Conceptually, plastic has modernized mankind, and by its unprecedented use, it will destroy it. Plasticity has devolved into intangible ideologies — fake people, pretend money and moral malleability, among others. It is synonymous with wanton consumption. It is also fantastic.
Neo-New Wave synth punkers, the Fantastic Plastics, have further distilled the idea into one of the more innovative DIY marketing approaches to hit the indie rock scene in the millennium. The two-piece act of Miranda and Tyson, originally from Champaign, Ill., have forged an immersive sci-fi experience featuring video installations, custom costumes and sing-along anthems.
“We are trying to predict where the future of music is going,” Tyson tells PureHoney. “We’ve started doing weekly live concerts on Twitch in order to connect with fans we’ve made on tour. It’s really rad. The real time interaction is unlike anything else.”
The Fantastic Plastics
Twitch.tv is a live-streaming gaming platform owned by Amazon.com with over 15 million daily users. It has allowed the Fantastic Plastics to create marathon virtual tours from the comfort of their studio — a boon for a band with day jobs and bulky gear including synths and a Theremin.
“Multiple nights a week, we stream a live concert/Q&A on Twitch,” he said. “Our viewers have a running live chat that we can see and interact with. They ask us questions, request songs, fans converse with each other. It has a real party vibe to it all and Twitch makes it fun by including animated gifs and sounds they can trigger onto the stream.”
For a band influenced by Devo, their technological timing couldn’t be better. The band’s real-time online accessibility promotes a unique connection with fans. Twitch also saves streams for 30 days, so anyone interested can replay them — like eavesdropping on a party line.
“It’s all about lifting each other and enjoying the experience,” says Tyson. “It’s a Utopia in what has largely become a Dystopian world.”
Bumblefest, with 37 bands on 6 stages for two nights, is Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14 in the 500 block of Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Admission is 18+. Doors open 7pm Friday and 5pm Saturday. Two-day Early Bee Tickets are available at BUMBLEFEST.com ~ Abel Folgar
