Safari Showcase featuring Schotty, PVLMS, Apple ii, Celadon City, Akiba, LoneMoon and SimStim
Saturday, June 20
Dope Chapel | Norman
Some entities — like wine and cheese or Oreos and peanut butter — do just fine on their own. But put them together, and they damn near blow your mind. (But don’t mix wine with Oreos because that would be gross.)
That’s what’s going on with Safari Collective and Dope Chapel. One’s a grouping of local electronic artists, and the other is a gallery/venue/studio space/cultural embassy for Oklahomies. One has the tagline “Sounds and Friends Always Rebirth Imagination,” and the other is known for being the local house of worship for all things dope.
No brainer, right? Oxford Karma talked with Ethan Strange of Safari Collective and Eric Piper of Dope Chapel about how this blessed union came to be — just in time for Safari’s Saturday showcase.
LoneMoon (Photo: Joshua Boydston)
Oxford Karma: What led to the creation of Safari Collective?
Ethan Strange: Safari began as a way for other artists to connect with each other, not just on a music level, but also on a social one. When I (Celadon City) started doing more shows, it was very — too — tough to find other electronic artists that were like me. I met with some other artists at a house show and we began to kick off our relationship.
Months went by and I started finding more artists via Facebook and Soundcloud that were looking for a local outlet to move their music into the real world. Soundcloud has been a breeding ground for DIY collectives, and some have been making a big impact in their local scenes. I wanted to do that and give artists a chance to showcase themselves in a positive and easy-feeling environment.
Last summer’s end, Safari finally became a real thing and we started with eight artists. Now we have 14 different acts all ranging in different genres of electronic bedroom music. It’s a beautiful thing to see, and it’s even more beautiful that the people have such a strong relationship with Safari.
OK: How did Safari Collective and Dope Chapel get together?
Eric Piper: Ethan first hit me up in August last year, really excited about getting a collective of electronic artists together. We talked about the necessity of working together with people that share a similar mission to survive and grow.
Strange: All of this would have been very tough without the help of Eric Piper and Dope Chapel. They have been the city for our people, and they provide the means to allow us to be ourselves. I met Eric last year after a show, and the fact that he and his crew were so open-arms about it made me feel at home. I love them for their constant support as we grow and help the community grow with us. I thank them for making Safari a real thing, and I will do my damn best to make sure we stand together.
PVLMS (Photo: Zach Hale)
OK: A sense of community is obviously really important for Safari Collective and Dope Chapel. Why did you feel the call to support burgeoning local musicians?
Piper: I think becoming involved with any music scene is a huge chance to grow and find a place where the work you contribute creates immediate results. For me, it was the punk scene in Lawton that taught me how to work with my peers in a band, how to work with my city to find places to perform, and how to work with touring musicians to come and play and be supported by our local scene. All of these skills are hugely important in working to improve your community, in any aspect, not only art or music. When a group of people working passionately start working together, most things are possible.
OK: A lot of Safari’s bands and musicians are extremely popular on the internet. How does doing a live show change that?
Piper: Safari Collective has some incredibly talented electronic musicians involved, musicians who have a huge online fanbase and honestly could hide away from the analog world and be incredibly successful using only the internet as a medium to connect. Partnering with Safari, we’re able to bring the work out of the digital and into a living experience for everyone to come and be a part of our community.
OK: So Safari Collective has done a handful of showcases now. What can people expect from this one?
Strange: It’s gonna be a trail mix of music. We have DJ sets by me (maybe) and by our visuals master and all around superstar SimStim. Then we have a night of emotional music for those who want to swing and chill or dance their asses off. PVLMS, Schotty, LoneMoon, Akiba, and Apple ii will be taking the stage and will provide the template to your wonderful night. As with all our shows, we will be making sure the public is having a wonderful time and hope to see many people there.
