Treefort partners with Waltzer TV for Boise-based virtual variety show

Waltzer TV, in partnership with Treefort Music Fest, is putting on an anything but old school, MTV-style live virtual variety show.The event can be streamed Thursday, March 25 at 8 p.m. MST with rebroadcasts for 72 hours after the premiere. 

Waltzer TV is an inclusive arts and entertainment platform created by the Chicago-based band Waltzer during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in response to the sweeping cancellation of touring and live events. 

Even though many artists are unable to tour right now, bands like Waltzer, an indie rock group led by Sophie Sputnick, are taking advantage of virtual outlets to get their music out to people in creative ways. 

Using submitted videos from local artists and entertainers, Waltzer TV puts together an hour-long variety show to highlight the city’s music scene. 

“None of us want [online] to be the only place that our art and our lives live,” said Eric Gilbert, director of Treefort Music Fest. “But if we can make [virtual shows] an addition to where we can present our art — really hone that side of it too — it lends an opportunity to expand the audience.” 

Waltzer TV has created remote shows highlighting local musicians and entertainers from a lineup of different cities all over the country with episodes from New York City, Nashville, Portland, Austin and more. 

Now, Waltzer TV is coming to Boise for their third episode of their second season of operation. 

The Boise episode will feature well-known local bands such as Blood Lemon, Doug Martsch from Built to Spill, Lobo Lara, Papas, The French Tips, buttstuff, WEND, Nick Delffs, Frankie Tillo, Angel and Sun Blood Stories. A performance from Waltzer will also be featured in the broadcast. 

“It’s been a cool way to build community, for [Sputnik] specifically coming to different scenes,” Gilbert said. 

Waltzer TV also has a trailer to view for more information before the event.

These virtual tours have been an unexpected way for locals to keep discovering bands in their music scene without traditional shows, while also putting local music on a national platform. 

Livestream admission tickets are pay-what-you-can with a portion of sales going to Treefort’s Live Music Relief Fund. 

The Live Music Relief Fund is an emergency initiative by Treefort Music Fest offering financial assistance to residents of the Boise area in the live music industry that have lost work due to the coronavirus pandemic. This includes local artists and musicians but also those involved in lighting and audio, tours and the production of live music.

Tickets are available now to watch the premiere on Thursday, March 25 at 8 p.m. and are available through Sunday, March 28 to view the Boise Episode of Waltzer TV and vibe to some retro MTV-style music while discovering new local bands.

“[For] most artists what they want more than anything, is an audience for their art,” Gilbert said. “If they can make some money through that, cool, but the audience is really what most of us seek through creation.”