural events, especially when they happen in a setting that isn’t as easy as an urban hot spot. This festival it’s not just about the music itself but also about believing in its power and the people who will be affected by it.
I mean, how can one not support this, right? Their Startnext campaign is obviously in German but you don’t need to be fluent in that language to understand and support the cause. You can get great stuff in return – and I’m not just talking about free tickets here; I’m talking about socks, liqueur and honey from Storkow. We need independent festivals for independent minds, so please support Alinæ Lumr (or a similar event closer to you) – everyone can benefit from that.