Lev Ziskind interview on Live Streaming in the COVID-19 pandemic

KITSCH MAGIK - What's your project name and how long have you been active? 
 

Lev Ziskind - My noise/art/structural music project is called Full Contact Audio. The project started as me making diy guitar effects, then I started making noisemakers as well. Very quickly I started planning to play shows, but the pandemic halted that. In total, I’ve been doing the noise stuff for about 2 years. 

KITSCH MAGIK - Where are you from? How did the pandemic effect where your living right now? 

Lev Ziskind - I am from and live in Philadelphia, PA. We are under shelter in place orders, so many of the shops I frequent to get parts for my art pieces/noisemakers are either closed or I’m nervous to go to a big box store because of the potential amount of people. I see a mass of people not working and that seems to lead to a lot of people going outside en masse. I think a lot of people are looking for something to do and aren’t finding that in the house.

KITSCH MAGIK - How are you doing during this pandemic? Has it made you more creative? 

Lev Ziskind - I have chronic acute depression and it has reared it’s head in certain ways. I count myself lucky to have learned healthy coping mechanisms and that I have a truly supportive group of people around me. Part of the coping mechanisms I apply are to pour myself into a project. This has really helped in this time. Right before the pandemic I started a new art series, and this has allowed me the time to dive in and develop the idea. However, like I said before, unfortunately a lot of the stores where I buy materials are closed. This has both slowed the actually creation of things, but has also helped me to see new uses in things that I already have.

KITSCH MAGIK - There has been a sudden peek of live streaming of performances since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Have you watched or played any? What was your experience if you did? 

Lev Ziskind - At the time I’m writing this, I’ve played three lifestream shows and have two more planned. I’ve watched as many as I can to keep the normalcy of going to shows in my mind. I have also been organizing lifestream shows myself. My experience has been purely good and positive. Every one of these shows that I have booked have run smoothly and successfully, and every other show I’ve played has been equally enjoyable and rewarding. So far I’ve met new people, seen new musics, and have even played a show with someone in Arizona without leaving my bedroom. Being a touring musician it’s the most rewarding thing to meet new people in new places, but to do the same without leaving my house in a truly magical experience.

KITSCH MAGIK - When did you notice people start to organize live streaming events?
  

Lev Ziskind - To be honest, I didn’t notice. The week before Philly officially went into shutdown mode, I live streamed maybe ten minutes of me playing a new noise maker that I created. Within two days we got the order to shut down and I immediately thought about how to keep people from being bored. As well, like I said before, I had been planning to start playing shows as a live noise artist and that didn’t happen. I was really focused on getting the new music and art I was creating out that I just hit up a few friends and set up a show. It went so well, I set up another one, then another one, then another one. By then enough people had seen the ones I had set up and people started to set up their own. So far I have played a live steam show every week, at least once. Again, I don't want to make it seem like I think I’m the first to do this. I just didn’t see anyone do it when I was doing it. But I’m sure that this is bigger than what I’ve done. And I think it’s  necessary that this is bigger than just me in philly.

KITSCH MAGIK -  Why do you think it took a global pandemic for a shift like this to happen? You would think the noise community would have jumped onto this beforehand, right? 

Lev Ziskind - I think that had someone had this idea before it would be just as popular. But necessity is the mother of invention and I don’t think that anyone has needed to do this. The experience of going to a show has always been an important part of the show itself and your experience of the music. Now that we can’t go to shows however, the fact that it’s possible to still see live performances while being in the comfort of your own home is incredibly appealing. I absolutely think the noise community would have glommed onto this if it had happened. I know how much it can be to transport musical gear and noise gear specifically, so the ability to set it up in a comfortable place where you might be able to leave it and come back later is equally as appealing as ‘going to a show’ while sitting on your couch.

KITSCH MAGIK - Do you think that a need to live stream performances has helped the noise community in a way, compared to other genres?   

Lev Ziskind - I think that the live stream performances would help any genre significantly for the reasons of accessibility. I think that his opens up a possibility to ‘go to a show’, not have to pay a door fee, and check out the music for however long you want at whatever volume you want to see if you like it. However, because of noise music’s identifiably harsh sounds and aesthetics I think this helped specifically for the noise community. The idea of paying 8-15$ for some shows to not like one, two, three, or even all of the bands that played that night is daunting and has turned people off in my experience of working at venues. However, a free show that you can watch on your phone for however long you want to seems more appealing when you consider that imposing nature of trying something new for the first time. I see these shows as a changing point for many musical genres; now more bands might live stream a show from their practice space, or solo acoustic acts will stream new songs from their bedroom.

KITSCH MAGIK - Do you think we are going to see more artists host live streaming events after this is over?

Lev Ziskind - I really do. I know many musician friends who play folk/acoustic/country have been doing live stream shows because they only need one acoustic guitar. Same with a jazz musician I know. Many of my musician friends have been giving music lessons via video call, and have even giving some public live streamed lessons where people can ask a question live and have it answered. I see a rise in musicians taking their own space (which is a larger discussion about race, gender, and identity politics in music and art, but I digress) and these live streams only shows musicians doing exactly that. Even if its not a full on four band show, I can see this continuing. Why wait for a show to be booked, or a venue to respond to you, when you can go on your phone and go live to everyone who follows you.

KITSCH MAGIK - How do you think this will change the landscapes of heavy/noisey acts?

Lev Ziskind - I believe that this has the potential to break down the apprehension some people might have about listening to noise. Now they can listen for as long as they want and decide without paying for a ticket to the show if they like it or not. I don’t think this will specifically affect other music acts and genres as much only because I feel like there is a bigger dislike/misunderstanding over noise music.

KITSCH MAGIK - What is the first thing you are going to do after this whole thing is over?

Lev Ziskind - I’m going to go back to work hahaha. But seriously it will be good to be able to go back to normal life. I am currently unable to get materials for art projects and noisemakers in the quantity I used to be able to. As soon as I am able to I will begin producing a lot more art pieces and noisemakers. As well, I’m going to play more shows than I did before. I have an itching to play live again. However I can also see myself continuing to do a lot of live stream shows. I will continue to keep setting them up until people stop wanting them.