Published
Tue, Apr 26, 2022, 09:45
- We spoke to Claude VonStroke about the label's new virtual island, The Birdyverse, which is also home to a dive bar, a festival and portals to other metaverses.
Dirtybird has launched Birdhain, a non-stop party in the metaverse featuring DJ sets from the likes of Heidi Lawden, Nikki Nair and label boss Claude VonStroke.
Birdhain is part of The Birdyverse, a virtual paradise island featuring several club spaces—including a dive bar and a festival—plus an art exhibit, places where you can play games like Capture The Flag and portals to other metaverses. Of all the new and experimental ways artists are now trying to connect with their fans, The Birdyverse stands out for its scale and ambition.
Access to Birdhain, like its Berlin namesake, is exclusive. Entry is only granted if you hold one of the label's Dirtybird Flight Club NFTs, a series of 9090 profile picture (or PFP) drawn by the acclaimed muralist Birdcap. (They're available for .012 ETH—around $36.) Users without one of the NFTs can still explore the virtual island, but their interactions are restricted and limited.
The idea of launching a virtual club paradise came to Claude VonStroke during the pandemic. While the easing of lockdowns has seen him return to playing clubs and festivals, he wanted to launch The Birdyverse as a way of harnessing some of the unexpected insights learned in the past two years.
"During the Covid-19 lockdowns we ran 12 original DJ streaming shows on Twitch every week (40 hours-plus)," he told RA. "During those shows I noticed the chat next to the stream was actually more important than the stream itself. The chat was the social glue making people feel better. Once the clubs opened up, [almost] everyone ditched streaming but we still saw a value in creating a place to hang out socially online."
Partying in the metaverse has so far been met with mixed reviews. But Claude VonStroke understands that it's a fast-changing landscape and will take a bit of experimentation to get right.
"The crypto landscape changes more in one month than the regular world changes in one year, so I think it's impossible to tell what will happen," he said. "I do think that the people taking chances and building experiences will prosper. Not everything we do is amazing and we have had a ton of trial and error but we are out here doing it and pushing forward and I think our fans appreciate it and that it fits with our objective to bring people together and have fun."
This approach is refreshingly candid. While many in the Web3 world approach their projects with an air of self-seriousness, The Birdyverse channels the Dirtybird ethos of prioritizing fans and a good time.
The Los Angeles label has always cultivated a cult-like following. Lindsey Loley, whose Twitter bio includes the line "Dirtybird Flight Club Maxi," said once she saw the NFTs, she wanted as many as possible. (She is now the proud owner of 20.) But she also sees the pivot into the metaverse as about making dance music more accessible. "I think allowing people that can't attend events in real life to be a part of the fun is really key," she told RA.
Claude VonStroke harbors vague future plans to bring his IRL and virtual events together. But, for now, the focus is on figuring out ways for "our NFT holders to meet and chat and 'dance,'" he said. "I think the goals of the club are to keep making it better and more funny inside."
Take a tour of The Birdyverse.