On Saturday, May 30th, over 70 artists and thousands of fans came together for Quarantine Comes Alive, a virtual music festival that raised over $150,000 for a litany of charities via the comprehensive PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The 15-hour live-stream marathon featured virtual performances and never-before-seen videos by an array of artists from around the world including Mike Dillon and two other members of his band, Nolatet, who delivered a two-song performance to keep the action thriving during the all-day event.
The performance saw Dillon bounce back and forth between drums and an array of melodic percussion instruments alongside his Nolatet bandmates, pianist Brian Haas and upright bassist James Singleton, as they performed “Pops” from the band’s 2016 debut and an unreleased original entitled “Jazz Witch”. Donning facemasks, the trio proved they haven’t lost their step during this live music shutdown as they journeyed and powered their way through the two instrumentals for a wonderful performance.
Related: Karina Rykman Welcomes Quarantine Comes Alive To A Drone-Shot Pool Party [Watch]
As Dillon explained to Live For Live Music, “I recorded the music for Quarantine Comes Alive with Nolatet. It was the first time we played together since Portland Jazz Festival the weekend the coronavirus exploded in Seattle. The emotions and the fear of playing with musicians again after 11 weeks of quarantine yielded joy. That for me is why we fight the good fight on a daily basis. Some people play music and as our leader James Singleton is fond of saying, ‘We play life.’”
If you enjoyed the performance, Dillon asks that you make a donation to Backline. Watch the full performance from Mike Dillon & Nolatet during Quarantine Comes Alive below:
Mike Dillon & Nolatet – “Pops”/”Jazz Witch” – Quarantine Comes Alive
[Video: Live For Live Music]
Presented by Live For Live Music in partnership with PLUS1 and Nugs.TV, Quarantine Comes Alive was conceived as a way to celebrate and support musicians, provide fans with unique musical experiences from the comfort of their couches, and raise money for comprehensive COVID-19 relief during this time of uncertainty. All funds raised from the donation-based event will be split evenly between the artists on the bill and the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, which works directly with leading non-profit organizations like Sweet Relief, MusiCares, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, World Central Kitchen, Partners In Health, Trans Lifeline, and Backline to provide aid where it’s needed most. For more information, head here.