BlackStar and three Philly DJs connect for three weekends of spiritual 'Revival!'

Each year, the BlackStar Film Festival curates a weekend of progressive film for its community here in Philadelphia. Founded in 2012 by Maori Karmael Holmes, the festival has grown and achieved international acclaim. In recent months, BlackStar has maintained its relationship with its community of filmmakers and cinephiles by bringing the curatorial expertise the festival is known for to the digital space using platforms such as Twitch.

Meditate on that

This month, BlackStar presents Revival!, a three-week series of livestreamed virtual dance parties and live performances that celebrate the visual and sonic culture of shared Black spiritual experiences. Touted as an audio-visual meditation, the project is delivered in weekly installments, each helmed by Philly DJ/tastemakers Rashid Zakat, Lil' Dave, and Oluwafemi, respectively.

Revival! promises to bring an eclectic music selection and visuals that pull from the rich fountain of Black music and spirituality. Speaking with BSR, Lil’ Dave gives insight into how this unique virtual dance party was conceived.

“We came up with the idea for Revival! long before the pandemic hit," he said. "We had initially hoped to make it a full-on live experience, but we had to adapt it for the current situation. It has required us to work in this whole new realm of technology that has been open to us in order to bring this experience into people's homes. Expect an amazing selection of uplifting music, mind-melting visuals, and the magic of a collective live experience.”

What, When, Where:

Revival! begins Sunday, June 14, at 2pm with Rashid Zakat. Revival! continues on Sunday, June 21, at 2pm with Lil’ Dave, and June 28 at 2pm with Oluwafemi. All times are Eastern. You can RSVP for each episode in the series on Eventbrite. More information is available at BlackStar.