Introducing QUIVR: The Brisbane digital platform connecting DJs with each other and the rest of the world
In the relatively small but absolutely thriving Brisbane electronic and dance scene, the summer just gone was one to remember. With countless parties held in venues, parks, boats, warehouses, laneways and more, it was one long celebration of the community really coming into its own and it felt like 2020 was going to be a real "moment" for many local promoters and DJs who were really starting to pick up steam both at home and beyond.
Then, just like everywhere else in the world, the COVID-19 outbreak hit and decimated the live music scene globally, devastating artists, promoters, staff, punters and more in the process.
Although it may take some time for scenes to rebuild, one ultimate aspect of dance music is its community foundations always being there when people most need it, and that's exactly what we've seen all over the world as people come together to innovate and create new ways of connecting with not just art but with each other.
One such initiative is the newly launched QUIVR digital platform in Brisbane. Established in January, QUIVR is a live streaming studio that broadcasts to the world from Brisbane's Winn Lane. Anyone can book a set, and you can even go along to just practice without streaming. In the months its existed, QUIVR has quickly cemented its place in the rich tapestry of the greater Brisbane music scene and now has become a lifeline for many. From collaborating with local queer dance party SHANDY to ensure it can still celebrate its first birthday by allowing the party to be broadcasted via its channels to beaming right into people's homes with sets from some much loved and lauded Brisbane crews throughout the week from its Winn Lane studio, QUIVR might not have realised how important it was going to become when it first launched, but is now doing everything in its power to do what it can to help keep Brisbane dancing in these trying times.
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To get to know the team a little better and find out more about the space and what its getting up to now, we got to know QUIVR founder Hollee Hibberson to talk all about her own history, why connection is so important, and what we can all do to help support our artists right now. Check it all out below and be sure to acquaint yourself with QUIVR right HERE.
What is QUIVR and why did you start it in Brisbane?
QUIVR is a live streaming studio for DJ’s, producers, music collectors and artists – based in Brisbane’s iconic Winn Lane - streaming to the world.
Hollee Hibberson – our founder is a Brissie native. A DJ herself (HIBBOH), Hollee has always been connected to the pulse of the music scene wherever she travelled in the globe - from her days in the underground London Squat Party scene in the early 00’s, to in recent years hosting parties on an Air Strip off the back of a 4WD in the Australian Outback Kimberley region. Hollee always wanted to be a part of the music promo world – and when she stumbled across a concept called The Lot Radio out of New York, the vision for QUIVR dropped in.
“I moved back to Brisbane after being away for nearly 10 years, and found this thriving underground scene of amazing DJ’s and artists that rivalled everything that I’d seen overseas. I saw that there were a lot of individual crews putting on parties and I just wanted to unite them all. To be the central place where all the crews could gather, as well as creating a much wider funnel for new audiences to hear this music. The Lot Radio did this in such a simple concept – 24 hours of streaming DJ’s, showcasing them to the world. I wanted to do the same for Brisbane. To put this city on the global map as being the source of a very unique and curated sound, whilst helping up-and-coming DJ’s to build their brands and audience.”
Opened on the 31st of Jan 2020, QUIVR has fast become recognised as the missing piece in the Brisbane music promotion scene.
How are you helping artists and DJs stay connected during this time right now?
Music unites. We trust in the music to pull people together and to lift the vibe. We know there’s an audience keen to feel connected, and we know there are DJ’s that want to keep sharing the music during these times.
We asked the same question – how can we help?! So we recently hosted an online Zoom meeting with our own “Brains Trust” of Brisbane DJ’s and Venue Owners to ask how we can all feel connected now and into the future. The message was clear – QUIVR is set up to unite. Let’s pour our collective time and energies into keeping QUIVR running as a community service well after the pandemic is over, and create a project to keep us all busy in these next few weeks.
So we’ll be hosting a Stream-a-thon! (Date TBA, next few weeks) 24 hours of live-streamed curated DJ sets, all featuring Brisbane DJ’s performing their sets. We’ll be asking for donations during the stream - with the aim to raise money to keep QUIVR open and safely accessible well into the future.
This is going to be a great project for connection in the lead up to the event – with everyone in the scene coming together to create their sets and segments, the chats have already started! Then, during the stream we really hope to pull in a significant audience to participate and donate. Keep an eye on QUIVR socials for updates @thequivr. In the meantime, we’ll still be running re-streams of all of the sets we have recorded so far, as well as any live sets we manage to record before we go into lock down.
Why do you think it’s so vital to have different forms of connection right now?
Humans are wired for relationships. We grow by being in relationships with people, things, music. With the lack of human connection in our world right now, music can totally step up and be a placeholder.
When you listen to a track you like, and it makes you feel things, or it makes you move your body, or it makes you remember something, or it makes you dream –you’re growing. New neural pathways are opened. You understand yourself more. This is why it’s important. We’re all on a quest for meaning, and music can continue that journey in the absence of human contact.
QUIVR is designed to open the hearts and ears of new listeners – maybe you haven’t heard this kind of music before, but how does it make you feel? What does it make you want to do? You could be asking the same questions after you meet someone new, but in the absence of that – music can still pose the same questions and achieve the same growth result. And locally – we feel it’s really important for people to see their mates still thriving! The scene is still pretty small in Brisbane, and the audience tuning into QUIVR generally know the person playing – the live chat always blows up with messages of support any time a DJ gets on, and we think it’s important for that to keep going!
You’ve been dubbed “PR for underground dance music artists”, can you explain what this means?
Every time a DJ comes to QUIVR, they emerge on the other side with content that can be shared! We’ve live-streamed the video set to our website and socials (which we’ll keep restreaming), we’ve taken promo photographs during the set (which we’ll share), and we’ve recorded the high quality audio which we’ll post to Soundcloud and Mixcloud. Essentially we’re a content creating hub. We have all the best gear to make the DJs look and sound professional and start building their brand – creating a mini media pack each time they visit. Our hope is that over time, these DJ’s get a following of their own and go on to build a fantastic fanbase.
What are some of the other ways we can help support our artists and DJs right now?
QUIVR is still open for business! People can still come in and record a set (1 at a time) – and we’re already planning how we can home-stream if we have to get to that point. The best way to help is to be a part of the #PLAYITFORWARD #SPONSORASET initiative. A concept that came from our community – you sponsor a DJ by paying for their set ($25 an hour) so they can come in for free and keep the music promo going. You can either do this for a specific DJ, or let your donation go to DJ’s who have had their gigs cancelled. Anyone who sponsors a set will get their name/logo advertised during the stream. Head to thequivr.com or @thequivr to find out more! And go on a discovery quest! You’ve got the time! Go digging for music you’ve never heard before, watch Youtube videos of local acts – become a curator of your own sound – and when we emerge on the other side, turn up to these gigs and may we all rave again.
Introduction by Emma Jones
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