THE MANC: launch of STREAMGM & dj woody
May 16th 2021
Following the whopping success of the United We Stream GM throughout the pandemic, the team have launched a new streaming platform, dedicated to showcasing Manchester’s very own talent to the masses.
Since launching in April last year, United We Stream (UWS) became part of so many people’s lives. It provides us with some much-needed respite and entertainment when times were dark, all whilst raising money for people in need.
The platform is designed to move away from the fundraising element of UWS and towards producing original shows and performances, specially curated to shine a spotlight on Manchester’s musical talent and creatives.
After clocking up more than 20 million streams worldwide, nobody can deny the impact of the platform and the legacy it’s created for itself.
The Manc chatted to Laura Graham, our head of comms, about what to expect from the new platform.
“StreamGM will be showcasing the vibrant music, culture, arts and live events scene in Greater Manchester, as we slowly move into re-opening and recovery in the UK.
“There are loads of people, who through various circumstances won’t be able to go to all the events they’d like to and have really enjoyed being able to access brilliant live-streamed content from home.
“We learned so much from the last year, it was an absolute beast of a project and StreamGM is basically the best bits from the UWS legacy.”
On the importance of a platform like StreamGM, Laura says it’s the ideal way to reach wider audiences that an artist wouldn’t have had the opportunity to reach before. The global reach of the platform means people from every corner of the world can tune into and watch an artist all the way in Manchester. This is massive for our city’s talent.
“There’s so much talent in Greater Manchester, whether that’s music or dance or theatre or art. And we reckon that anything that can amplify that is a good thing,” Laura says. “Ten or twenty years ago things were so different. We had more local press outlets, more national press with regional reporters and the whole scout, label, promoter and producer system was different.
“In some ways, the industry is better than it was before, artists speak directly to their audiences, can put their own work out there and it doesn’t have to be polished or given the stamp of approval.”
DJ Woody was comissioned by StreamGM to produce an exclusive ‘Manchester’ themed set to mark their launch.
Originally a Burnley lad, Woody made a name for himself after winning multiple DJ competitions around the world. Soon enough, he was on stages much bigger than the Northern Quarter bars he’d started out playing.
A self-proclaimed “old-school” type of DJ, Woody is famous for his iconic scratching style. He prides himself on his the signature techniques that he’s crafted throughout his career. “At the time I was doing competitions, the culture was always become an original – you stand out by doing something original.
“I always thought my peers were practising more than me because I was working in that little office at Granada. So, I used to sketch ideas down on paper and look at it a bit more scientifically.
“So, when I did go to the competitions, my [sets] were a little bit more out of the box perhaps than some other people that were from for example London. The scene has always been very London-centric. So, when you’re slightly out of it you can take a different perspective on things.”
Using specially selected videos, pictures and graphics sent in by videographers, photographers and artists, the visuals will tell the story of Manchester’s culture and music.
“I wanted to include Manchester music that everyone does know and highlight a lot of the contemporary music scene and show a few modern-day classics – as well as celebrate Manchester visually,” he explains. “I think it really works for a streaming platform, more so than a club environment to an extent.”
When the full thing is brought together, the elements will encompass a unique and never seen before audio-visual celebration of the city, where old meets new in every sense of the word. And we can expect to see some very familiar faces and tracks in the mix.
Woody is no stranger to the StreamGM team after wowing the world with his set at the Hacienda House Party on UWS on New Year’s Eve – a set he says was his biggest ever audience.
For The Manc’s full feature, please click here.