Tony Drovetto is MoPOP's Content Marketing Manager.
I.C.Y.M.I.: Video Game Network G4 Teases 2021 Return, 'Bandcamp Fridays' Continue + More!
Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, and welcome to week 26 of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series. Our museum may be temporarily closed to visitors based on guidance from public health officials to slow the spread of coronavirus, but we're still here to recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week(s) in popular culture, in case you missed them.
Last week, we led with music news you can use highlighting nominees for this year's MTV Video Music Awards. This week, we shift gears to the gaming world. Read on!
The Return of G4
"We never stopped playing."
That's the cryptic message G4 left on its revitalized Twitter account in late July (in the midst of this year's virtual Comic-Con@Home) accompanied with the video embedded above, which teases a return of G4 in 2021.
So, who else remembers G4? Former G4 personality turned Hollywood actress Olivia Munn sure does. The basic cable TV network ran from 2002 to 2014 and its programming featured an affinity for all things nerdy pop culture, most notably, video games. Streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch as well as e-sports competitions have exploded in popularity since the channel closed shop, but what form next year's G4 TV reboot will take remains to be seen. According to Deadline, waves of new information will be made available in the coming weeks and months. Gamers, you'll want to stay tuned!
Bandcamp Fridays Continue Through 2020
Bandcamp has plans to continue its 'Bandcamp Friday' promotion through the rest of the year, meaning the music provider will waive its revenue share on all sales made the first Friday of every month (hey, that's today!) to give artists more money for each purchase.
The series started as a one-off back in March to aid musicians after the coronavirus pandemic brought touring to a standstill. Then, after much success, Bandcamp extended its 'Bandcamp Friday' for the next three months before eventually continuing the benefit for musicians through the rest of this year.
"Because the pandemic is far from over, we’ll continue to hold Bandcamp Fridays on the first Friday of every month until the end of the year," Bandcamp says in a statement on its website.
After today, August 7, the next four 'Bandcamp Fridays' will take place September 4, October 2, November 6, and December 4. Mark your calendars and make sure to support your favorite artists!
Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi Series Raised By Wolves
For the sci-fi fiends among us, Ridley Scott, the film director who has brought fans popular titles including Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Gladiator (2000), and The Martian (2015), has an android series in store for us all next month. Debuting September 3 on HBO Max, Scott's Raised by Wolves takes place in the far-off future where humanity is looking to colonize space following Earth's destruction. Young humans are growing up under the care of robots created to protect them, but when forces show up to threaten their society, the android's intentions shift in what looks to be a not-so-peaceful way. Check out the creepy trailer embedded above!
What Else To Catch Up On This Weekend
- Our milestone series celebrating 20 years of MoPOP continued with a look back at the launch of Sound Lab, the first-of-its kind exhibition that broke down barriers between player and instrument.
- Members of the curatorial staff return with another MoPOP Movie Review, this time playfully analyzing the art-world satire seen in Velvet Buzzsaw.
- In the latest entry to our Member Moments blog series we hear from Charlie and Pam Phillips, who cite MoPOP's community outreach endeavors as one of the main reasons for their continued support of our nonprofit museum.
- POP+ Punk kicks into high gear early next week with a panel discussion on the Pacific Northwest music scene featuring MoPOP curator Jacob McMurray, writer Gillain Gaar, musician/artist Helena Rogers, and musician/writer Allison Wolfe set for 4 p.m. PT on Tuesday, August 11 (register now!).
- And for the book worms, as part of our POP+ Punk programming our book club will be exploring Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney's memoir, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, with a couple of online discussions this month.
- The Seattle Public Library also provided a handy list of resources related to MoPOP book club.
What'd We Miss?
Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on social media. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of I.C.Y.M.I.
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