With the music industry being interrupted in a big way, musicians are turning to the internet as a way to adapt. Adam Weiner, frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie is one of many musicians who are live streaming performances from their homes. Weiner talked with Morning Show host Jill Riley about how musicians can help their communities, how art can impact people's morale, and the importance of radio in our current circumstances.

Jill Riley: Adam, how are you doing?

Adam Weiner: Yo yo yo, I'm doing alright. I've got all my pals in the Twin Cities on my mind right now.

You're at home, right? And home is South Philly?

Yeah. South Philadelphia.

So just last week I tuned in to the Facebook Live

[video]

of the Low Cut Connie mini-concert live from your living room?

Live from South Philly. That's my music room, my piano room.

What are you hoping to accomplish by bringing your fans a concert from your house? 

Well, I'm just like everybody else. I've been so stressed, anxious, and worried about our country, my neighbors, and our world. I don't know what it's going to be, but I know that we're going to get through it together. I know that I could be of service, so I said, "You've gotta let me in there. I gotta set something up, so that I can make people feel good." I knew that people have all been sitting on their couches for a week, just looking at the news and feeling very distressed.

I wanted people to feel alive again, and give people the sense that we are all alive. We're here and we are in this together. Just because we are physically distant doesn't mean that we can't be connected to each other. I've never done anything like this, where the technology allows us to connect remotely. We're all in this sort of chat room together. You see the comments and people commenting to each other. People are making friends and supporting each other and putting their charities in the feed. It's very special.

There's a charitable side of Live from South Philly, which is a series of livestreamed concerts via Facebook and Instagram. You're really looking to support your city.

Yeah, we have. My friends run a fabulous charity here called Philabundance. It's a food shelter program to get food to needy people here in this area. They do a lot of great work, and are really needed right now. I just am amazed at the sacrifices that people are making right now: our doctors, our nurses, our grocery store clerks. My friends here are out on the streets trying to make sure that everyone has food in this very trying time. I just wanted to call attention to their work, make sure that they are funded, and keep our kids fed here in Philadelphia. I'm sure you have very similar work going on there in the Twin Cities.

I was wondering if you could give us an inspirational message. Help pump us up here in the Twin Cities.

This is a trying time, but just like through the history of this country, there have been very difficult times where we rose to the challenge and came out stronger. The service that you guys provide at The Current on the radio is so important right now. Think about when we were in the Great Depression, and all of the sudden people were getting their news from the radio. That's really when radio exploded in this country. People were listening to music, and listening to President Roosevelt speak. It was a way that people, as despondent as they were, saw there was a future for us.

I am excited to see the energy that I am seeing from all of my neighbors and pals. We're all putting our heads together, and we're going to try to make this a better world. Art is a part of that world. Art doesn't stop. If I can do my little part from my living room just with a cellphone to make thousands of people feel energized, feel good about themselves, and feel good about where we're headed despite what circumstances may be, imagine what we could do if we all put our energies together, put all of our good ideas together. We could really do great things.

I love the people in this country. I love the people in Minnesota and in the Twin Cities. I can't wait to get back there, but for the moment, you're going to have to come to my house and tune in.

I know that you're a big fan of radio in general, and I think you really nailed it there. We're coming into work still every morning, because we want to keep the music rolling. We want to give people a little piece of normalcy and connection during this time. We really appreciate you being a part of that.

That's right. You guys are doing great work. I applaud you, Jill, with The Morning Show and The Current. As always, you're there for your community. I'm just here to remind people that just because these times are challenging doesn't mean we can't have fun. It doesn't mean we can't laugh together, dance together, get sweaty together, and release. On my live stream tonight, we're going to be doing some of that release. I'm going to keep doing these as long as it's needed.

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