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SCRUFF OF THE NECK TV A Blackmagic Design-heavy multicamera setup helps Manchester-based indie record label, Scruff of the Neck provide a platform for local live musicians to thrive in partnership with Twitch. TPi’s Jacob Waite reports…
Having converted what was a top-floor meeting room in Manchester into a flourishing, forward-thinking livestream recording space, independent music label, Scruff of the Neck joined forces with Twitch to pioneer digital live sets with local artists amid the COVID-19 pandemic, enlisting the technical infrastructure and expertise of Blackmagic Design to capture the action. Described as a ‘groundbreaking, forward-thinking partnership’ which supports the creative production of regular broadcasts, Scruff of the Neck labelheads turned to Blackmagic Design to broadcast live performances, interviews and features as part of an official Twitch partnership with ATEM Mini Extreme and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K as part of a multicamera setup. Each live show is a three-hour stream hosted by BBC Radio One’s Abbie McCarthy and Radio X’s Jack Wood, featuring band interviews and live performances. At the time of writing, over 55 shows with 160 hours of
content have been produced by the label, resulting in seven million views since mid-January. Featured artists include Yonaka, The Slow Readers Club, Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Lottery Winners and Larkins. “We spotlight well established acts in their own right as well as those playing their first ever live show,” revealed Scruff of the Neck Head of Live, Chris Brearley. “We’re fortunate to be partnered with Twitch and have their support to help promote our streams to not only our own audiences but the existing Twitch community, meaning we have a strong viewership and can create a platform for music discovery for even the freshest of artists.” Having rescheduled show after show, Scruff of the Neck sought an opportunity to bring the gig experience into people’s homes during lockdown, and Twitch, he said, felt like the perfect platform to do this. “Thankfully, everything fell into place mid-January. We broadcast 10 livestreams over the course of two weeks to kick things off,” he recalled. “Since then, we’ve been doing two shows a week. By July, we’ll go down to 12
