Beatport and Absolut vodka are lifting the spirits of dance music fans staying home this New Year’s Eve with an impressive livestream. Called Dance The Year Away, the 20-hour livestream will feature Carl Cox and others playing sets in different time zones. The livestream helps soften the blow for many in the dance music community who would normally ring in the New Year at a festival or rave.
Dance The Year Away will kick off with Cox playing a techno set from Melbourne. It will transition to Jamie Jones playing in the Miami time zone, TOKiMONSTA in San Francisco, and DJ Ray Ray in Shanghai, among others. Cox will close out the event, meaning fans will get two sets by the British house and techno pioneer. More artists are to be announced.
Regarding the livestream, Beatport’s Media Group vice president Ed Hill told Dancing Astronaut that 2020 “has been a challenging year for everyone.”
“But one silver lining has been how the dance community has rallied around live streams to keep the culture that we all love alive,” Hill stated. “Coming together with Absolut to host this incredible lineup performing from cities all over the world is the best way to send 2020 packing.”
For more information on the livestream, which is part of Absolute’s “It’s In Our Spirit” campaign, visit the homepage here.
Dance The Year Away is the latest virtual event on the table for this pandemic New Year’s Eve. Earlier this month, Tomorrowland announced its NYE livestream with four stages and more than 25 artists playing on a digital venue called NAOZ. Headliners for Tomorrowland include Armin van Buuren, David Guetta and his alter ego Jack Back, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Diplo, Lost Frequencies, Major Lazer, and Martin Garrix. The event will take place on Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. in your time zone and three ticket types are available.